Mechanical behavior study of asymmetric deformation in double-sided symmetrical sequential shot peening process

Abstract

Shot peening is widely used in the aeronautical industry to enhance the fatigue life of the parts and form large, thin, and complex components, such as wing and fuselage skins. Previous research on peen forming simulation has rarely considered the influence of the shot peening sequence on the resulting deformed shape. In particular, the study on the mechanics mechanism of asymmetry in double-sided sequential (un-simultaneous) shot peening is not enough. In this study, therefore, experiments based on symmetrical plane strips (Almen-sized Al7075 strip and Almen strip) show that the final deformation is often asymmetrical with the same shot peening parameters in sequence. As the symmetrical surfaces are peened in sequence, the final bending direction is always consistent with the later shot peening effect. To explain this interesting phenomenon, the double-sided symmetrical sequential shot peening process was simulated by finite element method (FEM). The simulation and experiment results verified the universality of asymmetric deformation in double-sided symmetrical sequential shot peening process. A theory analytical model of the stiffness reduction proposed in this paper was used to explain the asymmetric deformation mechanism, and it is verified by three-point bending tests. Some new results obtained by the experiment and simulation are presented. The influences of the strip thicknesses and shot peening pressures on the asymmetric deformation are discussed in double-sided symmetrical sequential shot peening.