Influence of different process parameters on deformation velocity in laser shock forming

Abstract

In laser shock forming TEA-CO_2-laser induced shock waves are used to form metal foils, such as aluminum or copper. The process utilizes an initiated plasma shock wave on the target surface, which leads to a forming of the foil. Several pulses can be applied at one point in order to achieve a high forming degree without increasing the energy density beyond the ablation limit. During the process, pressure peaks in range of MPa can be achieved. In this article, the dependence of deformation velocity in laser shock forming on various materials as well as laser pulse intensities was determined experimentally for a laser shock bending process. In order to categorize these influences a theoretical model for deformation velocity based on the energy balance is proposed, which allows the evaluation of the influencing variables.