Evolution in Applications and Tools for Rotary Flap Peening

Author:  Wolfgang Hennig - Sentenso
Source:  The Shot Peener magazine, Vol 35, Issue 1, Winter 2021
Doc ID:  2021005
Year of Publication:  2021
Abstract:  
ROTARY FLAP PEENING (RFP) has been a well-known and established process in the aviation industry for many decades. Initially RFP was developed for repair peening on military aircraft and helicopter components. The technique can eliminate part disassembly and shipment to a dedicated shot peening facility. Today RFP is widely used in civil aerospace as well. With this smart process in place, excessive shipping time and organizational effort can be eliminated. Many different units, from landing gears and brakes to structure, wing and fuselage bodies to thin-walled components like flaps and wing spars, are flap peened during maintenance, repair and overhaul. Latest applications can be found in OEM aerospace parts production where the process allows for small spot repair of slight surface scratches thus salvaging expensive parts. Other application trends are in manual shape corrections of shot-peened and peen-formed parts.