Methods of forming earth-boring drill bits
AssigneeBaker Hughes Incorporated
InventorJohn H. Stevens
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods of forming bit bodies for earth-boring bits include assembling and sintering infiltrated green components, infiltrated brown components, or infiltrated fully sintered components. Other methods include isostatically pressing a powder to form a green body substantially composed of a particle-matrix composite material, and sintering or hot isostatic pressing the green body or brown body to provide a bit body having a desired final density. Methods of forming earth-boring bits include providing a bit body substantially formed of a particle-matrix composite material and attaching a shank to the body. The body is provided by pressing a powder to form a green body and sintering the green body.
Claims19
A method of forming an earth-boring rotary drill bit, the method comprising:
- providing a first powder mixture comprising a plurality of hard particles and a plurality of particles comprising a matrix material within a region of a container configured to form a bit body;
- providing a second powder mixture comprising a plurality of hard particles and a plurality of particles comprising a matrix material exhibiting a different material composition than a material composition of the first powder mixture within another region of the container configured to form a pin;
- pressing the first and second powder mixtures within the container to form a green unitary structure;
- machining a tapered surface into a portion of the green unitary structure comprising the second powder mixture;
- partially sintering the green unitary structure to form a brown unitary structure;
- machining threads into the tapered surface of the brown unitary structure-,
- placing the brown unitary structure in a mold;
- at least substantially filling a space defined between the brown unitary structure and the mold with metal or metal alloy particles;
- and
- infiltrating the brown unitary structure with a metal or a metal alloy by melting the metal or metal alloy particles to form the earth-boring rotary drill bit comprising the bit body and the pin secured to and integrally formed with the bit body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.