Shot Peening Systems
Shot peening is a cold working process used to produce a compressive residual stress layer and modify mechanical properties of metals and composites. It entails impacting a surface with shot (round metallic, glass, or ceramic particles) with force sufficient to create plastic deformation.
In machining, shot peening is used to strengthen and relieve stress in components like steel automobile crankshafts and connecting rods. In architecture it provides a muted finish to metal.
Shot peening is similar to sandblasting, except that it operates by the mechanism of plasticity rather than abrasion: each particle functions as a ball-peen hammer. In practice, this means that less material is removed by the process, and less dust created.
Empire has specialized in shot peen equipment for close to 50 years. Though the visual appeal of a shot peening machine is very similar to a conventional ‘blast cleaning’ machine, the process is quite different. Shot peening is all about controlling the process of blasting.
Shot peening is driven, protected and monitored by audits and specifications. Conformance to such audits and specifications is the only way one can achieve repeatable, accurate and consistent peening results. At the core of all blasting processes is the concept of transferring impact energy on to the component being processed. In shot peening, we monitor and control this impact energy by its major constituents – air pressure, media flow rate, constant media size, media shape and several other parameters. Empire offers a variety of platforms to meet any customers part configurations and specifications.
