CONTOUR FORMING OF METALS BY LASER PEENING

摘要

A method and apparatus are provided for forming shapes and contours in metalsections by generating laser induced compressive stress on the surface of themetal workpiece. The laser process can generate deep compressive stresses toshape even thick components without inducing unwanted tensile stress at themetal surface. The precision of the laser-induced stress enables exactprediction and subsequent contouring of parts. A light beam of 10 to 100J/pulse is imaged to create an energy fluence of 60 to 200 J/cm2 on anabsorptive layer applied over a metal surface. A tamping layer of water isflowed over the absorptive layer. The absorption of laser light causes aplasma to form and consequently creates a shock wave that induces a deepresidual compressive stress into the metal. The metal responds to thisresidual stress by bending.