LSP Technologies’ Portable Laser Peening System combats metal fatigue in hard-to-reach parts

Dublin, Ohio – August 6, 2018 – LSP Technologies is designing a new portable fiber-optic laser peening system to improve fatigue life and prevent cracking and corrosion for small, hard-to-reach parts in new applications.
The Portable Laser Peening System will include miniature mirrors, lenses, and water injection/extraction mechanisms for complex maintenance, repair, and manufacturing environments. This means the portable system will deliver effective laser peening with lower energy, higher pulse rates, and the maneuverability of fiber optics.

The new portable equipment will include
• The Portable Laser Peening System
• Fiber optic delivery
• Fiber-ready laser peening application tools
• Flexible water supply and water capture management
• Instrumentation, safety and controls
• Operator video screens
• Modular containers for repair and maintenance facilities
“The portable design adds a new dimension to the company’s Laser Peening Systems and provides a glimpse of versatile and effective innovation for customers,” said LSP Technologies, Inc. President and CEO Jeff Dulaney. “Our new portable Laser Peening System will reinforce the stability of metal penetrations that would otherwise be more vulnerable to tearing and cracking. Making laser peening portable enough for maintenance, repair, and specialized manufacturing will dramatically expand the growth potential for this technology,” he said.
Engineers at LSP Technologies are working closely with customers to understand the stressful operating conditions for components and to develop the kind of portable laser peening systems that will meet many challenges in the manufacture of specialized metal components.
In laser peening, a high-energy, short-duration laser pulse produces a rapidly expanding plasma burst on surface of a metal part, generating a shockwave that alters its microstructure to increase resistance to fatigue, corrosion and cracking. Water provides a transparent overlay to contain and heighten the shockwave.
LSPT pioneered Laser Peening Systems in the 1990s, beginning with metal improvement for jet engine fan blades for military aircraft. The company has consistently served a wide range of aerospace clients, as well as the power generation, heavy equipment, and automotive markets.