# US 2014/0150351 A1 · Cutting element and a method of manufacturing a cutting element > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0150351 A1 - Document ID: US20140150351A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/174,026 - Filed: 2014-02-06 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2008-11-24 - Assignees: Smith International, Inc. - Applicants: Smith International, Inc. - Inventors: Loel G. Corbett; J. Daniel Belnap - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150351A1 ## CPC - B24D 3/001: {the constituent being used as supporting member} - B22F 7/06: of composite workpieces or articles from parts, e.g. to form tipped tools {(B22F7/002 takes precedence)} - B24D 18/00: Manufacture of grinding tools {or other grinding devices}, e.g. wheels, not otherwise provided for - C22C 26/00: Alloys containing diamond {or cubic or wurtzitic boron nitride, fullerenes or carbon nanotubes} - C22C 29/08: based on tungsten carbide - B22F 2005/001: {Cutting tools, earth boring or grinding tool other than table ware} - B24D: TOOLS FOR GRINDING, BUFFING OR SHARPENING (abrading-bodies specially designed for tumbling apparatus, e.g. abrading-balls B24B31/14; honing tools B24B33/08; lapping tools B24B37/11) - 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 - C22C: ALLOYS (treatment of alloys C21D, C22F) ## Abstract The present disclosure relates in one aspect to a cutting element comprising a substrate and a cutting layer disposed on a surface of the substrate. The cutting layer comprises an ultra hard material. The substrate comprises tungsten carbide and a metal binder. The substrate has a magnetic saturation value in the range of from 80 to less than 85%. In another aspect, the magnetic saturation value may increase within the substrate along a gradient, wherein proximal to the interface with the cutting layer, the substrate has a magnetic saturation value in the range of from 80 to less than 85%. Also included are drill bits incoiporating such cutting elements. Additionally, the present disclosure relates to methods of manufacturing cutting elements. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of manufacturing cutting elements comprising: selecting a first batch of substrates containing tungsten carbide and a metal binder, the substrates of the first batch of substrates having magnetic saturation values that vary by at most 5%; selecting a second batch of substrates containing tungsten carbide and a metal binder, the substrates of the second batch of substrates having magnetic saturation values which vary by at most 5%, the magnetic saturation values of both the first batch of substrates and the second batch of substrates varying by at most 5%; and forming a cutting layer comprising an ultra hard material on the surfaces of the first and second batches of substrates. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the 5% variation of magnetic saturation values for the first and second batches of substrates is within the range of from 80 to 100%. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the magnetic saturation values for the first and second batches of substrates are in the range of from 85 to 90%. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the magnetic saturation values for the first and second batches of substrates are in the range of from 80% to less than 85%. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the magnetic saturation values of the first batch of substrates vary by at most 4%, and wherein the magnetic saturation values of the second batch of substrates vary by at most 4%, and wherein the magnetic saturation values of both the first batch of substrates and the second batch of substrates vary by at most 4%. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the magnetic saturation values of the first batch of substrates vary by at most 2.5%, and wherein the magnetic saturation values of the second batch of substrates vary by at most 2.5%, and wherein the magnetic saturation values of both the first batch of substrates and the second batch of substrates vary by at most 4%. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the magnetic saturation values of the first batch of substrates vary by at most 2.5%, and wherein the magnetic saturation values of the second batch of substrates vary by at most 2.5%, and wherein the magnetic saturation values of both the first batch of substrates and the second batch of substrates vary by at most 2.5%. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the magnetic saturation values are chosen such that an improvement in one or more properties of the cutting element is provided. ### Claim 9 A method of manufacturing a cutting element comprising: selecting a substrate comprising tungsten carbide and a metal binder which substrate has a magnetic saturation value in the range of from 80% to less than 85%; and forming a cutting layer over a surface of the substrate which cutting layer comprises an ultra hard material. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the substrate has a magnetic saturation value in the range of from 80.5% to 84.5%. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the substrate has a magnetic saturation value in the range of from 81% to 84%. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the substrate has a tungsten carbide grain size distribution such that the span of the grain size distribution curve has a value in the range of from 1 to 2.5, wherein the span of the grain size distribution curve is characterized by the following equation: GSDC=(d95−d5)/d50. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the cutting layer comprises thermally stable polycrystalline diamond. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the metal binder comprises cobalt. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein in the ultra hard material comprises polycrystalline diamond. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the substrate is substantially free of tungsten carbide grains having a grain size of greater than 6 times the median grain size of the pre-sintered tungsten carbide.