A low-cost open-source automated shot peen forming system.

Area of Science:

• Manufacturing Engineering
• Materials Science
• Aerospace Engineering

Background:

• Shot peen forming is crucial in the aerospace industry for shaping sheet metal and correcting part distortion.
• Current automation research in shot peen forming requires expensive industrial robots and large facilities for experimental validation.
• High costs associated with industrial equipment limit research accessibility and development speed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a low-cost shot peen forming system prototype.
• To enable researchers to experimentally validate shot peen forming methods on small samples.
• To reduce the financial barrier for developing and testing automation techniques in shot peen forming.

Main Methods:

• Development of a novel, low-cost shot peen forming prototype.
• Utilizing small samples for experimental validation.
• Designing a system operable on a tabletop with standard electrical infrastructure.

Main Results:

• The prototype was produced at a cost of approximately 400 USD, significantly lower than conventional installations costing hundreds of thousands of USD.
• The system allows for experimental validation on small samples, reducing material and operational costs.
• The tabletop design facilitates easier integration into research environments and enables faster development cycles.

Conclusions:

• The developed low-cost shot peen forming system effectively addresses the need for accessible experimental validation in aerospace manufacturing.
• This innovation democratizes research in shot peen forming automation, enabling faster progress.
• The system offers a practical and economical solution for researchers and engineers in the aerospace sector.