A Simple Guide To Localized Stress Relief (LSR)

Localized stress relief – what is it and how does the process work? It’s a question that many professionals may find themselves wondering if they are in need of overhaul or repair services. At Byron Products, it’s one of our core specialties in thermal processing.

LSR Explained

LSR is a tightly controlled stress relieving process wherein heat is directly applied to a weld repair area on a final part or assembly, while guarding other areas from affecting tolerances.  This process is often done using thermal cartridges or ceramic heaters which are insulated to control heat conduction to the rest of the part. When a large part requires heat treatment on one spot (or several) without heat treating the entire part, LSR should be taken into consideration as a potential thermal process to fix the issue. 

Essentially, residual stresses on a welded area could cause distortion or premature failure of the joint if left untreated. The LSR process involves heating the workpiece or localized area around a weld to a specific temperature, holding it at that temperature for enough time to reduce the stresses present in the material, and then cooling the material at a slow enough rate so as to not allow the stresses to redevelop. Another way to think of this process is that our experts are annealing the area – or allowing the welded area to cool slowly in order to remove internal stresses and toughen it.

Why is LSR Important?

LSR can be utilized for a plethora of reasons, but as previously mentioned, it’s most frequently a need for overhaul and repair purposes in our experience at Byron Products.

Through our many years of experience in the thermal processing space, we’ve come to realize that it’s especially useful when a large part or assembly, such as aircraft engine housing, requires repair after many hours of service. An added bonus: LSR is significantly cheaper and can be used to service the original material or part, rather than having to buy a new one all together.

What Industries Leverage LSR?

Currently, the aerospace industry is spearheading LSR technology, but it’s our prediction that other industries will likely catch up – such as energy, power generation, automotive, and more – as these industries all support use cases for LSR. This innovative process can and will eventually be used more widely when there are costly welded assemblies that are cheaper to repair than to make brand new. Major aerospace engine manufacturers and end users rely on a process like LSR.

What Sets Byron Products Apart in This Space?

Long story short: LSR is a very niche, specialized service that isn’t easily accessible elsewhere. We’re proud to say that Byron Products is, by all definitions, a leader in the development of LSR technologies. We have fully trained and certified operators as well as engineers ready to take on your LSR project – no matter how complex or unique. 

We’re also GE approved – meaning that if a customer’s parts end up at GE and they need LSR servicing, the entire process is simplified from a logistics and paperwork standpoint. As always, Byron Products offers competitive pricing and our customer service specialists are always available to answer your questions or address your concerns. We’re here to help you 24/7 and are pleased to have been in business for over 40 years. 

Never hesitate to get in touch with us – we look forward to servicing you!