The Role of Residual Stress Measurement in the Development of Laser Peening

Abstract

This paper provides a summary of residual stress measurements performed in the development of a specific application of laser peening. Laser peening is an emerging surface treatment for metals that imparts compressive residual stress near the surface by introducing cold work. Since residual stress is a key outcome of the process, its measurement is an important process diagnostic. The first part of this work demonstrates the effects of specific laser peening process variations on the residual stress profile imparted to a corrosion-resistant nickel alloy (Alloy 22, UNS N06022). The second part of this work demonstrates measurements of a two-dimensional spatial distribution of the weld-direction residual stress component for a thick welded joint in the as-welded and laser peened conditions.