Measurment of shot peening coverage by impact dent characterization

Claim 1

A method for measuring shot peening coverage having a substrate including a first side which has been surface treated by a shot peening operation, said method comprising the steps of: measuring a predetermined area of said surface treatment on said first side to obtain profile data; recording said profile data; identifying impact dent data in said predetermined area; filtering said impact dent data to select at least one predetermined dent size and dent shape; calculating A,B,n, according to the equation ##EQU5## where ρ=dimple density (dimples/in 2 ) and x=coverage by comparing ρ and x for at least three separate points; calculating ρ for a predetermined shot density; determining actual shot peening coverage in said predetermined area; and adjusting, if needed, said surface treatment so that the actual coverage of a subsequently formed surface treated area is substantially in conformance with a predetermined desired coverage.

Claim 2

A method for measuring shot peening coverage having a substrate including a first side which has been surface treated by a shot peening operation, said method comprising the steps of: measuring a predetermined area of said surface treatment on said first side to obtain profile data; recording said profile data; identifying impact dent data in said predetermined area; filtering said impact dent data to select at least one predetermined dent size and dent shape; calculating A,B,n, according to the equation ##EQU5## where ρ=dimple density (dimples/in 2 ) and x=coverage by comparing ρ and x for at least three separate points; calculating ρ for a predetermined shot density; determining actual shot peening coverage in said predetermined area; and adjusting, if needed, said surface treatment so that the actual coverage of a subsequently formed surface treated area is substantially in conformance with a predetermined desired coverage.

Claim 3

A method for measuring shot peening coverage having a substrate including a first side which has been surface treated by a shot peening operation, said method comprising the steps of: measuring a predetermined area of said surface treatment on said first side to obtain profile data; recording said profile data; identifying impact dent data in said predetermined area; filtering said impact dent data to select at least one predetermined dent size and dent shape; plotting a ρ determination for a predetermined number of shot peening coverages where ρ=dimple density (dimples/in 2 ); establishing a ρ versus x curve where x is said shot peening coverage; comparing at least one additional ρ of a substrate which has been subsequently surface treated against said ρ versus x curve to determine shot peening coverage (x) for said substrate which has been subsequently surface treated; determining an actual shot peening coverage in said predetermined area; and adjusting, if needed, said surface treatment so that the actual coverage of a subsequently formed surface treated area is substantially in conformance with a predetermined desired coverage.

Claim 4

A method for measuring shot peening coverage having a substrate including a first side which has been surface treated by a shot peening operation, said method comprising the steps of: measuring a predetermined area of said surface treatment on said first side to obtain profile data; recording said profile data; identifying impact dent data in said predetermined area; filtering said impact dent data to select at least one predetermined dent size and dent shape; plotting a ρ determination for a predetermined number of shot peening coverages where ρ=dimple density (dimples/in 2 ); establishing a ρ versus x curve where x is said shot peening coverage; comparing at least one additional ρ of a substrate which has been subsequently surface treated against said ρ versus x curve to determine shot peening coverage (x) for said substrate which has been subsequently surface treated; determining an actual shot peening coverage in said predetermined area; and adjusting, if needed, said surface treatment so that the actual coverage of a subsequently formed surface treated area is substantially in conformance with a predetermined desired coverage.