LASER SHOCK PEENING SYSTEM WITH TIME-OF-FLIGHT MONITORING

• US 20070119824A1
• Filed: 11/30/2005
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Azer, Magdi, Rockstroh, Todd, Azad, Farzin, Deaton, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,906,746 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/121.600
• CPC Class Codes: C21D 10/005 by laser shock processing
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/286 Particular treatment of blades, e.g. to increase durability or resistance against corrosion or erosion F01D5/288 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0234 Metals, e.g. steel
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/12 by measuring frequency or resonance of acoustic waves measuring frequency or resonant frequency of mechanical vibrations or acoustic waves in general G01H1/06, G01H3/04, G01H13/00; acoustic resonators G10K11/04; vibration or shock testing of structures G01M7/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring a laser shock peening process includes a sensor connected to a controller. The controller includes an input and a processor. The input is connected to the sensor to receive a signal indicative of a laser shock event at a workpiece. The processor is connected to the input and is configured to determine a time-of-flight of residual energy associated with the laser shock event from the workpiece to the sensor and determine peen quality from the time-of-flight of the residual energy.

Claims

1. A controller comprising:

an input configured to receive a signal from a transducer indicative of a laser shock event at a workpiece; and

a processor connected to the input and configured to determine a travel time of energy associated with the laser shock event from the workpiece to the transducer and output a determination of peen quality from the travel time.

2. The controller of claim 1 further configured to control generation of a laser beam by a laser source.

3. The controller of claim 2 wherein the laser source is further defined as a Q-switched laser.

4. The controller of claim 1 further configured to control a distribution of a containment material.

5. The controller of claim 4 wherein the distribution of the containment material is further defined as an amount and a direction of a water flow.

6. The controller of claim 1 further comprising another input configured to receive at least one of spectral data and amplitude data of energy associated with the laser shock event.

7. A laser shock peening system comprising:

a laser source constructed to emit a laser beam at a workpiece;

a sensor directed toward the workpiece to detect a shock event; and

a controller connected to the laser source and the sensor, the controller configured to;

(A) receive a first signal from the laser source and a second signal from the sensor;

(B) determine a time-of-flight value from the first signal and the second signal; and

(C) determine a quality of a peen from the time-of-flight value.

8. The laser shock peening system of claim 7 further comprising an amplifier disposed between the sensor and the controller and configured to condition the signal received from the sensor.

9. The laser shock peening system of claim 7 further comprising a filter disposed between the sensor and the controller and configured to condition the signal received from the sensor.

10. The laser shock peening system of claim 7 wherein the quality of a peen is determined during real-time operation of the system.

11. The laser shock peening system of claim 7 further comprising an electronic database configured to associate a quality of a peen with an average peen of a number of peens and a part of a number of parts.

12. The laser shock peening system of claim 7 wherein the controller is constructed to generate an alert when a determined quality of a peen is beyond a threshold.

13. The laser shock peening system of claim 12 wherein the controller is configured to suspend operation of the laser source for a subsequent emission of a laser beam when an alert has been generated.

14. The laser shock peening system of claim 7 wherein the controller is configured to control operation of a positioning system, the positioning system constructed to orient the laser source and the workpiece such that the laser beam impinges the workpiece at a desired location and a desired inclination.

15. The laser shock peening system of claim 7 wherein the sensor is positioned at least 30 mm from the workpiece.

16. A method of monitoring a laser shock peening process comprising the steps of:

(A) detecting emission of a laser beam from a laser source towards a workpiece for initiation of a peen event;

(B) detecting a residual energy associated with generation of a shockwave generated by impingement of the laser beam on an absorption layer;

(C) determining a time duration between generation of the residual energy and detection of the residual energy; and

(D) deriving peen quality from the determined time duration.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of repeating steps (A) through (D) for each of a plurality of peen events.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of determining a part quality from the plurality of derived peen qualities.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of providing an alert when a derived peen quality is unacceptable.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of suspending laser beam emission for a subsequent peen event upon determination of an unacceptable peen quality for a previous peen event.

21. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of automatically adjusting at least one of a laser beam emission parameter and a peen event parameter for a subsequent peen event if a preceding peen event is deemed unacceptable.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the step of automatically adjusting the parameter achieves an acceptable determined time duration for the subsequent peen event.