Downsizing for New Flexibility in Laser Shock Peening

Author:  Professor Dr. Yuji Sano | LAcubed and SANKEN, Osaka University and Volker Schneidau | sentenso
Source:  The Shot Peener magazine, Vol 37, Issue 2, Spring 2023
Doc ID:  2023014
Year of Publication:  2023
Abstract:  
Introduction Laser Shock Peening (or Laser Peening) is well-known for its high intensity and impact to achieve high residual stresses in extraordinary depth when compared to shot peening. Now Professor Yuji Sano from LAcubed and his team from SANKEN, Osaka University have succeeded in developing an extremely compact and mobile demonstration unit for Laser Peening without Coating (LPwC). A new bonding technology between optical components realizes a laser head with the typical size of a pen for the peening of specific and critical part areas with an amazing surface quality. Professor Sano is considered one of the pioneers of the industrial use of laser peening since he developed LPwC for Toshiba Corporation in the 1990s to combat stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of components in nuclear power plants. In close co-operation with the Japanese team, sentenso in Germany built a small automated system with the laser head that peened a 3D surface and was controlled by an industrial robot. In a live demonstration in December, 2022 at the ECOMAT development centre of Airbus in Bremen, sentenso and the laser experts showed a typical application on aluminium samples in front of about 30 development engineers and material scientists. Immediately afterwards, sentenso was able to prove the induced residual compressive stresses with the help of the mobile μ-X360s X-ray stress analyser. LAcubed and sentenso are now proceeding to develop industrial applications for various materials and parts.