# US 2016/0052108 A1 · Positive relief forming of polycrystalline diamond structures and resulting cutting tools > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0052108 A1 - Document ID: US20160052108A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/463,587 - Filed: 2014-08-19 - Published: 2016-02-25 - Earliest claimed: 2014-08-19 - Assignees: US Synthetic Corporation - Applicants: US Synthetic Corporation - Inventors: David P. Miess - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160052108A1 ## CPC - B24D 18/0009: {using moulds or presses} - B22F 3/14: simultaneously - B22F 5/085: {with helical contours} - B22F 7/06: of composite workpieces or articles from parts, e.g. to form tipped tools {(B22F7/002 takes precedence)} - B23C 5/10: Shank-type cutters, i.e. with an integral shaft - B23G 5/06: Taps (chucks therefor B23B31/00) - B24D 99/005: {Segments of abrasive wheels} - C22C 26/00: Alloys containing diamond {or cubic or wurtzitic boron nitride, fullerenes or carbon nanotubes} - E21B 10/573: characterised by support details, e.g. the substrate construction or the interface between the substrate and the cutting element - B22F 2005/001: {Cutting tools, earth boring or grinding tool other than table ware} - B23B 51/00: Tools for drilling machines - B23B 2226/315: polycrystalline [PCD] - B23C 2226/315: polycrystalline [PCD] - B23G 2225/165: Polycrystalline diamond - 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 - B23C: MILLING (broaching B23D; broach-milling in making gears B23F; arrangement for copying or controlling B23Q) - B23G: THREAD CUTTING; WORKING OF SCREWS, BOLT HEADS, OR NUTS, IN CONJUNCTION THEREWITH (making helical grooves by turning B23B5/48, by milling B23C3/32, by forging, pressing, or hammering B21K1/56, by grinding B24B19/02; arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q; thread-forming by corrugating tubes B21D15/04, by rolling B21H3/02) - C22C: ALLOYS (treatment of alloys C21D, C22F) - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - B23B: TURNING; BORING (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q) ## Abstract Embodiments of the invention relate to methods of making articles having portions of polycrystalline diamond bonded to a surface of a substrate and polycrystalline diamond compacts made using the same. In an embodiment, a molding technique is disclosed for forming cutting tools comprising polycrystalline diamond portions bonded to the outer surface of a substrate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of making a polycrystalline diamond (“PCD”) structure, the method comprising: forming a mold assembly, the mold assembly including: a mold having a cavity therein including at least one flute recess; a substrate positioned within the cavity, the substrate having a surface; and diamond particles positioned within the at least one flute recess; and subjecting the mold assembly to a high-pressure/high-temperature (“HPHT”) process effective to sinter the diamond particles and bond at least one PCD portion at least partially formed from the diamond particles to an imperforate portion of the surface of the substrate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising removing mold material from the PCD structure after subjecting the mold assembly to the HPHT process. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one flute recess extends generally helically. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the cavity includes an end-region recess at a distal end therein, the end-region recess including the at least one flute recess extending therefrom. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the cavity is a generally cylindrical cavity; the at least one flute recess is formed in an interior surface of the cavity; forming a mold assembly includes: inserting the substrate having a shape complementary to the generally cylindrical cavity into the generally cylindrical cavity such that the surface of the substrate is adjacent to the interior surface of the generally cylindrical cavity; and disposing the diamond particles into the at least one flute recess when the substrate is adjacent to the interior surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein forming the mold assembly includes coating the inner surface of the cavity, including the at least one flute recess, with a refractory metal material prior to insertion of the substrate and the diamond particles into the generally cylindrical cavity. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising removing the substrate having the at least one PCD portion bonded thereto from the mold and at least partially leaching the at least one PCD portion to a depth therein. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one flute recess extends about 500 μm to about 2 cm into an interior surface of the cavity. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the diamond particles positioned within the at least one flute recess is at least partially encapsulated in a tube. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one flute recess extends generally helically along an interior surface of the cavity, and the substrate includes at least one debris slot therein extending generally helically around the substrate and substantially congruent to the at least one flute recess. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the surface of the substrate includes at least one alignment protrusion extending laterally therefrom, and wherein the cavity includes at least one alignment recess, the at least one alignment protrusion and the at least one alignment recess being configured to align the at least one debris slot with the at least one flute recess. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the cavity includes an end-region recess at a distal end, and the at least one flute recess extends generally helically along an interior surface of the cavity to substantially a center point in the end-region recess. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: removing mold material from around the at least one PCD portion and the substrate; and processing the at least one PCD portion to a final dimension using at least one of milling, grinding, lapping, electro-discharge machining, or lasing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the mold includes at least one sprue hole in communication with the at least one flute recess. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising forming the mold by at least one of three-dimensional printing the mold at least partially from a refractory metal material, or isostatically pressing a refractory metal material around a positive form to be molded and then removing the positive form. ### Claim 16 A method of making a polycrystalline diamond (“PCD”) structure, the method comprising: providing a substrate having a surface; positioning at least one diamond material flute volume including diamond particles therein around a portion of the surface of the substrate; and subjecting the substrate and the at least one diamond material flute volume positioned therearound to a high-pressure/high-temperature (“HPHT”) process effective to sinter the diamond particles and bond at least one PCD portion at least partially formed from the diamond particles to the surface of the substrate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one diamond material flute volume includes at least one diamond material tube including the diamond particles therein. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one diamond material tube includes a cobalt-containing tube. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising attaching at least one portion of the at least one diamond material tube to the substrate using at least one of induction heating, laser tacking, adhesive, or a binder material. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one diamond material flute volume includes the shear compacted diamond particles. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein positioning the at least one diamond material flute volume therein includes positioning the at least one preformed diamond volume generally helically around at least a portion of the substrate. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: removing mold material from around the at least one PCD portion and the substrate; processing the at least one PCD portion to a final dimension using at least one of milling, grinding, lapping, electro-discharge machining, or lasing; and at least partially leaching the at least one PCD portion to a selected depth therein. ### Claim 23 A method of making a polycrystalline diamond compact (“PDC”), the method comprising: making a mold having a cavity therein, the cavity including a polycrystalline diamond (“PCD”) body recess and at least one standing feature recess extending from the PCD body recess; positioning diamond particles in the PCD body recess; positioning a substrate in the cavity; positioning diamond particles in the at least one standing feature recess; enclosing, in a pressure transmitting medium, the mold including the diamond particles and the substrate; and subjecting the pressure transmitting medium and the mold including the diamond particles and the substrate therein to a high-pressure/high-temperature (“HPHT”) process effective to sinter the diamond particles and bond PCD portions formed at least partially from the diamond particles to the substrate. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, further comprising coating an interior surface of the cavity with refractory metal material prior to positioning the diamond particles and the substrate into the cavity. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the mold is formed from hexagonal boron nitride.