# US 10,119,339 B2 · Alternative materials for mandrel in infiltrated metal-matrix composite drill bits > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,119,339 B2 - Document ID: US10119339B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/905,314 - Filed: 2015-03-31 - Published: 2017-04-20 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-31 - Assignees: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Applicants: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Inventors: Daniel Brendan Voglewede; Jeffrey G. Thomas; Grant O. Cook, III - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10119339B2 ## CPC - E21B 10/46: characterised by wear resisting parts, e.g. diamond inserts - B22D 19/02: for making reinforced articles (B22D19/14 takes precedence) - B22D 19/04: for joining parts - B22D 19/14: the objects being filamentary or particulate in form (making alloys containing fibres or filaments by contacting the fibres or filaments with molten metal C22C47/08) - B22D 25/02: by its peculiarity of shape; of works of art {(cylinders, pistons B22D15/02)} - B23K 1/0008: {specially adapted for particular articles or work} - B23K 13/015: {Butt welding} - B23K 20/002: {specially adapted for particular articles or work (B23K20/129 takes precedence)} - B23K 20/028: {Butt welding} - B23K 20/122: {using a non-consumable tool, e.g. friction stir welding} - B23K 20/129: {specially adapted for particular articles or work} - C22C 1/1036: {starting from a melt} - E21B 10/54: the bit being of the rotary drag type, e.g. fork-type bits - E21B 10/55: with preformed cutting elements - B22F 2005/001: {Cutting tools, earth boring or grinding tool other than table ware} - B22F 2007/066: {using impregnation} - C22C 29/067: {comprising a particular metallic binder} - E21B 10/60: characterised by conduits or nozzles for drilling fluids (for roller bits E21B10/18; for percussion drill bits E21B10/38) - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - B22D: CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES (shaping of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29C; metallurgical processing, selection of substances to be added to metal C21, C22) - B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM - C22C: ALLOYS (treatment of alloys C21D, C22F) - B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER ## Abstract An infiltrated metal-matrix composite drill bit includes a bit body comprising a reinforced composite material including reinforcing particles infiltrated with a binder material. A plurality of cutting elements is coupled to an exterior of the bit body. A mandrel is positioned within the bit body and made of an M-based alloy selected from the group consisting of a titanium-based alloy, a nickel-based alloy, a copper-based alloy, a cobalt-based alloy, and a refractory metal-based alloy, wherein the element designated by “M” is the most prevalent element in the alloy composition. A shank is coupled to the mandrel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An infiltrated metal-matrix composite (MMC) drill bit, comprising: a bit body comprising a reinforced composite material including reinforcing particles infiltrated with a binder material; a plurality of cutting elements coupled to an exterior of the bit body; a mandrel positioned within the bit body and made of a single M-based alloy selected from the group consisting of a titanium-based alloy, a nickel-based alloy, a copper-based alloy, a cobalt-based alloy, and a refractory metal-based alloy, wherein the element designated by “M” is the most prevalent element in the alloy composition; and a shank coupled to the mandrel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The infiltrated MMC drill bit of claim 1, wherein the infiltrated MMC drill bit comprises a drill bit selected from the group consisting of a fixed-cutter drill bit, a fixed-angle drill bit, a roller-cone drill bit, a coring drill bit, a bi-center drill bit, and an impregnated drill bit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The infiltrated MMC drill bit of claim 1, wherein selection of the reinforcing particles is based on the M-based alloy. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The infiltrated MMC drill bit of claim 1, wherein selection of the binder material is based on the M-based alloy. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The infiltrated MMC drill bit of claim 1, wherein the M-based alloy is a titanium-based alloy selected from the group consisting of commercially pure titanium, titanium-oxygen, titanium-aluminum-vanadium, titanium-palladium, titanium-molybdenum-nickel, titanium-aluminum-tin, titanium-aluminum-tin-zirconium-molybdenum, titanium-vanadium-iron-aluminum, titanium-aluminum-vanadium-chromium-zirconium-molybdenum, and any combination thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The infiltrated MMC drill bit of claim 1, wherein the M-based alloy is a nickel-based alloy selected from the group consisting of commercially pure nickel, nickel-copper, nickel-chromium, nickel-chromium-iron, nickel-chromium-molybdenum, nickel-molybdenum, an austenitic nickel-chromium containing superalloy, an austenitic nickel-based superalloy, a nickel-chromium superalloy, a nickel-copper-chromium superalloy, a nickel-based superalloy, and any combination thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The infiltrated MMC drill bit of claim 1, wherein the M-based alloy is a copper-based alloy selected from the group consisting of commercially pure copper, copper-zinc, copper-zinc-nickel, copper-tin, copper-tin-aluminum, copper-nickel, and any combination thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The infiltrated MMC drill bit of claim 1, wherein the M-based alloy is a copper-based alloy selected from the group consisting of commercially pure cobalt, AMS 5789D, cobalt-chromium, cobalt-chromium-tungsten, cobalt-chromium-molybdenum, cobalt-chromium-nickel, cobalt-chromium-nickel-molybdenum, a cobalt-based superalloy, and any combination thereof. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The infiltrated MMC drill bit of claim 1, wherein the M-based alloy is a refractory metal-based alloy selected from the group consisting of tantalum, tungsten, rhenium, molybdenum, niobium, hafnium, zirconium, vanadium, and any combination thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The infiltrated MMC drill bit of claim 1, wherein the M-based alloy is a refractory metal-based alloy selected from the group consisting of tantalum-tungsten, tantalum-tungsten-molybdenum, tantalum-tungsten-rhenium, tantalum-tungsten-molybdenum-rhenium, tantalum-tungsten-zirconium, tungsten-rhenium, tungsten-molybdenum, tungsten-rhenium-molybdenum, tungsten-molybdenum-hafnium, tungsten-molybdenum-zirconium, tungsten-ruthenium, niobium-vanadium, niobium-vanadium-titanium, niobium-zirconium, niobium-tungsten-zirconium, niobium-hafnium-titanium, niobium-tungsten-hafnium, and any combination thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The infiltrated MMC drill bit of claim 1, wherein the shank is coupled to the mandrel via a joining process selected from the group consisting of inertial welding, a friction-stir weld, a friction weld, an inertial weld, an induction weld, a braze, diffusion bonding, transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding, and any combination thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The infiltrated MMC drill bit of claim 1, further comprising surface features defined on some or all of an exterior surface of the mandrel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The infiltrated MMC drill bit of claim 12, wherein the surface features are selected from the group consisting of small-scale undulations, crenellations, steps, waves, dimples, recesses, protrusions, nubs, fins, threads, miters, dovetails, knurling, and any combination thereof. ### Claim 14 A method of fabricating an infiltrated metal-matrix composite (MMC) drill bit, comprising: positioning a mandrel in an interior of a mold assembly that defines an infiltration chamber, wherein the mandrel is made of a single M-based alloy selected from the group consisting of a titanium-based alloy, a nickel-based alloy, a copper-based alloy, a cobalt-based alloy, and a refractory metal-based alloy; depositing reinforcing materials into the infiltration chamber; infiltrating the reinforcing materials with a binder material and thereby generating a hard composite material; forming a joint between the mandrel and the hard composite material during infiltration; and attaching a shank to the mandrel. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising selecting the reinforcing particles based on the material of the M-based alloy. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising selecting the binder material based on the material of the M-based alloy. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein attaching the shank to the mandrel comprises coupling the shank to the mandrel using a joining process selected from the group consisting of inertial welding, a friction-stir weld, a friction weld, an inertial weld, an induction weld, a braze, diffusion bonding, transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding, and any combination thereof. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising enhancing the joint between the mandrel and the hard composite material with surface features defined on some or all of an exterior surface of the mandrel. ### Claim 19 A drilling assembly, comprising: a drill string extendable from a drilling platform and into a wellbore; a drill bit attached to an end of the drill string wherein the drill bit comprises: a bit body comprising a reinforced composite material made of reinforcing particles infiltrated with a binder material; a plurality of cutting elements coupled to an exterior of the bit body; a mandrel positioned within the bit body and made of a single M-based alloy selected from the group consisting of a titanium-based alloy, a nickel-based alloy, a copper-based alloy, a cobalt-based alloy, and a refractory metal-based alloy; and a shank coupled to the mandrel. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The drilling assembly of claim 19, wherein the drill bit comprises a drill bit selected from the group consisting of a fixed-cutter drill bit, a fixed-angle drill bit, a roller-cone drill bit, a coring drill bit, a bi-center drill bit, and an impregnated drill bit. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The drilling assembly of claim 19, wherein the shank is coupled to the mandrel via a joining process selected from the group consisting of inertial welding, a friction-stir weld, a friction weld, an inertial weld, an induction weld, a braze, diffusion bonding, transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding, and any combination thereof.