Method for preventing crack formation and for slowing down the advancement of a crack in metal aircraft structures by means of laser shock rays

US9150941B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED · DE

Inventors

• Juergen Steinwandel · Überlingen, DE
• Domenico Furfari · Hamburg, DE
• Nikolaus Ohrloff · Buxtehude, DE
• Claudio Dalle Donne · Bremen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 19, 2011
• Grant date: Oct 6, 2015
• Expiry date: Nov 8, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C21D10/00
• WIPO field: Materials, metallurgy
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for preventing the forming of cracks and slowing the crack propagation in metallic airplane structural parts by laser shock peening with the following steps: Providing an airplane structural part having a crack; irradiating a first surface area of the airplane structural part close to the crack with a first pulsed laser beam having a first wavelength and a first pulsation frequency, wherein energy of the first laser beam is absorbed by the airplane structural part and a shock wave runs through the airplane structural part, which creates compressive prestressings in the airplane structural part.