Method of finishing cutting elements
AssigneeSmith International, Inc.
InventorsDah-Ben Liang, Ramamurthy K. Viswanadham
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for manufacturing drill bit inserts in which the inserts are finished in a centrifugal disc finishing machine. The centrifugal disc finishing machine comprises a configured surface rotating relative to a stationary receptacle, and the inserts may be finished with a mass of materials comprising at least one of a group of media, parts, detergent, and solution. Also, a method of increasing drill bit insert performance comprising accelerating a plurality of inserts in a high-energy finishing machine, wherein the acceleration results in a generally toroidal interaction between the inserts and at least one of the group comprising media, parts, detergent, and solution.
Claims18
A method to manufacture earth-boring drill bit inserts comprising:
- forming the inserts from a composite material comprising an abrasion resistant material and a binder;
- grinding the inserts to geometric specification;
- and
- finishing the inserts in a centrifugal disc finishing machine for 15 to 90 minutes,
- wherein the centrifugal disc finishing machine comprises a configured surface rotating relative to a stationary receptacle at a speed of between 100 to 300 revolutions per minute to induce a toroidal motion of the inserts,
- wherein the toroidal motion induces surface residual compressive stresses to the inserts.
A method to increase drill bit insert performance, comprising:
- accelerating a plurality of cutting inserts in a high-energy centrifugal disc finishing machine for 15 to 90 minutes to induce surface residual compressive stresses to the inserts;
- wherein the acceleration results in a toroidal motion of the inserts in at least one of a group comprising media, parts, detergent, and solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.