LASER SHOCK-PROCESSING FOR FATIGUE AND FRACTURE-RESISTANCE

The generation mechanism of stress wave induced by laser-shocking is d escribed and the stress wave is measured with a PVDF transducer. The v isual inspections and control methods of the effectiveness of laser sh ock-processing (LSP) are built up. A small-sized, Q switched Nd: glass laser with high-power is used for LSP. The fatigue lives, of aluminum alloy are increased greatly after LSP. With 95% confidence, the mean fatigue life of 2024T62 aluminum alloy after the LSP is 4.5-9.8 times that of the un-shocked ones. The hardness, microstructure end fracture section of materials ate analysed before and after LSP. The anti-fati gue and anti-fracture mechanism is analysed and the prospect of wide a pplications of LSP technology are described.