3-D FEM Simulation of Laser Peening Straightening for Shaft Straightness

The straightness is an important indicator in measuring the quality of shaft parts. Laser peening straightening (LPS) is a new mechanical method to straight the shaft through inducing residual compressive stress into the shaft surface. Compared with the traditional method, the process of laser peening correction is high efficiency and can be controlled precisely. In the present work, the mechanism of laser peening straightening for shaft straightness is revealed and a three-dimensional finite model is developed to investigate the effects of laser parameters for shaft straightness correction. The results show that the peak pressure and pulse duration should be more than 4 GPa and 8 ns when laser peening straightening is used to correct the shaft straightness. The straightening amount increases with laser power density, laser pulse duration, multiple laser peening. The maximum correction amount for shaft straightness with LPS is no more than 0.01mm.