Tool bit
A tool bit including a drive portion, a tip, and a body. The drive portion is disposed at a first end of the tool bit and is configured to be coupled to a tool. The tip is disposed at a second end of the tool bit opposite from the drive portion. The tip includes a target region treated by laser peening. The target region is spaced from an end of the tip. The body extends between the drive portion and the tip.
1 . A tool bit comprising:
a drive portion disposed at a first end of the tool bit and configured to be coupled to a tool;
a tip disposed at a second end of the tool bit opposite from the drive portion, the tip including a target region treated by laser peening, the target region being spaced from an end of the tip, the end of the tip being untreated by laser peening; and
a body extending between the drive portion and the tip.
2 . The tool bit of claim 1 , wherein the target region is also spaced from a transition between the tip and the body.
3 . The tool bit of claim 1 , wherein the target region is an area where the tip contacts a fastener to drive the fastener.
4 . The tool bit of claim 1 , wherein the tip includes a plurality of flutes and a plurality of vanes, each vane having side walls that define the plurality of flutes and an outer wall that extends between the side walls.
5 . The tool bit of claim 4 , wherein the target region is located on the outer wall of at least one of the plurality of vanes.
6 . The tool bit of claim 4 , wherein the target region is located on at least one of the side walls of at least one of the plurality of vanes.
7 . The tool bit of claim 4 , wherein the target region is located on the outer wall and the side walls of at least one of the plurality of vanes.
8 . The tool bit of claim 4 , wherein the target region is located at a base of one of the plurality of flutes.
9 . The tool bit of claim 1 , wherein the target region includes a band that extends continuously around the tip.
10 . A tool bit comprising:
a drive portion disposed at a first end of the tool bit and configured to be coupled to a tool;
a tip disposed at a second end of the tool bit opposite from the drive portion, the tip including a target region having a first grain structure that is modified by laser peening and a surrounding area having a second grain structure that is not modified by laser peening, the surrounding area located between the target region and the drive portion and between the target region and an end of the tip, the target region providing tensile stress on the surrounding area, the surrounding area providing compressive stress on the target region; and
a body extending between the drive portion and the tip.
11 . The tool bit of claim 10 , wherein the target region is spaced from an end of the tip furthest from the body.
12 . The tool bit of claim 10 , wherein the tip has an outer surface, and wherein the target region is located between 1 mm and 12 mm below the outer surface.
13 . The tool bit of claim 10 , wherein the target region is an area where the tip contacts a fastener to drive the fastener.
14 . A method of manufacturing a tool bit, the method comprising:
providing a piece of stock metal;
forming a tip of the tool bit in the piece of stock metal; and
laser peening a target region of the tip to form a compressive residual stress region, the target region being spaced from an end of the tip, the end of the tip not being treated by laser peening.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein laser peening the target region includes laser peening an area where the tip contacts a fastener to drive the fastener.
16 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising blasting the tip, prior to laser peening, to remove a black oxide layer on the tip.
17 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising heat treating the tip.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein heat treating includes heat treating the tip prior to laser peening.
19 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising applying a rust preventative coating to the tip.
20 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
forming a drive portion configured to be coupled to a tool; and
forming a body extending between the drive portion and the tip.