Shot Peening 101 Intensity Control Terms for the New Shot Peening Technician

SHOT STREAM

ALMEN STRIP

Key Terms in Intensity Control

ALMEN for the New Shot Peening Technician
STRIP HOLDER

Intensity control is almen strip. Almen strips are test coupons Flatness. See prebow.
essential for process made of SAE spring steel that measure the
Hardness
reproducibility and energy of the shot stream, or the “intensity.”
Hardness affects the strip’s performance: As
repeatability and it’s an The strip is fixed to a holder and is exposed
hardness increases, the arc height decreases.
area where many new to the shot stream. The residual compressive
“A” and “C” strips have a hardness range of
shot peening technicians stress imparted into the strip from peening
HRc 44-50. “N” strips have a hardness range of
could use a helping will cause the strip to arc toward the peened
HRa 72.5-76.0. In more critical applications like
hand. side when released from the holder. The
aerospace, the part’s designer will specify an
amount of “arc height” is a function of the
In an effort to help, Almen strip with a smaller hardness range.
intensity and is quantifiable and repeatable.
we’ve supplied
The strip’s arc height is measured on an
definitions for the key almen gage. An Almen gage measures the
Almen gage.
terms in the intensity height of the arc of a peened Almen strip. The
control process. Almen strips are categorized by thickness “arc height” is the quantitative representation
into three groups: “N”, “A”, and “C”. The strips of the applied force of the shot stream or the
can be further classified by flatness (prebow) “intensity” of the shot stream. The energy of the
and hardness. shot stream directly influences the amount of
compressive stress imparted into the surface of
Thickness
a component.
“N” strip thickness = 0.031’’ (0.79 mm)
“A” strip thickness = 0.051’’ (1.29 mm) Almen gages have a digital readout with a
“C” strip thickness = 0.094’’ (2.39 mm) .0001'' (.001 mm) display and .00005’’ (0.00127
mm) resolution. The high degree of resolution
The thickness determines a strip’s ability
improves accuracy and ensures repeatability
to arc during peening so each strip has an
and reproducibility in the shot peening process.
appropriate intensity range, as expressed by
See Figure 1.
the arc height measurement from an Almen
gage.
almen strip holder. Almen strips are mounted

The “A” strip is considered the standard strip on an Almen strip holder for exposure to the
and is used when the required intensity range shot stream. Almen holders are mounted on
is .004'' - .024''. When an intensity lower than a test part or custom fixture and placed in
.004'' is required, the thinner “N” strip should locations where verification of the energy of the
be used. The “C” strip is used to achieve an shot stream (intensity) is crucial. See Figure 1.
intensity above .024''.
almen test. An Almen test is a crucial part of a
The length and width are the same for all
controlled shot peening process because it
three strips: 3’’ x .75” (76.2 mm x 19.05 mm).

ALMEN GAGE
Figure 1. The materials and steps in an Almen test

SHOT STREAM

ALMEN STRIP
R 0 in

.
IN
3.0
ALMEN 0.75
STRIP HOLDER IN.

(A) (B) (C)

STRIP MOUNTED FOR STRIP IS REMOVED AND STRIP MOUNTED FOR
EXPOSURE TO RESIDUAL COMPRESSIVE STRESSES ARC HEIGHT MEASUREMENT
SHOT STREAM INDUCE ARCING ON DIGITAL ALMEN GAGE

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 Shot Peening 101 Intensity Control Terms for the New Shot Peening Technician

verifies intensity. Intensity is the energy of the shot stream curve. Exposure time is not the appropriate length of time
and it directly influences the amount of compressive for the machine cycle; however, since it will take longer
stress imparted into the surface of a component. in most cases to achieve the desired amount of coverage
on an Almen strip and the component. See Figure 2 and
Almen strips, gages and holders are the industry-standard
saturation curve.
tools for an Almen test—a procedure to measure the arc
height of a shot-peened Almen strip. The arc heights
intensity. Intensity is the measure of the energy of
from Almen tests are used to plot a Saturation Curve.
the shot stream. The energy of the shot stream directly
Data from a saturation curve verifies the appropriate
influences the amount of compressive stress imparted
intensity reading for the process. See saturation curve.
into the surface of a component. Surface residual
An Almen test ensures that the shot peening machine is compressive stresses provide resistance to metal
set up and running according to the approved parameters fatigue and some forms of stress corrosion. Intensity
so that damage to valuable parts is prevented. Almen tests can be controlled by media size, media type, media
are repeated during long production runs to verify that the impingement angle and shot stream velocity.
processing parameters haven’t changed.
Intensity is expressed as the arc height measurement of
a peened Almen strip on an Almen gage. For example,
arc height. Arc height is the degree of curvature of a
a specification requests a .010 ±.002 A. An intensity of
peened Almen strip as measured on an Almen gage and
0.010” is called for with an approved variance of 0.002”
is expressed in inches or millimeters. It is the quantitative
on a type “A” Almen strip. The acceptable range is from
representation of the applied force of the shot stream.
0.008” to 0.012”.

almen intensity. The Almen intensity is a designation
intensity verification. See saturation curve.
that specifies the arc height (as measured on an Almen
gage) and the Almen strip type. For example, the proper
metal fatigue. Metal fatigue is the progressive and
designation for a 0.012'' (0.30 mm) arc height using
localized structural damage that occurs when a material
the A strip is 0.012A (0.30A). This designation is often
is subjected to cyclic loadings—loads that are applied
simplified to “12A.”
over and over again. If the loads are above a certain
threshold, microscopic cracks will begin to form at the
coverage. Coverage (noun): The extent to which something
surface. Eventually a crack will reach a critical size and
is covered.
the structure will fracture.
Coverage is the measure of the original surface area
Shot peening creates residual compressive stresses that
that has been covered by shot peening dents. It’s one of
confer resistance to metal fatigue. See Figure 3 on page 16.
the key parameters of the shot peening process and is
controlled by equipment cycle time.
plasticity. Plasticity is the deformation of a material
Coverage is specified by a percentage. If the goal is “100% undergoing non-reversible changes of shape in response
coverage,” the length of machine cycle time to achieve to applied forces. In shot peening, shot impacts the
100% coverage will depend on the hardness of the metal and makes dents. The peened metal then displays
material to be peened. plasticity because permanent changes have occurred
within the material‘s surface.

The machine cycle time to achieve 100% coverage
is determined through visual inspection and can
prebow. Pre-bow, or the variation from “perfect” flatness,
be corroborated with coverage check tools. Once
in the unpeened Almen strip acts like a latent bias in the
established, the shot peening technician uses this time
arc height measuring system. A strip that has a pre-bow
as a base to achieve levels of over-coverage (for example:
of .001 inch will have a .001 inch higher arc height than
150%, 200%, 300%).
a strip with zero pre-bow. If the initial pre-bow value is
The concepts of coverage and saturation, and the timing negative, than the resulting arc height will be diminished
necessary to achieve both, are confusing to new and by the same amount. A compensation scheme may be
experienced shot peening technicians. It takes longer used to negate some of these effects by taking a net
to achieve 100% coverage than it takes to achieve reading of the strip arc height.

“saturation,” the required intensity reading of a shot
Almen strips are classified in grades of varying prebow
peening procedure derived from a saturation curve. The
tolerances to meet a wide range of applications, from
“peening time” in the saturation curve graph is NOT the
automotive to aerospace.
machine cycle time needed to achieve 100% coverage on
the Almen strip. Also, the amount of machine cycle time
residual compressive stress. Residual stresses are
necessary to achieve 100% coverage on the component
 stresses that remain after the original cause of the stress
will be different than for an Almen strip due to differences
has been removed. Shot peening creates residual
in material hardness. See saturation curve.
compressive stress, a beneficial stress that provides
resistance to metal fatigue and some forms of stress
exposure time. Exposure time (also called “peening
corrosion. See stress.
time”) is the time variable when developing a saturation

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 Shot Peening 101 Intensity Control Terms for the New Shot Peening Technician

2T
T

(Exposure Time)

Figure 2. Saturation occurs when doubling of the peening time (2T) from T results in less than a
10% increase in arc height. The saturation curve was plotted with a computerized curve solver program.

saturation curve. Saturation (noun): The state or process stress. When a force is applied to an object, the object
that occurs when no more of something can be absorbed, is said to be experiencing stress. Stress is effectively a
combined with, or added. measure of an object’s response to a force. Stress can
either be positive or negative depending upon the nature
A saturation curve is the graphical plotting of arc height
of the force. If a region of a component is stretched, then
versus exposure time to determine “intensity” (the velocity
the stress is generally positive, or tensile. If the region is
of the shot stream). It’s the accepted method for verifying or
squeezed then the stress is negative, or compressive.
establishing the requested intensity reading. The saturation
curve is plotted with a minimum of four arc height Tensile stress is usually considered bad, a compressive stress
readings that were taken during a peening session with is usually considered beneficial. Imagine a small crack that
fixed machine parameters. Saturation is defined as the has formed in a surface (Figure 3). If the stress around the
earliest point (T) on the curve where doubling the peening crack is tensile, the crack is pulled apart by the stress and
time (2T) produces a 10% increase in arc height. This is becomes deeper.
called the 10% Rule. The arc height at “T” is then used as
On the other hand, if the stress is compressive, then
the intensity reading of the shot stream at a given time for
the crack is pushed together and grows no farther. Shot
a particular machine setup. If the arc height reading at “T”
peening puts residual compressive stress into the surface
is not within the requested tolerance band, then machine
of a metal to inhibit or slow the growth of cracks and thus
adjustments must be made and a new saturation curve
improve the fatigue life and wear resistance of critical
generated. See Figure 2.
components.

saturation curve solver program. Plotting arc tensile stress. Tensile stress (or tension) is the stress
 heights for a saturation curve is time-consuming and often state leading to expansion; that is, the length of a material
inaccurate. Computerized curve solver programs are avail- tends to increase in the tensile direction. Tensile stress is
able that simplify the procedure. the opposite of compressive stress as compressive stress
is the stress on materials that leads to a smaller volume.
specification. A specification is an explicit set of See Figure 3.
requirements to be satisfied by a material, product, or
service.

The products and procedures of the shot peening process COMPRESSIVE STRESS
are regulated by public specifications like those issued by Crack is pushed together
the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), a customer- and doesn’t grow
supplied specification or an in-house spec. The shot
peening requirements in a specification will typically have TENSILE STRESS
these components: References to an applicable industry Crack is pulled apart
specification (for example: SAE J442), the area to be and grows
peened, the media and the intensity.

Figure 3. Compressive and Tensile Stress Comparison

Based on a drawing by Darren Huges, Institut Laue-Langevin in Grenoble, France

16 The Shot Peener Fall 2011 celebrating 25th year