Abstract: A double-side synchronous laser shock peening (LSP) method for leading edges of turbine blades employs two laser beams with the same diameter and different pulse energy to synchronously shock the front and back sides of each point within 8-10 mm range of the leading edge of the blade, wherein the laser pulse energy on the front side is greater than the laser pulse energy on the back side, and wherein, the laser power density on the front side is used to generate dynamic plastic deformation on the entire laser-shock spot area, while the laser power density on the back side is used to balance off excessive shock-wave pressure in the central area of laser-shock spot on the front side and avoid macroscopic deformation of the blade in the central area of laser-shock spot on the front side, and an optimal strengthening effect is achieved finally.

Abstract: System and methods relating to in-line heat-treating, hardening and tempering of material, such as for example, coiled steel into a roll-formed, hardened and tempered structural member having uniform or different targeted properties in selected zones of the structural member. The different targeted properties may be achieved by heating and/or cooling the material subject to certain parameters.

Abstract: An internal quench system for cooling pipes being coated is provided. The system comprises an internal quench lance having spray nozzles configured at one end of the internal quench lance. There is also provided wheels and retractable supports to support the internal quench lance without hindering the movement of the pipes. Each retract support is provided with a liquid coolant supplying means to provide liquid coolant to the internal quench lance. A process for using the internal quench system for cooling pipes being coated is also provided.

Abstract: Processes for improving the strength of heat-treatable, age hardenable aluminum alloys, such as 6xxx, 2xxx and 7xxx aluminum alloys, are provided. The processes for improving the strength of heat-treatable, age-hardenable aluminum alloys involve a heat treatment step, termed “shock heat treatment,” which involves heat treatment at 200 to 350° C. that is conducted at a fast heating rate (for example 10 to 220° C./seconds) for a relatively short period of time (for example, for 60 seconds or less or for 5 to 30 seconds). In some examples, the shock heat treatment is accomplished by contact heating, such as heating an aluminum alloy article between complementary shaped heated dies of a press. Aluminum alloy articles, such as automotive panels, produced by the disclosed shock heat treatment are also provided.

Abstract: Iron-based alloys and articles in strips, sheets, workpieces and the like are converted into high strength steel with a minimum of cost, time and effort, including producing dual phase materials. This is achievable by extremely rapid micro-treating of low, medium, and high carbon iron-based alloys and articles by rapid heating and rapid cooling at least a portion of the alloy/article. This heating step involves nearly immediately heating the iron-based alloy to a selected temperature above its austenite conversion temperature. Then, the alloy is immediately quenched, also at an extremely fast rate, on at least a portion of the iron-based alloy in a quenching unit adjacent the heating unit. This procedure forms high strength alloy in a desired area, depending upon where the treatment was performed.

Abstract: In a rolling process for reverse thermomechanically rolling an aluminum plate involving a plurality of rolling passes, identifying data are determined for thermally guiding the rolling process. Then a value of a state variable, from which a temperature of the aluminum plate can be deduced, is continuously measured and a pass schedule is determined for the rolling process on the basis of the value of the measured state variable and of the identifying data. The pass schedule provides for a rolling pause between at least two successive rolling passes, during which rolling of the aluminum plate is interrupted for cooling purposes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and equipment for controlling flatness of a stainless steel strip in connection with cooling after annealing in a finishing line.

Abstract: A system and method for actively damping tension members modulates the natural frequency of shape memory alloys incorporated into tension members, such as suspension ropes or cables. The frequency of the tension member can be modulated by heating the shape memory alloy, such modulation preventing potentially destructive resonance with natural exciting forces.

Abstract: A method includes: preparing a molten aluminum alloy consisting of 0.3-0.8 mass % Mg, 0.5-1.2 mass % Si, 0.3 mass % or more excess Si relative to the Mg2Si stoichiometric composition, 0.05-0.4 mass % Cu, 0.2-0.4 mass % Mn, 0.1-0.3 mass % Cr, 0.2 mass % or less Fe, 0.2 mass % or less Zr, and 0.005-0.1 mass % Ti, with the balance being aluminum and unavoidable impurities; casting the alloy into a billet at a speed of 80 mm/min or more and a cooling rate of 15° C./sec or more; extruding the billet into an extruded product; water cooling the product immediately after extrusion at 500° C./sec or more; and artificially aging the product, thereby yielding an extruded product with fatigue strength of 140 MPa or more, fatigue ratio of 0.45 or more, an interval between striations on a fatigue fracture surface of 5.0 ?m or less, and a maximum length of Al—Fe—Si crystallized products of 10 ?m or less.

Abstract: The formability of coiled and annealed (O-temper) magnesium alloy sheet material in high temperature forming operations is sometimes adversely affected by small amounts of cold work introduced into the fine grained material during handling of the coil and unwinding it to obtain blank workpieces for hot stamping, hot blow forming, or the like. When necessary, the formability of the sheet material with regions of hard worked microstructure may be improved by predetermining a recovery heat treatment using small portions of the material in formability tests. The recovery heat treatment, determined for the specific coiled stock, may then be applied to the material of the coil as it is used in making vehicle body panels or the like.

Abstract: A method for working a component to reduce a propensity for advanced dynamic change analyzes affects of a StressWave process on at least one location on a size and shape of the component. The component is also analyzed as to the affects of adding at least one feature on a size and shape of the component. A beginning shape of the component is then extrapolated.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein an apparatus and a method in which a workpiece is loaded into the apparatus and the apparatus then moves and positions the workpiece in a multitude of directions based upon the directions and controls supplied to the apparatus through either a computer and applets, a programmable controller and/or through manual intervention. The apparatus can move the workpiece linearly to a predetermined position, rotate the workpiece in a continuous motion, index the workpiece incrementally and/or do any combination of those movements. The apparatus can also control other components such as turning coolant and/or quench valves on and off as desired or powering working tools such as an induction hardening coil. The workpiece is loaded directly on the center of the apparatus movement and positioning device for increased capacity loading and precision movement.

Abstract: A method, which is used to make controlled defects corresponding to natural flaws and residual stresses in various kinds of test pieces. Defects identical to natural flaws are required to qualify non-destructive testing (NDT) procedures. In the method, sequential, repeated, heating-cooling cycles are used to create defects and residual stresses. The shape of the heating and cooling pattern, the duration of the heating and cooling, and the number of thermal cycles are used to control the size of the defects and residual stresses obtained. The defect is grown without initial flaw or other nucleator. The defects correspond to natural flaws in terms of morphology and also of the signals obtained with NDT methods, and are suitable for use in, for example, NDT-qualification blocks.

Abstract: A method of testing the operation of a laser peening system includes providing a sensor in a possible laser beam path, applying a transparent overlay material to the sensor, directing a pulse of coherent energy to the sensor through the transparent overlay material to create a shock wave, and determining a characteristic of the created shock wave with the sensor.

Abstract: A method of producing aluminum alloy sheet product includes casting a slab or ingot, homogenizing the cast slab, and hot rolling the homogenized slab to provide an intermediate gauge product. The temperature and other operating parameters of the hot rolling process are controlled so that the temperature of the ingot at the beginning of hot rolling is maintained at a temperature between 925° F. (496° C.) and 1025° F. (552° C.), and the temperature of the intermediate gauge product exiting the hot rolling step is between about 500° F. (260° C.) and 600° F. (316° C.). The intermediate gauge product is then subjected to a cold reduction of 45% to 70%, annealed, and cold rolled to final gauge.

Abstract: This invention provides methods of treatment for work products of materials such as steel, bronze, plastic, etc. and particularly welded steel bodies by pulse impact energy, preferably ultrasonic, to relax fatigue and aging and extend expectant life. The treatment may occur (a) at original production, (b) during the active life period for maintenance or (c) after failure in a repair stage. The ultrasonic treatment improves the work product strength. In welded products residual stress patterns near the weld sites are relaxed and micro-stress defects such as voids and unusual grain boundaries are reduced. The basic method steps are non-destructive in nature, inducing interior pulse compression waves with ultrasonic transducers and accessory tools impacting an external product surface with enough impulse energy to heat and temporarily plasticize the metal interior and relax stresses.

Abstract: A package assembly is formed by applying flux to a device and/or a substrate and inspecting the applied flux to determine whether the amount applied is within a predetermined range. Embodiments include applying a rosin based flux on a laminate substrate and measuring the thickness of the applied flux with an interferometer.

Abstract: A test coupon is formed from a metallic strip having opposite first and second sides that generally define a plane of the strip and the strip includes a laser shock peened patch of the strip that has first and second laser shock peened surfaces on the first and second sides, respectively, first and second laser shocked regions having deep compressive residual stresses imparted by the laser shock peening extending into the strip from the first and second laser shock peened surfaces, respectively, and a deflection of a portion of the strip from a position of the portion before the laser shock peening. The deflection is formed by the laser shock peening such that at least a part and preferably substantially all of the deflection lies in the plane and the test coupon preferably includes an indicating means to indicate the deflection.

Abstract: The present invention provides a high purity cobalt sputter target having a single phase h.c.p. structure and a magnetic permeability less than the intrinsic magnetic permeability of the material. Substantially pure cobalt is cast and slowly cooled, such as at a rate of 15° C./min. Or less, to form a cast target of single phase h.c.p. crystallographic structure. This cast target is hot worked at a temperature of at least about 1000° C. to impart a strain of about 65% or greater into the cobalt material, followed by a slow, controlled cooling to room temperature, such as at a rate of 15° C./min. or less, to maintain the single phase h.c.p. crystallographic structure. The cooled target is then cold worked at substantially room temperature to impart a strain of about 5-20%. The sputter target of the present invention processed by this method has a magnetic permeability of less than about 9, grain sizes in the size range of about 70-160 &mgr;m, and average grain size of about 130 &mgr;m.

Abstract: A method for quality assurance of a laser shock peening process uses interferometry to form a fringe image from first and second interferograms of unstressed and stressed laser shock peened patches respectively of a workpiece. The fringe image may then be compared to a predetermined correlation of fringe images for indicating quality assurance. Stressing the laser shock peened patch may include loading the production and test workpieces during the production of the first and second images by interferometry while the production and test workpieces are fixtured. The loading may be done by heating, twisting, or bending of at least a portion of the production and test workpieces. The comparing of the production images of fringes may include comparing fringe characteristics of the laser shock peened patches on the production workpieces laser against fringe characteristics of the predetermined correlation.

Abstract: A method for quality assurance of a laser process and more particularly a laser shock peening process that uses a test coupon having a deflection formed by a laser firing. The test coupon is from a metallic strip having opposite first and second sides that generally define a plane of the strip and the strip includes a laser shock peened patch of the strip that has first and second laser shock peened surfaces on the first and second sides, respectively, first and second laser shocked regions having deep compressive residual stresses imparted by the laser shock peening extending into the strip from the first and second laser shock peened surfaces, respectively, and a deflection of a portion of the strip from a position of the portion before the laser shock peening. The deflection is formed by the laser shock peening such that at least a part and preferably substantially all of the deflection lies in the plane of the strip and the test coupon preferably includes an indicating means to indicate the deflection.

Abstract: A process is provided for the manufacture of a two-way shape memory alloy and device. The process of the invention allows a reversible adjustment of the characteristic transformation temperatures, as well as the direction of the two-way shape memory effect, at the final stage of manufacture.

Abstract: A system for adjusting the gram load of a suspension with a high degree of accuracy and repeatability includes a clamp, load-engaging member, actuator, laser and control system. The mounting region of a suspension to be adjusted is releasably received and clamped by the clamp. A load beam of the suspension is engaged and supported at adjust positions with respect to the clamp by the load beam-engaging member. The load beam-engaging member is driven and positioned by the actuator. IR light from the laser is directed to the spring region of the suspension by optical fibers. The control system includes a pre-adjust input terminal, memory and a controller. Information representative of a measured pre-adjust fly height gram load value of the suspension is received at the pre-adjust input terminal. Gram load adjust data representative of load beam adjust positions which will cause the suspension W have a desired post-adjust fly height gram load value after the load beam is stressed relieved is stored in the memory.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a quench-hardening testing method in which the quench-hardened depth of a quench-hardened layer and the quench-hardening pattern in inner and outer circumferential surfaces of hollow and solid parts can be measured through non-destructive inspection. A quantity of change in size, between before and after quench-hardening, of a hollow or solid member subjected to quench-hardening treatment in at least one of inner and outer circumferential surfaces of the member is measured, and the measured quantity of change is compared with a pre-measured quantity of change in size of a good member or a value obtained by a comparative calculating operation in accordance with a predetermined algorithm on the basis of the measure quantity of change is compared with a predetermined value of the good member to thereby judge the state of quench-hardening.

Abstract: A process is provided for the manufacture of a two-way shape memory alloy and device. The process of the invention allows a reversible adjustment of the characteristic transformation temperatures, as well as the direction of the two-way shape memory effect, at the final stage of manufacture.

Abstract: A scanning induction hardening process in which a steel workpiece is surface hardened by progressively traversing its length with an inductor coil energized by an alternating electric current and immediately thereafter quenching the heated portion of the workpiece characterized in that straightening of bends in the workpiece being surface hardened is controlled during the induction hardening process by monitoring the straightness of the workpiece and utilizing information thereby obtained to control the heating and quenching of the workpiece in such a manner that a layer of hardened material of greater thickness is formed on the concave side of any bend in the workpiece such as to produce a straightening moment acting to remove the bend.

Abstract: A plate temperature and an emissivity are determined at the outlet of an insulated heated zone, and compensations are established which reduce deviations between the respective measured values and the respective target values. A heat input is compensated for in accordance with the greater one of the compensations relating to the plate temperature and the emissivity, respectively. For a U-pattern material, .DELTA.Q is previously added to the heat input for the leading and the trailing end portion of the material. The band steel is irradiated by laser radiation at the outlet of the heating zone in order to detect the degree of alloying on the basis of the intensity of reflected radiation. When an unalloyed surface is detected, a target value of the heat input is modified. ITV camera is used to determine the optical reflectivity of the surface of the band steel at the outlet of a cooling zone in order to detect the degree of alloying.

Abstract: In a straightening or truing operation for straightening out of true work pieces the characteristic fatigue strength or an increased fatigue strength achieved in a previous strengthening operation of the work piece to be straightened, is maintained. This is achieved by a truing operation, wherein locally bounded compressive residual stresses are induced in a surface layer zone of the work piece by a hardening operation, whereby the respective out of true deformation of the work piece is at least reduced. The truing operation may then be repeated until the out of true deformation is eliminated. The compressive residual forces are induced in a surface layer zone of the work piece by a locally bounded hardening operation or a strengthening rolling operation. By appropriately varying the extent of hardening or the rolling force respectively, the magnitude and angle of any out of true deformation may be affected so as to be even completely eliminated, for example.

Abstract: Strip elongation in a continuous annealing furnace is controlled by passing the strip around a first driven roll, then through a portion of the furnace, then around a second driven roll, wherein the elongation of the strip is sensed. One method is to sense the amount by which the peripheral speed of the second roll exceeds the peripheral speed of the first roll. Roll speeds are monitored by precision resolvers. Another method is to utilize a strip width measurement to determine elongation. Mechanisms are used for profiling tension throughout the furnace length.