Single head laser high throughput laser shock peening

摘要

A laser unit (31) in a laser shock peening apparatus for generating a primary laser beam (34) along a primary beam path (66) includes a pulsed free running oscillator (33) with only a single lasing rod (36). An electro-optic switch (64) external to the free running laser oscillator (33) is operably disposed along the primary beam path (66) to block the initial slow rise time of the primary laser beam (34) from the free running oscillator (33) and reject energy away from the primary beam path (66). At least one optical transmission circuit (43) is used to form at one stationary laser beam (2) from the primary laser beam (34) and direct the stationary laser beam (2) towards at least one laser shock peening target area (42). A delay generator (103) controllably connected to the electro-optic switch (64) is used to reject energy away from the primary beam path (66) along a dump path (89) to a dump (88) and sharpen pulses of the primary laser beam (34).