Systems and methods for analysis of material properties of components and structures using machining processes to enable stress relief in the material under test

An appliance for use in residual stress analysis of a component under test (CUT), the CUT having one or more strain monitors operationally coupled to a strain or displacement measurement system which generates an output proportional to changes in strain as a stress state of the CUT is changed, the appliance comprising:

• a motion platform having two or more mutually orthogonal axes of motion;
• an image sensor, mounted to the motion platform, having a viewing area orthogonal to a cutting axis of a machining tool;
• a drive mechanism for each motion axis coupled to a control system, wherein the drive mechanisms are operable to cause the machining tool, under control of the control system, to machine a feature by:
• locating a point determined by placement of the one or more strain or displacement monitors near which material is to be removed from the CUT;
• using a laser, begin cutting through a hardened surface of the CUT at a predetermined machining point to a first predetermined depth;
• using the laser, continue cutting into the hardened surface in an incrementally larger orbit until a radius of the orbit is larger than the radius of a machining tool;
• and
• using the machining tool, machining the feature onto the CUT wherein the machining includes a plurality of light cuts to a second predetermined depth without introducing additional stress from the machining process.