E-Archive

Interview

in Vol. 14 - November Issue - Year 2013
A Unique Forum Of All Aspects Of Mechanical Surface Treatments For Improving Fatigue Behaviour Of Metallic Components
Professor Lothar Wagner, Chairman of ICSP-12

Professor Lothar Wagner, Chairman of ICSP-12

Shot peening of a titanium sample

Shot peening of a titanium sample

Conference location in Goslar: The Achtermann

Conference location in Goslar: The Achtermann

Semi-automatic Peening System

Semi-automatic Peening System

MFN was able to get an interview with Professor Lothar Wagner, Chairman of ICSP-12.

(?) MFN: Good morning Prof. Wagner
In September 2014, the significant 12th International Shot Peening Conference (ICSP-12) will take place in Goslar, Germany. Could you please explain to our readers why you have chosen Goslar for the venue?

(!) L. W.: Since 1992, the mine and the Old Town of Goslar have been entered on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List for all Mankind. Goslar is a very beautiful city with impressive historical attractions. The former Free Imperial City of Goslar has an over-1000-year history. Probably, the discovery of silver and copper ore deposits induced the Saxon and Salic emperors to establish their largest and most secure palatinate here in the 11th century.
For centuries, Goslar was the favored seat of government in northern Germany, and at the same time, a center of Christianity. Actually, Goslar was referred to as the "Rome of the North".
In addition, Goslar is located very close to the historical mining city of Clausthal-Zellerfeld, which is famous for its Technical University. Here, comprehensive investigations are performed on the subject of Shot Peening and the underlying physical mechanisms. The associated laboratory facilities will be presented to conference participants.

(?) MFN: Prof. Wagner, you are an internationally recognized expert for mechanical surface treatments. Could you please tell us briefly, how you have acquired this expertise during the course of your professional activities?

(!) L. W.: As a mechanical engineer with a University degree and with the focus on materials technology of metals, it was natural for me to turn to applied research on fatigue performance. I became particularly interested in improving fatigue behaviour of metallic components. In 1981, I received my PhD degree on the subject of Shot Peening on titanium alloys. In the same year, the first International Shot Peening Conference took place and I was very happy to be able to participate. Due to the great success of this conference, a series of Shot Peening conferences developed. This series is now firmly established in the scientific and industrial communities and is conducted every three years in different countries all over the world. In 2002, I already had the opportunity to host this conference in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

(?) MFN: Can you comment on the topics of next year's Shot Peening Conference?

(!) L. W.: The term Shot Peening conference suggests erroneously that Shot Peening is exclusively the subject of the event. Of course, Shot Peening will contribute largely and significantly to the next conference; however, the mechanical surface treatment technologies to enhance the service of components have indeed evolved tremendously since 1981. Newly added topics were, for example, processes such as deep rolling, laser shock peening and flapper peening, and their comparative considerations in recent conferences. In this context, the presentation and discussion of the latest findings regarding potential life extensions of components by mechanical surface treatment is essential. This is not only of scientific interest but especially for industrial innovations as well. Please keep in mind the growing importance of lightweight construction concepts in transport engineering.

(?) MFN: It is easy to see that surface treatment processes have given rise to improving the safety of an aircraft or other transport vehicles. You just mentioned that surface treatments might also be important for lightweight designs. How can this be understood?

(!) L. W.: For this, I would like to give you three examples. By increasing the fatigue strength, the cross section of load-bearing components can be reduced so that a noticeable weight reduction is feasible. Furthermore, materials can be applied of which the fatigue performance without additional mechanical surface treatments may be critical. We were able to show that, for example, by optimized Shot Peening in magnesium alloys, a 50-percentage enhancement in fatigue strength could be achieved. As a final example, I would like to mention components with complex geometry typically used for lightweight structures. Because of their sharp transitions in cross section, such components have marked notch effects. Here, it is feasible by means of mechanical surface treatments to compensate for the harmful influence of pronounced stress concentration.

(?) MFN: Prof. Wagner, thank you very much for the interesting interview.

For Information:
Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Lothar Wagner
Dr. rer. nat. Manfred Wollmann
TU Clausthal
38578 Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany
Tel. +49.5323.722792
Fax +49.5323.722766
E-mail: cmc.wsw@gmx.net
www.shotpeening.org/ICSP-12