Homage to John O. Almen

Author:  Jack Champaigne, Editor
Source:  The Shot Peener magazine, Vol 37, Issue 2, Spring 2023
Doc ID:  2023013
Year of Publication:  2023
Abstract:  
LEARNING IS A NEVER-ENDING OPPORTUNITY. John Otto Almen invented the gage we use today for shot peening process consistency. While struggling with early fatigue failures of automotive valve springs, he decided to “shot blast” the springs to remove the scale from the springs. The blasted springs lasted much longer on the fatigue testing machine and now he needed a way to consistently “blast” the springs. He filed his patent for a gage in 1942 and it was granted in 1944 (Patent Number 2,350,440). I found a copy of a General Motors drawing dated November of 1943 showing a new generation of gage that already used four-ball support instead of two-knife edges. A graphic was created to allow conversion of measurements made on either test strip.