Method using laser shock processing to provide improved residual stress profile characteristics

A method, comprising the steps of:

• providing an object having a first side and a second side disposed generally opposite one another;
• and
• forming at least one pair of associated laser shock peened surfaces each disposed at a different one of the first and second sides of said object, each pair of associated laser shock peened surfaces being formed by laser shock peening said object at the first and second sides thereof at different times.

A method for use with an object having a first side and a second side disposed generally opposite one another, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a laser shock processor;
• and
• operating said laser shock processor to laser shock process said object in a manner sufficient to cause at least one set of generally opposing shockwaves to develop in a time-staggered relationship to one another at different ones of the first and second sides of said object.

A method for use with an object having a first side and a second side disposed generally opposite one another, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a laser shock processor;
• and
• operating said laser shock processor to laser shock process said object in a manner sufficient to cause at least one set of generally opposing shockwaves to develop at different times at different ones of the first and second sides of said object and to subsequently encounter one another within said object at a location apart from a mid-plane of said object.

A method for use with an object having a first side and a second side disposed generally opposite one another, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a laser shock processor;
• and
• operating said laser shock processor to laser shock process said object in a manner sufficient to cause the formation of at least one set of generally opposing regions each extending from respective laser shock peened surfaces formed at different times at different ones of the first and second sides of said object, each region having compressive residual stresses imparted by laser shock processing, each set of opposing regions defining an asymmetrical compressive residual stress distribution profile appearing generally along a respective thickness dimension of said object.

A method, comprising the steps of:

• providing an object having a first side and a second side disposed generally opposite one another;
• and
• simultaneously laser shock peening said object at the first and second sides thereof using laser beams having different pulse lengths to respectively form first and second laser shock peened surfaces on the first and second sides of said object, respectively.

A method, comprising the steps of:

• providing an object having a first side and a second side disposed generally opposite one another;
• and
• laser shock peening said object to form at least one set of simultaneously formed laser shock peened surfaces each disposed at a different one of the first and second sides of said object, wherein the respective laser shock peened surfaces of at least one respective set of simultaneously formed laser shock peened surfaces being respectively formed using laser beams having different pulse lengths.

A method for use with an object having a first side and a second side disposed generally opposite one another, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a laser shock processor;
• and
• operating said laser shock processor to laser shock process said object in a manner sufficient to cause at least one set of generally opposing shockwaves to develop simultaneously at different ones of the first and second sides of said object and to subsequently experience different rates of attenuation during propagation within said object.

A method, comprising the steps of:

• providing an object having a first side and a second side disposed generally opposite one another;
• and
• laser shock peening said object to form a plurality of laser shock peened surfaces, said plurality of laser shock peened surfaces including at least one set of laterally offset, simultaneously formed laser shock peened surfaces each disposed at a different one of the first and second sides of said object.

A method for use with an object having a first side and a second side generally opposing one another, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a laser shock processor;
• and
• operating said laser shock processor to laser shock process said object in a manner sufficient to cause at least one set of laterally offset shockwaves to develop simultaneously at different ones of the first and second sides of said object and subsequently interact with one another within said object.

A method, comprising the steps of:

• providing an object having a first side and a second side disposed generally opposite one another;
• and
• simultaneously laser shock peening said object at the first and second sides thereof to form first and second laser shock peened surfaces at the first and second sides of said object, respectively, wherein the first and second laser shock peened surfaces having a lateral displacement therebetween.