The Boeing Company

McKay Alma Kunz

Gregory L Ramsey

James E Pillers

Lauren K Lundquist

Michael D McGraw

Nate Speer

David G Jensen

James B Castle

Daniel G Sanders

John Z Lin

Long H Ly

Hali The Diep

Sebastian Nervi

Timothy Barber

Colton Reid Culbertson

A driven member of a metal peening machine is disclosed. The metal peening machine is configured to drive the driven member into contact with a work surface of a metal workpiece to deform the metal workpiece. The driven member includes a shaft with an impact end. The driven member includes least one of a plurality of impact features, an impact feature with a non-flat impact surface, a non-round impact feature, and an asymmetrical impact feature that is coupled to and protrudes from the impact end of the shaft. The at least one of the plurality of impact features, the impact feature with a non-flat impact surface, the non-round impact feature, and the asymmetrical impact feature define at least one impact surface to be driven into contact with the work surface of the metal workpiece.

Method and apparatus for impacting metal parts

A driven member of a metal peening machine is disclosed. The metal peening machine is configured to drive the driven member into contact with a work surface of a metal workpiece to deform the metal workpiece. The driven member includes a shaft with an impact end. At least one of a plurality of impact features, an impact feature with a non-flat impact surface, a non-round impact feature, and an asymmetrical impact feature is coupled to and protrudes from the impact end of the shaft. The at least one of the plurality of impact features, the impact feature with a non-flat impact surface, the non-round impact feature, and the asymmetrical impact feature defining at least one impact surface to be driven into contact with the work surface of the metal workpiece.

Method and apparatus are provided for processing and changing the physical characteristics of a metal workpiece into a final metal component. Predetermined processing parameters are established for achieving a final metal component. The metal workpiece is positioned securely on a support during the changing of the physical characteristics. Impacts are applied to a surface of the workpiece multiple times for achieving the final metal component while controlling the impacting with the predetermined processing parameters. A sensor is provided for continuously sensing the currently existing physical conditions of the workpiece during impacting. The predetermined processing parameters are changed into adjusted processing parameters and the impacts are changed in reaction to the currently existing physical conditions of the workpiece from the sensing and processing of the workpiece until the final metal component has been achieved.

Control feedback loop for real-time variable needle peen forming

A method of cavitation peening a workpiece is provided. The method includes discharging a flow of fluid towards the workpiece at a pressure and a flow rate that facilitates forming a plurality of cavitation bubbles, monitoring a feedback parameter associated with the plurality of cavitation bubbles, and determining a peening intensity of the plurality of cavitation bubbles based at least partially on a value of the feedback parameter.

Systems and methods of cavitation peening a workpiece

An apparatus and method are provided for changing physical characteristics of a workpiece which may have been pre-loaded before being further processed. The workpiece is supported in a fixed position during processing. A driven member applies multiple impacts to one surface of the workpiece. The driven member is operated within adjustable parameters. A controller, having the adjustable parameters, is operatively connected to the driven member for causing the driven member to apply multiple impacts against a surface of the workpiece while under the control of the pre-adjustable parameters for changing physical characteristics of the workpiece.

Method and apparatus for impacting metal parts for aerospace applications

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Buckley, WA, United States of America

McKay Alma Kunz