A bend bar is available for use in a quality control test for testing for a consistency of residual stress effects in a particular material using a given a laser peening process. The bar is composed of the particular material to be tested and has a bar length and a bar thickness. The particular material has a characteristic maximum stress penetration depth for compressive residual stresses that can be formed in using the given laser peening process. The bar thickness is chosen so as to be at least twice the characteristic maximum stress penetration depth. The bar has a test surface that extends parallel to the bar length and perpendicular to the bar thickness. After forming a spot pattern on the test surface using the given laser peening process, the deflection generated in the bar due to the compressive residual stresses induced by laser peening can then be measured and used as a quality control measurement.