Surface Integrity Analysis of Laser Peen Micro-bending without Protective Coating

Laser peen micro-bending is a novel non-contact forming process for sheet metals using a nanosecond pulsed laser. In this study, laser peen micro-bending experiments are conducted for three engineering materials, Aluminum alloy 1060, OHFC Copper, and commercially pure Titanium, in both air and water without using a protective coating. Surface integrity is investigated in terms of surface texture, surface morphology, mechanical properties, and chemical composition change for these three engineering materials. Improved surface mechanical properties are achieved for all materials. The laser-material interaction for different material is discussed based on the significant experimental findings for different materials.