New Laser Installation for Shock Peening Research..

It was another productive week with a long-awaited installation of our 4th laser. This time it was a high energy 2.7J, ND: YAG laser, featuring multi-wavelengths and short pulse duration, at low rep rate to deliver plasma driven shock-waves - ideal for traditionally strengthening metals and alloys.

The laser was specifically specified for laser shock peening (LSP), however, it is capable of doing much more than LSP. So, we will be operating this for spot and seam welding, other surface modifications and laser drilling studies for some ongoing project and new ones to soon commence.

An LPY7000 series Litron Laser, specified for Laser Shock Peening and other laser materials processing research.

Bit of tweaking in various stages of the laser beam generation to obtain the max energy output for the fundamental wavelength, 2nd and 3rd harmonic generation

The laser was specified to emit 2.7J at 1064nm, so it is nice to see the energy in excess of that.

The installation features testing the pulse energies at near infra-red, green and blue wavelengths and to ensure the energy exhibited is exactly what the laser was built to generate.

The next step is to populate our laser peening set-up with beam delivery and motion for the work-piece to then continue our projects on laser peening of metals/alloys, advanced ceramics and composite materials.

This laser will complement our originally adopted set-up over the past few years, featuring the ultra-high energy (10J) system funded by the EPSRC, which will collectively produce ultra-high pressure shock waves at the materials surface, together (combined beams), individually or from both sides (double sized LSP) to the materials being shock peened.

Testing the status of laser beam foot-print passing through the main amplifier.

A quick shot of the raw laser beam footprint, potentially at the material surface!