Method of manufacturing bits, bit components and other articles of manufacture

Abstract

A method of fabricating rotary-type drill bits, drilling-related structures, and other articles of manufacture. The method includes fabricating a machinable matrix, machining the matrix, and dispersing a binder material throughout the matrix. The matrix of the rotary-type drill bit may be fabricated by layered-manufacturing techniques or by disposing a particulate or powdered material into a mold and binding the particles together with a resin or by sintering. The matrix may have the desired dimensions and features, the approximate dimensions and features, or lack desired dimensions or features of a drilling-related structure or other article of manufacture. The matrix is machined to correct any anisotropies or imperfections of the matrix, to refine features of the matrix, or to define the features in the matrix. The machined matrix may be infiltrated with a binder material to define a drill bit body.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.