A machining tool incorporates a shaft having a first end configured to fit into a machining collet. A cutting portion extends from a second end of the shaft. A residual stress inducer is located between the first and second ends and includes a torsion element joined to the shaft at a connection end. A carbide tip is present on a free end opposite the connection end and the torsion element is configured such that a selected rotational speed, altered from a normal cutting speed, causes the carbide tip of the torsion element to contact a workpiece surface.

An automated peening method comprising: providing, adjacent a surface of a workpiece, a robotic arm having a peening tool attached thereto; defining a peening area of the surface of the workpiece; calculating a peening path for the peening tool over the peening area, the peening path substantially covering the peening area and comprising a sequence of movement patterns, wherein a geometric variable of one or more of the movement patterns is modified using an output of a random number generator; and controlling the robotic arm to move the peening tool over the surface of the workpiece to follow the peening path.

A method for calibrating an electronic sensor for peening intensity. A range of desired intensity levels is chosen and that range may contain a single value or multiple values. The parameters for a blast stream are set that correspond to a particular intensity level. Test strips are peened in the blast stream and then the arcs of the peened strips are measured to determine the intensity level of the blast stream. Subsequently, a sensor is placed in the blast stream set at particular intensity levels and the signal generated at each intensity level is recorded. A roto-flap peening device can also be set at particular intensity levels and then a sensor is subjected to the roto-flap peening device set at those levels. A chart may be developed that correlates peening intensity to the signal of the sensor so the sensor may be used in place of Almen strips.

A method and apparatus for processing a metallic workpiece with defined edges (e.g., a gear) comprises media blasting of the workpiece by directing a first media against exposed surfaces on the workpiece to increase the root strength of the gear, the blasting causing the defined edges to be radiused or mushroomed, ceasing the media blasting, loading the workpiece into a finishing apparatus, and subjecting the workpiece to a finishing process with a second media, the exposed surfaces on the workpiece being subjected to the finishing process to reduce the radiused edges on the workpiece created from the media blasting. The process of moving the workpiece to the spindle-finishing apparatus from the media blasting may be performed automatically by a machine. Once the workpiece has been subjected to the finishing process with the second media, it may be removed from the spindle-finishing machine, washed, and rinsed with rust inhibitor whereby wear properties of the workpiece are enhanced.

A method and apparatus for improving the fatigue and stress corrosion cracking performance of irregular surfaces, such as welds assemblies of components, using a positioning system, such as a robotic or CNC machine, to position a tool head for inducing compression along and into the surface of a workpiece to automatically follow the surface irregularities. The method and apparatus operates to follow a virtual control surface located below the actual surface of the workpiece thereby allowing the irregular topography surface to be uniformly processed with closed loop process control.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to an apparatus and method for treating a rotatable component. An apparatus according to the present disclosure can include: a sliding engagement member configured to slidably engage a portion of a rotating component that is temporarily stationary; and a tool engaging member for positioning a machining tool relative to the rotating component to machine a surface of the rotating component, wherein the tool engaging member is rotatable to one of a plurality of angles relative to the sliding engagement member.

An example peening tool includes at least one first roller having a peening surface disposed about and along a first core. At least a portion of the at least one first roller is configured to contact a component to be peened along a length. The length extends along at least a portion of the first core. The at least one first roller is configured to provide line contact on the component along the length. A profile of the at least one first roller is determined based on a profile of the component. The peening tool includes a backer disposed in register with the first plurality of rollers such that the first plurality of rollers moves with the backer during peening. The at least one first roller and the backer are configured to be arranged on opposing surfaces of the component. Peening models may predict peening parameters and controller settings.

A method for processing aluminum alloy rims including: providing a feed of a plurality of aluminum alloy rims of different compositions, each aluminum alloy rim having a serial number distinguishing that aluminum alloy rim from other aluminum alloy rims; storing in a non-transient computer-readable memory, a plurality of aluminum alloy rim categories; dividing the feed of aluminum alloy rims into a plurality of batches of aluminum alloy rims by, for each rim in the feed of aluminum alloy rims, scanning that aluminum alloy rim to determine the serial number of that aluminum alloy rim; based on the serial number, determining, from amongst the plurality of aluminum alloy rim categories, an aluminum alloy rim category for that aluminum alloy rim, wherein each batch of aluminum alloy rims in the plurality of batches of aluminum alloy rims corresponds to a category in the plurality of aluminum alloy rim categories.

A device and method are provided for peening a surface. The peening device comprises a rotatable member, a flexible line that extends from the rotatable member and a peening element that is provided on the flexible line. In use, the line and peening element are rotated about the rotatable member such that when the peening element comes into contact with the surface, the surface is peened as result of kinetic energy of the peening element.

A method and system for processing aluminum alloy rims are provided, involving providing a feed of a plurality of aluminum alloy rims of different compositions, each aluminum alloy rim in the plurality of aluminum alloy rims having a serial number distinguishing that aluminum alloy rim from other aluminum alloy rims in the plurality of aluminum alloy rims, storing in a non-transient computer-readable memory, a plurality of aluminum alloy rim categories, dividing the feed of aluminum alloy rims into a plurality of batches of aluminum alloy rims by, for each rim in the feed of aluminum alloy rims, scanning that aluminum alloy rim to determine the serial number of that aluminum alloy rim; based on the serial number, operating a data processor to determine, from amongst the plurality of aluminum alloy rim categories, an aluminum alloy rim category for that aluminum alloy rim, wherein each batch of aluminum alloy rims in the plurality of batches of aluminum alloy rims corresponds to a category in the plurality of aluminum alloy rim categories; and then, allocating that aluminum alloy rim to the batch of aluminum alloy rims corresponding to that aluminum alloy rim category. After dividing the feed of aluminum alloy rims into the plurality of batches of aluminum alloy rims, each batch of the plurality of batches of aluminum alloy rims are separately processed.