Methods of removing shoulder powder from fixed cutter bits

• US 10,378,287 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2016
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Thomas, Jeff G., Olsen, Garrett T., Cook, III, Grant O., Voglewede, Daniel Brendan, Pan, Yi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kerns, Kevin P
• Application Number:
  US15/307,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20170159367A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• Field of Search: 164 91, 164 97
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 23/06 Melting-down metal, e.g. metal particles, in the mould
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 25/02 by its peculiarity of shape; of works of art cylinders, pistons B22D15/02
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2005/001 Cutting tools, earth boring or grinding tool other than table ware
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 7/06 of composite workpieces or articles from parts, e.g. to form tipped tools B22F7/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 1/1036 starting from a melt
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 1/1047 by mixing and casting liquid metal matrix composites
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 1/1094 comprising an after-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 26/00 Alloys containing diamond or cubic or wurtzitic boron nitride, fullerenes or carbon nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 29/00 Alloys based on carbides, oxides, nitrides, borides, or silicides, e.g. cermets, or other metal compounds, e.g. oxynitrides, sulfides C22C26/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 29/06 based on carbides, but not containing other metal compounds
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 10/42 Rotary drag type drill bits with teeth, blades or like cutting elements, e.g. fork-type bits, fish tail bits characterised by wear resisting parts E21B10/46; by conduits or nozzles for drilling fluid E21B10/60; by detachable or adjustable parts E21B10/62
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 10/54 the bit being of the rotary drag type, e.g. fork-type bits
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 10/602 the bit being a rotary drag type bit with blades

Abstract

Tools, for example, fixed cutter drill bits, may be manufactured to include hard composite portions having reinforcing particles dispersed in a continuous binder phase and auxiliary portions that are more machinable than the hard composite portions. For example, a tool may include a hard composite portion having a machinability rating 0.2 or less; and an auxiliary portion having a machinability rating of 0.6 or greater in contact with the hard composite portion. The boundary or interface between the hard composite portion and the auxiliary portion may be designed so that upon removal of the most or all of the auxiliary portion the resultant tool has a desired geometry without having to machine the hard composite portion.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a metal matrix composite (MMC) tool, the method comprising:

depositing an amount of reinforcement material within an infiltration chamber defined by a mold assembly, the mold assembly containing a central displacement and a metal blank disposed about the central displacement and thereby defining a first location between the central displacement and an upper portion of the metal blank, and a second location between the metal blank and an inner wall of the mold assembly;

depositing an auxiliary material comprising a refractory material into the first and second locations, such that a boundary between the reinforcement material and the auxiliary material in the second location extends from the mold assembly to the metal blank at an upward angle ranging between 30° and

90°

relative to vertical;

infiltrating the reinforcement material with a binder material to form a hard composite portion having a machinability rating of 0.2 or less; and

infiltrating the auxiliary material with the binder material to form an auxiliary portion having a machinability rating of 0.6 or greater.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the hard composite portion is at least ten times more erosion resistant than the auxiliary portion.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

vibrating the mold assembly after depositing the auxiliary material within the infiltration chamber atop the reinforcement material.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the refractory material comprises one selected from the group consisting of a refractory metal, a refractory alloy, a refractory ceramic, and any combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

machining at least a portion of the auxiliary portion.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary material further comprises a refractory material that alloys with the binder material when infiltrating the auxiliary material.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a concentration of the refractory material is highest in the auxiliary material within 10 cm of the boundary.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary material has a diameter of 0.5 micron to 16 mm.

9. A method of fabricating a metal matrix composite (MMC) tool, the method comprising:

depositing an amount of reinforcement material within an infiltration chamber defined by a mold assembly, the mold assembly containing a central displacement and a metal blank disposed about the central displacement and thereby defining a first location between the central displacement and an upper portion of the metal blank, and a second location between the metal blank and an inner wall of the mold assembly;

depositing an auxiliary material comprising a non-refractory material into the first and second locations, such that a boundary between the reinforcement material and the auxiliary material in the second location extends from the mold assembly to the metal blank at an upward angle ranging between 30° and

90°

relative to vertical;

infiltrating the reinforcement material with a binder material to form a hard composite portion having a machinability rating of 0.2 or less; and

alloying the binder material and the non-refractory material to form an auxiliary portion having a machinability rating of 0.6 or greater.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the hard composite portion is at least ten times more erosion resistant than the auxiliary portion.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

vibrating the mold assembly after depositing the auxiliary material within the infiltration chamber atop the reinforcement material.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the non-refractory material comprises one selected from the group consisting of a non-refractory metal, a non-refractory alloy, a non-refractory ceramic, and any combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

machining at least a portion of the auxiliary portion.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the auxiliary material further comprises a non-refractory material and the auxiliary portion comprises the non-refractory material dispersed in an alloy produced from alloying the binder material and the non-refractory material.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein a concentration of the non-refractory material is highest in the auxiliary material within 10 cm of the boundary.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the auxiliary material has a diameter of 0.5 micron to 16 mm.