Molds and methods of forming molds associated with manufacture of rotary drill bits and other downhole tools
First Claim
1. A method of forming a mold operable to fabricate at least one component of a well drilling tool comprising:
- (a) using a three dimensional (3D) printer to deposit a plurality of thin layers of powder having a configuration and dimensions based on three dimensional (3D) design data associated with the well drilling tool;
(b) using the 3D printer to apply an adhesive material to each thin layer of powder to securely bind the powder with itself and with adjacent powder layers; and
repeating steps (a) and (b) to produce the mold with a mold cavity having a negative image of the configuration and dimensions based on the 3D design data for the associated well drilling tool.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Three dimensional printing equipment and techniques may be used in combination with three dimensional design data associated with well drilling equipment and well completion equipment to form molds associated with manufacture of such equipment. For example, such molds may be used to form a bit body or other components associated with a rotary drill bit. For some applications composite or matrix materials may be placed in the mold to form a matrix bit body. Heat transfer characteristics of the mold may be optimized for heating and/or cooling of the matrix materials to provide optimum fracture resistant (toughness) and optimum erosion, abrasion and/or wear resistance for portions of the bit body. Such molds may also be used to form steel bit bodies associated with fixed cutter rotary drill bits and other components associated with a wide variety of well drilling equipment and well completion equipment.
61 Citations
46 Claims
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1. A method of forming a mold operable to fabricate at least one component of a well drilling tool comprising:
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(a) using a three dimensional (3D) printer to deposit a plurality of thin layers of powder having a configuration and dimensions based on three dimensional (3D) design data associated with the well drilling tool; (b) using the 3D printer to apply an adhesive material to each thin layer of powder to securely bind the powder with itself and with adjacent powder layers; and repeating steps (a) and (b) to produce the mold with a mold cavity having a negative image of the configuration and dimensions based on the 3D design data for the associated well drilling tool. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of forming a mold operable to fabricate at least one component of a rotary drill bit comprising:
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(a) using a three dimensional (3D) printer to deposit a plurality of thin layers of powder having a configuration and dimensions based on three dimensional (3D) design data associated with the rotary drill bit; (b) using the 3D printer to apply an adhesive material to each thin layer of powder to securely bind the powder with itself and with adjacent powder layers; and repeating steps (a) and (b) to produce a mold having a mold cavity with a configuration and dimensions based on the 3D design data associated with the rotary drill bit, the mold having a negative image of the component of the rotary drill bit. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of forming a mold operable to fabricate at least one component of a steel bit body for a fixed cutter drill bit comprising:
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(a) using a three dimensional (3D) printer to deposit a plurality of thin layers of powder having a configuration and dimensions based on three dimensional (3D) design data associated with the at least one component of the steel bit body; (b) using the 3D printer to apply an adhesive material to each thin layer of powder; and repeating steps (a) and (b) to produce the mold with a mold cavity having a configuration and dimensions based on the 3D design data for the associated at least one component, the mold having a negative image of the component of the steel bit body. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of forming a mold operable to fabricate at least one component of a well completion tool comprising:
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(a) using a three dimensional (3D) printer to deposit a plurality of thin layers of powder having a configuration and dimensions based on three dimensional (3D) design data associated with the well completion tool; (b) using the 3D printer to apply an adhesive material to the thin layer of powder; and repeating steps (a) and (b) to produce a mold having a mold cavity with a configuration and dimensions based on the 3D design data for the associated well completion tool, the mold having a negative image of the component of the well completion tool. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method of forming a mold operable to fabricate at least one component of a well drilling tool comprising:
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(a) using a three dimensional (3D) printer to deposit a plurality of thin layers of powder comprising a sand having a configuration and dimensions based on three dimensional (3D) design data associated with the well drilling tool; (b) using the 3D printer to apply an adhesive material to each thin layer of powder to securely bind the powder with itself and with adjacent powder layers; and repeating steps (a) and (b) to produce the mold with a mold cavity having a negative image of the configuration and dimensions based on the 3D design data for the associated well drilling tool. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A method of forming a mold operable to fabricate at least one component of a well drilling tool comprising:
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(a) using a three dimensional (3D) printer to deposit a plurality of thin layers of powder having a configuration and dimensions based on three dimensional (3D) design data associated with the well drilling tool; (b) using the 3D printer to apply an adhesive material to each thin layer of powder to securely bind the powder with itself and with adjacent powder layers; and repeating steps (a) and (b) to produce the mold with a mold cavity having a negative image of the configuration and dimensions based on the 3D design data for the associated well drilling tool, the mold having exterior dimensions, exterior configuration, interior dimensions and interior configuration optimized for heating and cooling materials placed within the mold during formation of the at least one component.
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45. A method of forming a mold operable to fabricate at least one component of a well drilling tool comprising:
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(a) using a three dimensional (3D) printer to deposit a plurality of thin layers of powder having a configuration and dimensions based on three dimensional (3D) design data associated with the well drilling tool; (b) using the 3D printer to apply an adhesive material to each thin layer of powder to securely bind the powder with itself and with adjacent powder layers; and repeating steps (a) and (b) to produce the mold with a mold cavity having a negative image of the configuration and dimensions based on the 3D design data for the associated well drilling tool, further comprising forming portions of the mold with at least two different layers of sand selected to provide optimum heating and cooling of materials placed within the mold during formation of the at least one component.
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46. A method of forming a mold operable to fabricate at least one component of a well drilling tool comprising:
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(a) using a three dimensional (3D) printer to deposit a plurality of thin layers of powder having a configuration and dimensions based on three dimensional (3D) design data associated with the well drilling tool; (b) using the 3D printer to apply an adhesive material to each thin layer of powder to securely bind the powder with itself and with adjacent powder layers; and repeating steps (a) and (b) to produce the mold with a mold cavity having a negative image of the configuration and dimensions based on the 3D design data for the associated well drilling tool component, further comprising forming portions of the mold with a variable wall thickness selected to provide optimum heating and cooling of matrix materials placed within the mold during formation of the associated well drilling tool component.
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Specification