Fabrication of synchronized hammer peening with pulsed laser welding and its effect on 6061 aluminum alloy weld

The non-continuous laser beam in pulsed lasers allows the mechanical peening between two consecutive beams on a still hot weld bead. At a very short time (20, 150 and 300 ms) after laser pulse application, mechanical peening was performed on the welding bead. To achieve these short times, the light sensor detects the nth laser pulse and the mechanical arm starts moving. Upon reaching the tip of the pin near the workpiece, the n + 1th pulse was irradiated to the workpiece surface, and so the pin impact to the weld bead after traveling a short distance. Desirable mechanical properties were obtained at the highest time (300 ms) and highest pressure (6 bars). In this time and pressure the weld beads were not broken due to bending forces of peening.