Strengthening effect of laser shock peening on fatigue performance and life extension of high-throughput laser-directed energy deposition high-strength steel components
摘要
The fatigue life degradation in remanufactured high-strength steels was addressed by implementing an integrated strategy that combined high-throughput laser-directed energy deposition, homogenization heat treatment (HHT), and laser shock peening (LSP). This sequential processing route significantly mitigated the inherent drawbacks of additive remanufacturing while preserving ultrahigh strength. HHT–LSP processed specimens demonstrated a remarkable 74.4% increase in fatigue life (68,000 cycles compared to 11,000 cycles in as-deposited specimens) under a high applied stress of 1100 MPa, while maintaining ultrahigh tensile strength (1675 MPa). Mechanistic analysis revealed that laser shock peening created a beneficial gradient microstructure. Fine surface grains suppressed crack initiation, while subsurface structures impeded crack propagation. HHT step further enhanced performance by homogenizing the tempered martensite matrix and eliminating brittle phases.