Ice skate blade laser shock peening method

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of laser processing of sports equipment, in particular to a laser shock peening method for the blade of an ice skate. The method comprises the following steps: providing an ice skate base body; coating an absorbing layer on the blade of the ice skate base body, the absorbing layer being coated on the R-angle of the circular arc transition area of the blade chamfer; performing laser shock peening treatment on the blade coated with the absorbing layer, the laser shock peening laser directly incident in the normal direction; using the optical imaging enhanced mode, the R-angle area is incident in the normal direction, and the blade chamfer area coated with the absorbing layer is further subjected to laser shock peening treatment; and cleaning the coated absorbing layer after the laser shock peening treatment. The purpose is to solve the problem of easy deformation and layer cracking in the laser shock peening process of the ice skate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of laser processing technology for sports equipment, specifically to a method for laser shock strengthening of ice skate blades. Background Technology

[0002] Ice skate blades are extremely sharp after being sharpened. Generally, ice skate blades are made of metal and have a very narrow blade. The blade of a common ice skate is only 2 millimeters wide, and even the widest figure skate blade does not exceed 4 millimeters. Speed ​​skating blades are just as fast as ordinary blades.

[0003] In addition, figure skaters need to sharpen their skates frequently to prevent the blades from becoming dull. Typically, the blades should be sharpened after 20 hours of skating.

[0004] Ice skates can be made of carbon steel tool steel, stainless steel, high-speed tool steel, powder metallurgy, or coated materials. Carbon steel tool steel is generally used by beginners. The quality of ice skates mainly depends on the carbon content. Although the hardness of ice skates used in the same event meets the same standard, due to the different grades of steel, under the same conditions, higher grade steel will make the ice skate edge last longer.

[0005] Ice skates can be broadly classified into three categories based on their structure and movement characteristics: speed skating skates, figure skating skates, and hockey skates. Although the three types of skates differ, their basic principles of pushing off the ice during skating are similar.

[0006] Speed ​​skating blades can be divided into long-track speed skating blades and short-track speed skating blades. Long-track speed skating blades have a longer blade body, a smaller blade curvature, a larger contact area with the ice surface, and a larger turning radius, making them suitable for long-distance skating on long tracks. Short-track speed skating blades have a shorter blade body, a larger blade curvature, a relatively smaller contact area with the ice surface, and a smaller turning radius, making them suitable for skating on short tracks (500m to 1000m). The blade body thickness is 1.4±0.1mm, and the hardness is HRC56 to 60.

[0007] Figure skates can be categorized into freestyle figure skates, prescribed figure skates, and ice dance figure skates based on their on-ice movements, serrations, and blade shape. Because figure skating primarily involves jumps and spins, the blade differs from other skates in its front serrations, ensuring that the lowest serration contacts the ice when the blade is tilted forward at a 10-degree angle. The blade is relatively thick, with standard-grade blades at least 3.5mm and advanced blades at least 3.8mm. The hardness is HRC 56–60, the blade is short, and the blade has a large curvature.

[0008] Ice hockey blades are divided into goalkeeper blades and player blades. Because players often need to stop suddenly and turn during the game, the blade needs to be strong. The blade thickness is 2.8±0.1mm, and it is arc-shaped with a straight section in the middle that is no less than 80mm.

[0009] To further improve the strength, fatigue performance, and corrosion resistance of ice skate blades, laser shock peening (LSP) technology can be used to strengthen the blade edge. Currently, LSP is widely used for strengthening blade edges, which can increase service life by 5-7 times, with very significant results. However, since ice skate blades have a rounded structure, double-sided impact peening is generally used to obtain spanwise strength to improve the high- and low-cycle fatigue performance and resistance to foreign object damage. Figure 1 As shown.

[0010] Similar to thin-walled structures like ice blades, ice skates are prone to deformation and delamination during laser shock stabilization (LSS). Therefore, deformation and delamination are key technologies for LSS of thin-walled structures. While LSS of ice blades typically employs double-sided laser shock stabilization with a square spot to avoid deformation, simultaneous double-sided laser shock stabilization increases the likelihood of delamination. However, ice skate blades have an approximately right-angled structure with a very small chamfer, making it impossible to completely replicate the LSS stabilization method used for ice blades. Therefore, it is necessary to propose a novel LSS method for ice skate blade stabilization to address these technical challenges. Summary of the Invention

[0011] (a) Technical problems to be solved

[0012] This invention addresses the above-mentioned problems by proposing a laser shock strengthening method for ice skate blades, aiming to solve the problems of deformation and delamination that easily occur during the laser shock strengthening process of ice skates.

[0013] (II) Technical Solution

[0014] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a method for laser shock strengthening of ice skate blades, comprising the following steps:

[0015] Provide ice skate base;

[0016] An absorbent layer is coated on the blade of the ice skate base, and the absorbent layer covers the area of ​​the blade chamfer with a rounded R-angle.

[0017] Laser shock strengthening treatment is applied to the blade coated with an absorption layer, and the laser used for laser shock strengthening is directly incident in the normal direction.

[0018] Using optical imaging enhancement, laser shock is applied to the chamfered area of ​​the blade covered with the absorption layer by incident laser light in the normal direction into the R-angle region.

[0019] After laser shock peening treatment, the coating absorption layer is cleaned.

[0020] Furthermore, the optical imaging enhancement method includes using a lens or mirror with a focal length to focus on the chamfered area and perform laser shock enhancement treatment.

[0021] Furthermore, the optical imaging enhancement method includes using multiple overlapping laser pulses to perform laser shock enhancement processing on the chamfered area.

[0022] Furthermore, the absorbent layer is an aluminum-plated layer or a silver-plated layer.

[0023] Furthermore, the ice skate base material is stainless steel, titanium alloy, high carbon steel, alloy steel, or composite material.

[0024] Furthermore, the absorbent layer is prepared by physical vapor deposition, magnetron sputtering, or electroplating.

[0025] Furthermore, the thickness of the absorption layer is 0.5 to 20 micrometers.

[0026] Furthermore, the laser shock strengthening process uses a pulsed laser with a power of 500W to 2000W.

[0027] Furthermore, the cleaning of the coated absorbent layer is performed using a chemical solution or a mechanical grinding method.

[0028] (III) Beneficial Effects

[0029] This invention enhances the laser shock peening effect by coating the blade with an absorption layer. In laser shock peening, directly applying a laser beam to the chamfered area results in a relatively uniform energy distribution, making precise processing and strengthening difficult and leading to a weak strengthening effect. To improve the strengthening effect in the chamfered area, this invention utilizes optical imaging technology—specifically, focusing the laser beam using a lens or mirror, or employing multiple laser beam irradiations—to improve the strengthening effect. This achieves laser shock peening of the blade's top surface, preventing deformation and delamination, while simultaneously improving residual compressive stress, fatigue performance, and corrosion resistance. Attached Figure Description

[0030] Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of a laser shock blasting method for strengthening blades and ice skates disclosed in the background art of this application.

[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a blade cross-section structure disclosed in this application.

[0032] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a laser-shock-enhanced blade end face disclosed in this application.

[0033] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a structure for further laser shock strengthening of the R-angle region disclosed in this application.

[0034] The reference numerals in the figure are: 1. Chamfer; 2. Blade end face; 3. Laser shock reinforced ideal residual compressive stress zone; 4. Blade side; 5. Absorption layer. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0036] An embodiment of the present invention provides a method for laser shock strengthening of ice skate blades, comprising the following steps:

[0037] S100, provides ice skate base;

[0038] S200, An absorbent layer is coated on the blade of the ice skate base, and the absorbent layer covers the area of ​​the blade chamfer with a rounded R-angle;

[0039] S300: Laser shock strengthening treatment is applied to the blade coated with the absorption layer. The laser used for laser shock strengthening is directly incident in the normal direction.

[0040] S400 employs optical imaging enhancement to further strengthen the chamfered area of ​​the blade covered with the absorption layer by laser shock blasting the R-angle region with the laser incident in the normal direction.

[0041] After S500 laser shock peening treatment, the coating absorption layer is cleaned.

[0042] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an ice skate blade. The chamfer 1 is very small, generally only tens of micrometers in size, so this part is almost equivalent to a right angle; the blade end face 2 is the contact surface between the ice skate and the ice surface and bears the weight of the athlete; the laser shock reinforcement ideal residual compressive stress zone 3 makes both the blade end face and the chamfer area in the residual compressive stress zone; the blade side 4 bears the friction and pressure of the ice surface when turning.

[0043] Therefore, strengthening the blade end face is a key area. In laser shock peening, when the laser beam is used directly to strengthen the chamfered area, the energy distribution of the laser beam on the chamfered area is relatively uniform, making it difficult to achieve precise processing and strengthening of the chamfered area, resulting in a relatively weak strengthening effect on the chamfered part.

[0044] To enhance the reinforcement effect of the chamfered area, such as Figure 3As shown, in this embodiment, an absorption layer 5 is coated on the blade (including the chamfer 1, the blade end face 2, and the blade side face 4). This absorption layer 5 can absorb laser energy and convert it into heat energy, thereby enhancing the effect and depth of laser shock reinforcement. Aluminum or silver plating is a commonly used absorption layer material with good thermal conductivity and chemical stability. The absorption layer 5 covering the chamfer 1 has a rounded R-angle. During laser shock reinforcement, the blade end face 2 is first reinforced with laser shock. The laser used for laser shock reinforcement is directly incident in the normal direction. Then, the chamfer area is further reinforced in the edge R-zone of the coating. Figure 4 By utilizing optical imaging technology in the chamfered area, the strengthening effect of the chamfered part is further improved, thereby achieving laser shock strengthening of the top surface of the blade, avoiding deformation and delamination, and simultaneously improving residual compressive stress, fatigue performance and corrosion resistance.

[0045] In some embodiments, using optical imaging methods to improve the reinforcement effect of the chamfered portion includes:

[0046] 1. By focusing the laser beam through a small focal length lens or mirror, the energy of the laser beam can be concentrated in the chamfered area to form a high energy density laser beam, thereby achieving precise processing and strengthening of the chamfered area. This can enhance the strengthening effect of the chamfered part and improve the durability and stability of the ice skate blades used for skating.

[0047] 2. Multiple laser shock strengthening treatments are used to gradually improve the strengthening effect of the chamfered area through cumulative effect.

[0048] These methods can be used individually or in combination to enhance the strengthening effect of chamfered areas. For example, in laser shock peening, the laser is directly incident in the normal direction, and then the chamfered area is further strengthened in the covered edge R region. Figure 4 In the R-zone laser shock annealing process, a small focal length lens or mirror is used for focusing. Because the shock wave from laser shock annealing propagates inward along the normal direction of the part surface, a focusing effect is created, greatly enhancing the laser shock annealing effect at the chamfered area. The covering absorption layer is then removed after laser shock annealing.

[0049] In some implementations, general, other unmentioned optical imaging enhancement methods are not particularly limited, such as using a higher power laser to increase energy density, or adjusting the shape of the laser beam to be closer to the shape of the chamfered portion, thereby enabling a better match to the shape of the chamfered portion.

[0050] In some embodiments, the types of materials that can be used as the base of the ice skate include, but are not limited to, stainless steel, titanium alloy, high carbon steel, alloy steel, or composite materials. These materials all have high strength and corrosion resistance, and therefore can be used to manufacture high-performance ice skates.

[0051] In this embodiment, a method for preparing the absorption layer 5 includes, but is not limited to, physical vapor deposition, magnetron sputtering, or electroplating. These methods can all be used to form a thin layer of absorbing material on the blade surface to absorb laser energy and improve the effect of laser shock peening.

[0052] Preferably, the thickness of the absorber layer 5 is in the range of 0.5 to 20 micrometers. This range can balance the relationship between the thickness of the absorber layer 5 and the cutting performance of the ice skate.

[0053] Preferably, the pulsed laser power used in the laser shock peening process is in the range of 500W to 2000W. Laser pulses within this power range can provide sufficient energy in a short time to create a high-temperature and high-pressure region on the blade surface, thereby strengthening the blade.

[0054] In addition, this embodiment also provides a method for cleaning the coated absorbent layer 5, including using a chemical solution or mechanical grinding method. These methods can effectively remove the absorbent layer 5 to ensure that the cutting performance of the ice skate is not affected.

[0055] To further illustrate the nature of the present invention, the following embodiments provide a detailed description of the enhanced method of the present invention. It should be understood that, except for the specific limitations referred to in the appended claims, the present invention is not limited to the particular conditions or details set forth in these embodiments.

[0056] Example 1

[0057] A stainless steel ice skate blade was placed in a vacuum chamber, and a 5-micrometer-thick aluminum layer was deposited on the blade as an absorption layer 5 using physical vapor deposition. The shape of the aluminum layer well covered the chamfered area 1 of the blade, forming a rounded R-angle, while the rest of the surface matched the shape of the blade. Next, a 500W laser power was directly incident on the blade end face 2 in the normal direction for laser shock blasting treatment. Subsequently, the R-angle was incident in the normal direction to further strengthen the chamfered area 1. Before the R-angle incident, a focusing lens was used to focus a pulsed laser beam onto the chamfered area 1 of the blade. After treatment, the aluminum layer was removed using a chemical solution, resulting in the final product of the laser shock blasting treatment for the ice skate blade blade. By comparing the hardness and wear resistance before and after the experiment, it was found that the treated ice skate blade blade exhibited better performance and a longer service life.

[0058] Example 2

[0059] 1. Prepare the ice skate base: Select stainless steel as the base material for the ice skate and process it according to the design requirements to form the ice skate blade;

[0060] 2. Coating absorption layer: Aluminum absorption layer 5 is prepared by magnetron sputtering and uniformly covers the blade edge, forming a rounded R-angle in the chamfer 1 area of ​​the blade edge.

[0061] 3. Laser shock peening treatment: A pulsed laser with a power of 1000W and a wavelength of 1064nm is used. The blade end face 2 is subjected to laser shock peening treatment in the normal direction. Subsequently, a lens with a focal length of 50mm is used to perform laser shock peening treatment on the R-angle area. Each point is repeatedly impacted 10 times, with each impact lasting 10 milliseconds.

[0062] 4. Clean the absorption layer 5: Use a chemical solution to clean the absorption layer 5 covering the blade to ensure the smoothness and finish of the blade.

[0063] Ice skate blades treated using the above methods have higher hardness, wear resistance, and impact resistance, making them better suited to the needs of ice sports.

[0064] Example 3

[0065] 1. Prepare the ice skate base: Select stainless steel as the ice skate base, process and polish it to obtain an ice skate base with a blade;

[0066] 2. Absorption layer 5: A 5-micrometer-thick silver plating layer is deposited on the blade end face 2, blade side face 4, and chamfer 1 area using physical vapor deposition to form absorption layer 5. The absorption layer 5 located in the chamfer 1 area is processed to make it a rounded R-angle.

[0067] 3. Optical Imaging Enhancement: First, the blade tip face 2 is subjected to laser-enhanced impact treatment with normal incidence. Then, a reflector is used to focus the laser on the R-angle area for further laser-enhanced impact treatment. Before further laser-enhanced impact treatment, the ice skate is placed on a specially designed fixture with the chamfered area of ​​the blade facing the reflector. With the help of the reflector, the incident angle and position of the laser can be precisely controlled, allowing the laser energy to be concentrated in the chamfered area. Furthermore, multiple overlapping laser pulses are used to perform laser-enhanced impact treatment on the chamfered area and the blade tip face 2 area to improve the enhancement effect.

[0068] 4. Clean the absorption layer 5: Use a chemical solution to clean the blade surface to completely remove the silver plating layer and restore the original surface condition.

[0069] In this embodiment, the ice skate blade is laser-shock strengthened on the top surface of the blade through an additional absorption layer on the flat top, avoiding deformation and delamination, while improving residual compressive stress, fatigue performance, and corrosion resistance.

[0070] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the technical principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for laser shock strengthening of ice skate blades, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Provide ice skate base; An absorbent layer is coated on the blade of the ice skate base, and the absorbent layer covers the area of ​​the blade chamfer with a rounded R-angle. Laser shock strengthening treatment is applied to the blade coated with an absorption layer, and the laser used for laser shock strengthening is directly incident in the normal direction. An optical imaging enhancement method is used to further enhance the laser shock treatment of the chamfered area of ​​the blade covered with the absorption layer by incident laser in the normal direction on the R-angle region. The optical imaging enhancement method includes using a lens or mirror with a focal length to focus the laser shock treatment on the chamfered area, and using multiple overlapping laser pulses to perform laser shock treatment on the chamfered area. After laser shock peening treatment, the coating absorption layer is cleaned.

2. The laser shock peening method for ice skate blades as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The absorption layer is an aluminum-plated layer or a silver-plated layer.

3. The laser shock peening method for ice skate blades as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The ice skate base material is titanium alloy or alloy steel.

4. The laser shock peening method for ice skate blades as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The absorption layer is prepared by physical vapor deposition, magnetron sputtering or electroplating.

5. The laser shock peening method for ice skate blades as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The thickness of the absorption layer is 0.5 to 20 micrometers.

6. The laser shock peening method for ice skate blades as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The laser shock peening process uses pulsed laser with a power of 500W to 2000W.

7. The laser shock peening method for ice skate blades as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The cleaning of the coated absorbent layer is performed using a chemical solution or mechanical grinding method.

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