Laser Peening Process and Its Application Technique

Kim, Jong-Do; KUTSUNA, Muneharu; SANO, Yuji

doi:2015.33.4.1

J Weld Join > Volume 33(4); 2015 > Article

Special Issue

Journal of Welding and Joining 2015;33(4):1-6.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5781/JWJ.2015.33.4.1 Published online August 31, 2015.

Laser Peening Process and Its Application Technique

Jong-Do Kim^*, Muneharu KUTSUNA^**, Yuji SANO^***

Correspondence: Jong-Do Kim,
Email: jdkim@kmou.ac.kr

Abstract

Advances in laser technology have yielded a multitude of innovative processes and applications in various industries. Laser peening is a typical example invented in the mid-1990s as a surface technology, which converted residual stress from tension to compression by just irradiating successive laser pulses to metallic materials under aqueous environment without any surface preparation. The effects of laser peening have been experimentally studied on residual stress, stress corrosion cracking(SCC) susceptibility and fatigue properties with water-penetrable frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser. In addition, laser peening has been widely used in aviation and aerospace industries, automobile manufacturing and nuclear plant. One of the most important causes to improve the above-mentioned properties is the deeper compressive residual stress induced by laser peening. Taking advantage of the process without reacting force against laser irradiation, a remote operating system was developed to apply laser peening to nuclear power reactors as a preventive maintenance measure against SCC.

Key Words: Laser peening, Resicual stress, Stress corrosion cracking, Fatigue, Nuclear power reactor