Wear part

A tool component comprising a wear part that is covered at least in part by a connection member, the wear part having a hardness of at least 15 GPa and comprising a ceramic material, a cermet material, or a superhard material or a composite of a ceramic and a superhard material, or a cermet and a superhard material, and the connection member comprises a metal or alloy, having a hardness less than 15 GPa, the connection member providing a layer over at least part of the wear part, the ratio of the thickness of the connection member to the thickness of the wear part underlying it measured at any point being at most 1:10, the wear part comprising a surface that includes one or more depressions therein and/or projections therefrom, and at least part of the connection member having been pressed against at least part of the surface of the wear part that includes the depressions or projections, such that a surface of the connection member that faces a surface of the wear part follows the profile of the said part of the surface of the wear part against which it has been pressed, whereby the surfaces of the wear part and the connection member are co-operatively shaped such that relative movement between the two parts is substantially prevented at least during operation of the tool component.

A tool component comprising a wear part that is covered at least in part by a connection member, the wear part having a hardness of at least 15 GPa and comprising a ceramic material, a cermet material, or a superhard material or a composite of a ceramic and a superhard material, or a cermet and a superhard material, and the connection member is made from a metal or alloy, having a hardness less than 15 GPa, the connection member providing a layer over at least part of the wear part, the thickness of the connection member being at most 6 mm, the wear part comprising a surface that includes one or more depressions therein and/or projections therefrom, and at least part of the connection member having been pressed against at least part of the surface of the wear part that includes the depressions or projections, such that a surface of the connection member follows the profile of the said part of the surface of the wear part against which it has been pressed, whereby the surfaces of the wear part and the connection member are co-operatively shaped such that relative movement between the two parts is substantially at least during operation of the tool component.

A method of making a tool component by joining (i) a wear part having a hardness of at least 15 GPa and comprising a ceramic material or a superhard material or a composite of a ceramic and a superhard material and comprising a surface that includes one or more depressions therein and/or projections therefrom, to (ii) a connection member comprising a metal or alloy having a hardness less than 15 GPa;

• the joining being carried out by pressing the metal connection member against the wear part, so that the connection member provides a layer over at least part of the wear part, the ratio of the thickness of the connection member to the thickness of the wear part underlying it measured at any point being at most 1:10, at least part of the connection member having been pressed against at least part of the surface of the wear part that includes the depressions or projections, such that a surface of the connection member that faces a surface of the wear part follows the profile of the said part of the surface of the wear part against which it has been pressed, whereby the surfaces of the wear part and the connection member are co-operatively shaped such that relative movement between the two parts is substantially at least during operation of the tool component.