WO2014117097A2 - Mise en place précise de poudres pour former des éléments de coupe de diamant polycristallin optimisés et outils de coupe - Google Patents

Mise en place précise de poudres pour former des éléments de coupe de diamant polycristallin optimisés et outils de coupe Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2014117097A2
WO2014117097A2 PCT/US2014/013217 US2014013217W WO2014117097A2 WO 2014117097 A2 WO2014117097 A2 WO 2014117097A2 US 2014013217 W US2014013217 W US 2014013217W WO 2014117097 A2 WO2014117097 A2 WO 2014117097A2
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WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
cutter
cutter element
region
powder
polycrystalline diamond
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2014/013217
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English (en)
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WO2014117097A4 (fr
WO2014117097A3 (fr
Inventor
Terry Richard Matthias
Mark J. Francis
Simon J. BROWN
Kevin J. EMERY
Paul I. ELLIS
Michael Scott Nixon
Original Assignee
National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
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Application filed by National Oilwell Varco, L.P. filed Critical National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
Publication of WO2014117097A2 publication Critical patent/WO2014117097A2/fr
Publication of WO2014117097A3 publication Critical patent/WO2014117097A3/fr
Publication of WO2014117097A4 publication Critical patent/WO2014117097A4/fr

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Classifications

    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22C—ALLOYS
    • C22C1/00—Making non-ferrous alloys
    • C22C1/04—Making non-ferrous alloys by powder metallurgy
    • C22C1/05—Mixtures of metal powder with non-metallic powder
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22C—ALLOYS
    • C22C26/00—Alloys containing diamond or cubic or wurtzitic boron nitride, fullerenes or carbon nanotubes
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B10/00—Drill bits
    • E21B10/46—Drill bits characterised by wear resisting parts, e.g. diamond inserts
    • E21B10/56—Button-type inserts
    • E21B10/567—Button-type inserts with preformed cutting elements mounted on a distinct support, e.g. polycrystalline inserts
    • E21B10/5676—Button-type inserts with preformed cutting elements mounted on a distinct support, e.g. polycrystalline inserts having a cutting face with different segments, e.g. mosaic-type inserts
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B10/00—Drill bits
    • E21B10/46—Drill bits characterised by wear resisting parts, e.g. diamond inserts
    • E21B10/56—Button-type inserts
    • E21B10/567—Button-type inserts with preformed cutting elements mounted on a distinct support, e.g. polycrystalline inserts
    • E21B10/573—Button-type inserts with preformed cutting elements mounted on a distinct support, e.g. polycrystalline inserts characterised by support details, e.g. the substrate construction or the interface between the substrate and the cutting element
    • E21B10/5735—Interface between the substrate and the cutting element
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
    • B22F—WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
    • B22F5/00—Manufacture of workpieces or articles from metallic powder characterised by the special shape of the product
    • B22F2005/001—Cutting tools, earth boring or grinding tool other than table ware
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
    • B22F—WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
    • B22F2207/00—Aspects of the compositions, gradients
    • B22F2207/01—Composition gradients
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
    • B22F—WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
    • B22F3/00—Manufacture of workpieces or articles from metallic powder characterised by the manner of compacting or sintering; Apparatus specially adapted therefor ; Presses and furnaces
    • B22F3/004—Filling molds with powder

Definitions

  • This disclosure relates generally to polycrystalline diamond compacts in all its manufacture and uses. This disclosure relates further to the use of polycrystalline diamond compacts in cutting tools such as earth-boring drill bits used to drill a borehole for the ultimate recovery of oil, gas, or minerals. More particularly, the disclosure relates to polycrystalline diamond compact cutter elements with improved wear resistance and toughness, and methods of powder placement for manufacturing cutter elements and cutting tools employing such cutter elements.
  • An earth-boring drill bit is typically mounted on the lower end of a drill string and is rotated by rotating the drill string at the surface or by actuation of downhole motors or turbines, or by both methods. With weight applied to the drill string, the rotating drill bit engages the earthen formation and proceeds to form a borehole along a predetermined path toward a target zone. The borehole thus created will have a diameter generally equal to the diameter or "gage" of the drill bit.
  • drill bits which will drill faster and longer, and which are usable over a wider range of formation hardness.
  • the length of time that a drill bit may be employed before it must be changed depends upon a variety of factors. These factors include the bit's rate of penetration ("ROP"), as well as its durability or ability to maintain a high or acceptable ROP. In turn, ROP and durability are dependent upon the cutter elements' abrasion resistance, toughness and ability to resist thermal degradation.
  • ROP bit's rate of penetration
  • ROP and durability are dependent upon the cutter elements' abrasion resistance, toughness and ability to resist thermal degradation.
  • roller cone bits Two predominant types of drill bits are roller cone bits and fixed cutter bits, also known as rotary drag bits.
  • a common roller cone bit has three rotating cones, each of which rotates on its own axis during drilling.
  • Roller cone bits comprise either tungsten carbide inserts (TCI) or milled tooth (MT).
  • Fixed cutter bits comprise a bit body that may be machined from solid metal, or may alternatively be molded using a powder metallurgy process in which a tungsten carbide powder is infiltrated with a metal alloy binder in a furnace so as to form a hard matrix.
  • the cutters each take the form of a tablet of superhard material (such as polycrystalline diamond) bonded to a substrate, for example of tungsten carbide.
  • Each cutter is typically of circular or part-circular shape.
  • the cutters are arranged upon the blades at different radial distances to one another so that the cutters sweep over the full area of the bottom of the wellbore.
  • drill bits of this type there is a tendency for drill bits of this type to be of relatively low stability. While the bits are fixed to the drilling rigs, the rotation of the drill pipe will be in a clockwise direction and the roller cones are rotated in an anticlockwise direction. Each roller cone is rotated on its own axis with the help of a bearing.
  • the selection of cutting structure of the roller cone bits varies according to the rock formation. There are three main categories: soft, medium and hard formation bits. Soft formation rock bits are used in unconsolidated sands, clays, soft lime stones, red beds and shale.
  • Medium formation bits are used in calcites, dolomites, lime stones, and hard shale, while hard formation bits are used in hard shale, calcites, mudstones, cherty lime stones and hard and abrasive formations.
  • Soft bits (used in soft formations) will have longer protruding teeth or chisel-shaped buttons (cutting elements), and fewer, more widely arranged teeth.
  • Medium formation bits will have much closer teeth than soft formation bits, and the protrusion of the teeth is reduced. The teeth are very short and closely arranged on hard formation bits. Because of the shorter teeth the penetration of the rock bit during drilling is less than with soft or medium formation bits, but the other bits cannot be used in hard strata.
  • a common fixed cutter bit has a plurality of blades angularly spaced about the bit face.
  • the blades generally project radially outward along the bit body and form flow channels there between.
  • Cutter elements are typically mounted on the blades, as well as other surfaces of the bit.
  • cutter elements may be comprised of a number of materials that impart specific properties to the finished cutter elements.
  • PDC bit or “PDC cutter element”
  • PDC compact or “PDC cutters” refers to a fixed cutter bit or cutting element employing a hard cutting layer that contains polycrystalline diamond (PDC refers to Polycrystalline Diamond Compact).
  • Polycrystalline diamond elements may also be formed into other shapes suitable for applications such as on roller cone bit PDC inserts, hollow dies, wire drawing dies, cutting tools, heat sinks, friction bearings, valve surfaces, indentors, and tool mandrels.
  • each cutter element comprises an elongate and generally cylindrical support member, which is received and secured in a pocket formed in the surface of one of the several blades.
  • Each cutter element typically has a hard cutting layer of polycrystalline diamond or other super-abrasive material such as cubic boron nitride, thermally stable diamond, chemically modified or doped diamond, polycrystalline cubic boron nitride, or ultra-hard tungsten carbide (meaning a tungsten carbide material having a wear-resistance that is greater than the wear-resistance of the material forming the substrate) as well as mixtures or combinations of these materials.
  • the polycrystalline diamond layer is coupled to a substrate material such as a metal carbide (such as WC) containing a metal catalyst (such as cobalt Co).
  • a metal carbide such as WC
  • a metal catalyst such as cobalt Co
  • Powder Packing Higher powder packing density is used to achieve increased wear resistance and strength in PDC cutters, whereby the grain size and/or powder packing density may be varied in layers within a cutter element to impart different wear resistance throughout the diamond table.
  • the wear resistance of the polycrystalline diamond increases with the packing density of the diamond particles and the degree of inter-particle bonding. It is known in the prior art (such as in U.S. Patent No. 7,665,898) that the method used for loading diamond powders into a canister for subsequent sintering has a number of effects on the general shape and tolerances of the final part.
  • the packing density of the feedstock diamond throughout the canister should be as uniform as possible in order to produce good quality sintered polycrystalline diamond compact structure. The degree of uniformity in the density of the powdered material after loading will affect the geometry and uniformity of wear properties and toughness of the polycrystalline diamond cutting element.
  • Powder Properties The properties of the selected diamond powder(s) will also affect the characteristics of the finished PDC cutter.
  • the powder may be mono or multimodal, having a uniform particle size; or a gradient of particle sizes; and the chemistry of the diamond particles may also be pre-selected.
  • the diamond powder is typically packed against the WC-Co substrate, which is the origin of the catalyst metal (e.g., Co) that induces sintering.
  • the catalyst metal e.g., Co
  • Co catalyst metal
  • the cobalt reaches its melting point, it is forced into the open porosities left within the layer of compacted powder. Sintering takes place through carbon dissolution and precipitation and reduction of internal energy. Densification is determined by the pressure and by the contact area relative to the cross-sectional area of the particles.
  • the reaction speed is proportional to the temperature and to the average effective pressure, which is the actual contact pressure between particles. The sintering process is therefore faster if both the contact pressure and the temperature are increased.
  • the PDC elements produced by the methods described above comprise a continuous matrix of diamond, wherein diamond particles are directly bonded to other diamond particles through diamond-to-diamond bonds. Additionally, there is a continuous matrix of interstices containing the catalyzing material (typically cobalt). The formation of the matrix of diamond-to-diamond bonds and the interstices of catalyzing material largely contribute to the mechanical properties of the PDC cutter. Typically, the diamond table constitutes 85% to 95% by volume of the hard layer, and the catalyzing material the other 5% to 15%.
  • Typical PDC compacts have limited heat resistance and experience high thermal wear. At atmospheric pressure, a diamond's surface turns to graphite at 900°C or higher. In a vacuum or in inert gas, diamond does not graphitize easily, even at 1 ,400°C. However during use, conventional PDC cutters experience a decline in cutting performance around 750°C, a temperature which the cutting edge can easily reach in service due to frictional heating in hard, abrasive rock. Flash temperatures which are extremely high localized temperatures at the microscopic level can be much higher, exceeding the melting temperature of cobalt (1 ,495°C).
  • PDC cutting elements become extremely hot during drilling.
  • the temperature at a distance of a few microns from the contact point is about 95% of the (absolute) temperature at the point of contact. Since the temperature decreases very rapidly with increasing distance from the shearing zone (about 400 K/mm), the cutting tip behaves like a thin film of low shear strength, supported by a hard substrate.
  • the ability to provide desirable properties for the final PDC cutter element by choosing the appropriate diamond for each layer is not limited to the size of the diamond grain, but also the chemical diversity of the diamond, or combinations thereof.
  • Properties that can be controlled by modifying the chemical content of the diamond include, for example: electrical conductivity, strength, optical properties and thermal stability.
  • a cutter element may be composed of a diamond powder comprising a dopant such as: Al, B, N, Li, K, Ti, P, and Zr, or combinations thereof.
  • Boron doped diamonds can also be used as super-abrasive particles and are potentially superior in terms of thermal stability compared to non-boron doped diamonds.
  • PDC cutters can be designed to have increased conductivity and increased thermal stability in comparison to non-boron doped PDC cutter elements.
  • Leaching Means of improving PDC heat resistance are known, such as by immersing, the PDC table in acid and heat treating the table.
  • the acid treatment dissolves the metal binder phase in the polycrystalline diamond.
  • This process creates a thermally stable polycrystalline (TSP) that withstands temperatures of up to 1 ,200°C.
  • TSP thermally stable polycrystalline
  • cavities empty interstices
  • the result is a material that lacks sufficient hardness and impact strength to be used as a cutting tool, as without the cobalt phase, it is difficult to create a strong bond between the TSP and the substrate material.
  • PDC materials are engineered to resolve the temperature deficiencies of conventional PDC material but without reducing the mechanical strength of the PDC, and without creating attachment deficiencies as seen in the TSP examples.
  • its cutting surfaces are exposed to powerful highly concentrated acids, such as nitric, sulfuric and/or hydrofluoric, raised to near the boiling points of such acids.
  • the PDC cutters are placed in a bath of the acid, or mixtures of such acids, which removes the cobalt phase typically from the entire diamond table in the acid etching process.
  • Leaching typically occurs to a predefined depth (details of which are provided in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,739,214, 6,592,985, 6,749,033, 6,797,326, 6,562,462, 6,585,064 and 6,589,640).
  • the depth of the acid leaching process is a function of many factors, including: the nature of the metallic phase; this will often involve cobalt, but other known metallic components can be used; the diamond crystal size, typically finer crystals have smaller interstitial spaces between the crystals, resulting in a smaller amount of cobalt to be leached out; the chemical composition of the acid used in the leaching process, i.e.
  • some acids are stronger than others and the volumetric ratio of one acid to another acid (if mixtures are used) also affects the aggression of the acids used in the leaching process; the temperature of the acid used, the acids used are more aggressive when used at or near their respective boiling points; and the time of exposure of the metallic phase to the leaching acid.
  • Cobalt is typically removed up to about 450 microns deep into the polycrystalline diamond. Leaching a thin layer at the working surface dramatically reduces diamond degradation and improves the cutter element's thermal resistance. Because cobalt is present within the remainder of the PDC diamond table, there is less loss of overall strength in the sintered object than in TSP. Also, because there are few void interstices, thermal conductivity is not impaired in the diamond table, and the heat that is generated at the tip of the cutter element is effectively dispersed.
  • PDC cutters have been designed where the diamond table has been composed of multimodal diamond grit or of different PDC table geometries.
  • US Patent No. 7,712,553 recognizes that in abrasive rock formations, full face leached cutters also wear, and the wear flat is usually large enough that the PDC cannot be rotated. This results in the cutter being essentially useless once worn, even though it has an expensive leaching treatment across the entire diamond table. Thus resulting in portions of each cutter that are never used due to large wear flat development.
  • the prior art further contemplates that only a selected portion or portions of the PDC cutter needs to be leached.
  • Such leached/non-leached patterns are produced by covering the PDC cutter with Teflon TM and treating the exposed, uncovered areas with acid. Such a method is therefore limited by the precision by which the Teflon can be placed and removed.
  • US patent number 6,585,064 discloses that it may be beneficial in some circumstances to have a differential wear rate in a PDC cutter, where the edges of the cutter wear at a greater rate than the center of the cutter such that, in service, the cutter retains a characteristic curved shape rather than becoming a flattened surface.
  • a cutter is manufactured by placing diamond powder that is non- leachable to form the softer edges of the cutter, while the center of the cutter is composed of a leachable and resultantly more abrasive/thermally resistant diamond. Powder deposition in the prior art is typically performed manually and hence is slow; has limited accuracy in the weight of powder deposited; has limited reproducibility, and can achieve limited geometric or pattern complexity.
  • Residual stresses in PDC cutters arise from the difference in thermal expansion between PDC layers and the supporting tungsten carbide substrate after sintering at high pressure and temperature.
  • PDC is sintered under conditions (1500 - 2000 °C and 50 to 70 kbar), where diamond is the thermodynamically stable phase of carbon, and where metal catalysts enhance the diamond-to-diamond bonding kinetics. As described above, the individual diamond crystals/particles bond together and to the substrate under these extreme pressure and temperature conditions.
  • a method of making a cutter element comprises positioning a first material in a canister to form a first region, and positioning a second material to form a second region, wherein the positioning is by a fill to weight system; and the positioning comprises depositing the first material and the second material at a rate of about 1 mg per second to about 280 mg per second; loading a substrate into the canister; and sintering to form a cutter element, wherein the first region and the second region comprise a polycrystalline diamond table.
  • the method of making a cutter element further comprises leaching the polycrystalline diamond table.
  • the method of making a cutter element further comprising positioning a third material to form a third region, in a still further embodiment a region is less than a continuous layer.
  • the positioning of the material has a relative standard deviation of less than 10%, in a further embodiment the positioning of the material has a relative standard deviation of less than about 3%.
  • the method of making a cutter element comprises the positioning of the material by at least a first delivery head; and at least a first positioning device.
  • the method of making a cutter element the positioning of the material is by a step gradient, in a further embodiment the positioning of the material is by a continuous gradient.
  • positioning comprises; positioning about 1 mg to about 1700 mg of a material; in another embodiment, positioning comprises positioning about 1 mg to about 400 mg of a material.
  • At least one of the first and second regions comprise about 1 mg to about 50 mg of a material, and in a still further embodiment at least one of the first and second regions comprise about 1 mg to about 5 mg of a material.
  • the method of making a cutter element the first region is distinct from the second region, in a further embodiment the first region is non- distinct from the second region.
  • the material comprises mono-modal properties, multimodal properties or combinations thereof, in some embodiments the properties comprise; physical composition, chemical composition or combinations thereof, in some further embodiments physical composition comprises, particle size, shape, density, thermal conductivity, porosity or combinations thereof.
  • the chemical composition comprises doped diamond or un-doped diamond.
  • the polycrystalline diamond table is comprised of a non-uniform interface, wherein the interface is formed between a first material and a second material, wherein the first material is axially positioned between the substrate and the second material.
  • the polycrystalline diamond table is comprised of concentric rings, in another embodiment, the polycrystalline diamond table is comprised of greater than one powder positioned in a circumferential gradient, and in a further embodiment the polycrystalline diamond table comprises axial stripes of different materials. In some embodiments of the method of making a cutter element, the polycrystalline diamond table is comprised of greater than one material, wherein the material is positioned in a discrete band parallel to the longitudinal axis, in another embodiment the polycrystalline diamond table is comprised of greater than one material, wherein at least one material is positioned in a radially-oriented strip.
  • the polycrystalline diamond table is comprised of greater than one material, wherein at least one material is leachable and at least one material is non-leachable, and in a still further embodiment the polycrystalline diamond table is comprised of greater than one material, wherein the diamond table is differentially leachable. In some embodiments of the method of making a cutter element described herein, the polycrystalline diamond table is comprised of greater than one material, wherein at least one material is leachable and the table has a differential rate of wear rate.
  • differential rate of wear produces a diamond table comprising a geometry of a back rake cutter
  • differential rate of wear produces a table comprising a serrated cutting surface
  • differential rate of wear produces a table comprising a conical geometry
  • the differential rate of wear produces a table with an indexable wear profile, and in a further embodiment the differential wear rate produces a symbol, number, letter, or combination thereof.
  • Some embodiments of the invention describe a cutter element that comprises a substrate, and a polycrystalline diamond table coupled to the substrate, wherein the table comprises at least 1 mg of a first material, wherein the first material is at least 0.6 mm in height and at least 1 .4 mm in width and comprises at least a first region of the table; and at least 1 mg of a second material, wherein the second material is at least 0.6 mm in height and at least 1 .4 mm in width and comprises at least a second region of the table, and wherein at least one region comprises a material that is positioned by a fill to weight system, and is positioned at a rate of about 1 mg per second to about 280 mg per second.
  • a further exemplary embodiment of the invention is a drill bit for drilling a borehole in earthen formations, the bit comprises a plurality of cutter elements mounted on the bit, wherein the cutter elements comprise a substrate, and a polycrystalline diamond table coupled to the substrate, wherein the table comprises at least 1 mg of a first material, wherein the first material is at least 0.6mm in height and at least 1 .4mm in width and comprises a first region of the polycrystalline diamond table; and at least 1 mg of a second material, wherein the second material is at least 0.6mm in height and at least 1 .4mm in width and comprises at least a second region of the polycrystalline diamond table; wherein at least one region comprises a material that is positioned by a fill to weight system, and is positioned at a rate of about 1 mg per second to about 280 mg per second.
  • Figure 1 (A) is a perspective view of an embodiment of a fixed cutter bit made in accordance with principles described herein;
  • Figure 1 (B) is a perspective view of an embodiment of a roller cone bit made in accordance with principles described herein;
  • Figure 2 is a top view of the bit shown in Figure 1 (B);
  • Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the bit shown in Figure 1 (A) with the blades and the cutting faces of the cutter elements rotated into a single composite profile;
  • Figures 4A and 4B are top and side views, respectively, of an exemplary PDC cutter element used for example with a fixed cutter bit made in accordance with principles described herein;
  • Figures 4C and 4D are side views of an exemplary PDC cutter elements used for example with a roller cone bit made in accordance with principles described herein;
  • Figure 5 depicts a process flow chart representing a method for three dimensionally placing diamond powders to form a PDC cutter element, in accordance with principles described herein;
  • Figure 6 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a PDC cutter comprising multiple layers of differing materials and stacked perpendicularly;
  • Figure 7A is an exemplary cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a PDC cutter comprising concentric rings of differing materials
  • Figure 7B is a top view of the cutter element of Figure 7A;
  • Figure 8 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a PDC cutter comprising layers of powders positioned to form a non-planer interface;
  • Figure 9A is a top view of an embodiment of a PDC cutter having different powders, placed to form circumferential surface gradients;
  • Figure 9B is a cross-sectional view of the PDC cutter shown in Figure 9A;
  • Figure 10 is a top view of another embodiment of a PDC cutter having different powders placed to form circumferential surface gradients
  • Figure 1 1A is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a PDC cutter comprising parallel strips of different powders
  • Figure 1 1 B is a top view of the PDC cutter of Figure 1 1 A;
  • Figure 12A is a top view of an embodiment of a PDC cutter comprising a first layer of parallel strips of different powders, placed atop a second layer having strips of different powders, where the strips of the first layer extend at right angles to the strips of the second layer;
  • Figure 12B is a cross-sectional view of the PDC cutter element of Figure 12A;
  • Figure 13 is a top view of an embodiment of a PDC cutter comprising radially placed strips of different powders on the top layer of the cutter surface;
  • Figures 14 and 15 each show a cross-sectional view of a PDC cutter comprising protective non-leachable and leachable layers, and a substrate layer;
  • Figures 16 and 17 each show a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a
  • PDC cutter with regions having differential wear rates comprising non-leachable and leachable layers, and a substrate;
  • Figures 18 and 19 each show a cross-sectional view of a PDC cutter comprising non-leachable and leachable layers, and a substrate, creating a wear profile analogous to back rake cutters;
  • Figures 20A and 20B are, respectively, cross-sectional and top views of another exemplary embodiment of a PDC cutter comprising non-leachable materials and leachable materials in alternating strips;
  • Figures 21 and 22 are top views of further embodiments of PDC cutter elements comprising non-leachable materials and leachable materials to create a particular wear profile;
  • Figure 23 is a top view of embodiments of a PDC cutter comprising non- leachable material and leachable material, to provide a wear profile to allow indexing of the cutter;
  • Figures 24 and 25 are exemplary top views of embodiments of PDC cutters comprising non-leachable material and leachable materials, with a wear profile to impart identification numbers, and trademarks; made in accordance with principles described herein;
  • Figure 26 is a schematic rendering of fill to weight delivery heads; in accordance with principles described herein;
  • Figure 27 is a plot of the deposition (F) of powders (A) and (B) with time by the fill to weight delivery heads of Figure 26; in accordance with principles described herein;
  • Figure 28 is a cross-sectional view of a PDC cutter element with a PDC table comprised of powders of different sizes deposited radially by a fill to weight delivery heads; in accordance with principles described herein;
  • Figure 29 is a cross-sectional view of a PDC cutter element with a PDC table comprised of powders of different sizes deposited perpendicular to the cutter axis (L) by the fill to weight delivery heads; in accordance with principles described herein;
  • Figure 30 is an exemplary top view of an embodiment of a PDC cutters comprising of different materials comprising concentric rings; made in accordance with principles described herein;
  • the terms “including” and “comprising” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “including, but not limited to... .”
  • the term “couple” or “couples” is intended to mean either an indirect or direct connection. Thus, if a first device couples to a second device, that connection may be through a direct engagement between the two devices, or through an indirect connection via other intermediate devices and connections.
  • the term “about,” when used in conjunction with a percentage or other numerical amount, means plus or minus 10% of that percentage or other numerical amount. For example, the term “about 80%,” would encompass 80% plus or minus 8%.
  • exemplary drill bit 10 is a fixed cutter PDC bit adapted for drilling through formations of rock to form a borehole.
  • Bit 10 generally includes a bit body 12, a shank 13 and a threaded connection or pin 14 for connecting bit 10 to a drill string (not shown), which is employed to rotate the bit in order to drill the borehole.
  • Bit face 20 supports a cutting structure 15 and is formed on the end of the bit 10 that faces the formation and is generally opposite pin end 16.
  • Bit 10 further includes a central axis 1 1 about which bit 10 rotates in the cutting direction represented by arrow 18.
  • axial and axially generally mean along or parallel to a given axis (e.g., bit axis 1 1 ), while the terms “radial” and “radially” generally mean perpendicular to the axis.
  • an axial distance refers to a distance measured along or parallel to a given axis
  • a radial distance refers to a distance measured perpendicular to the axis.
  • Body 12 may be formed in a conventional manner using powdered metal tungsten carbide particles in a binder material to form a hard metal cast matrix.
  • the body can be machined from a metal block, such as steel.
  • body 12 includes a central longitudinal bore 17 permitting drilling fluid to flow from the drill string into bit 10.
  • Body 12 is also provided with downwardly extending flow passages 21 having ports or nozzles 22 disposed at their lowermost ends.
  • the flow passages 21 are in fluid communication with central bore 17.
  • passages 21 and nozzles 22 serve to distribute drilling fluids around cutting structure 15 to flush away formation cuttings during drilling and to remove heat from bit 10.
  • cutting structure 15 is provided on face 20 of bit 10 and includes a plurality of blades which extend from bit face 20.
  • cutting structure 15 includes six blades 31 , 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36, with the blades integrally formed as part of, and extending from, bit body 12 and bit face 20.
  • the blades extend generally radially along bit face 20 and then axially along a portion of the periphery of bit 10. Blades 31-36 are separated by drilling fluid flow courses 19.
  • each blade, 31 , 32, 33 includes a cutter- supporting surface 42 for mounting a plurality of cutter elements
  • blade 34, 35, and 36 includes a cutter-supporting surface 52 for mounting a plurality of cutter elements.
  • a plurality of forward-facing cutter elements 40 are mounted to cutter-supporting surfaces 42, 52 of blades 31 , 32, 33 and blades 34, 35, 36, respectively.
  • cutter elements 40 are arranged adjacent to one another in a radially extending row proximal the leading edge of blade 31 , 32, 33 34, 35, and 36.
  • protrusions 55 that trail behind certain cutter elements 40.
  • bit 10 further includes gage pads 50 of substantially equal axial length measured generally parallel to bit axis 1 1 .
  • Gage pads 50 are disposed about the circumference of bit 10 at angularly spaced locations. Specifically, gage pads 50 intersect and extend from each blade 31 -36. In this embodiment, gage pads 50 are integrally formed as part of the bit body 12.
  • gage pads 50 abut the sidewall of the borehole during drilling.
  • the pads can help maintain the size of the borehole by a rubbing action when cutter elements 40 wear slightly under gage.
  • Gage pads 50 also help stabilize bit 10 against vibration.
  • gage pads 50 include flush- mounted or protruding cutter elements 51 a embedded in gage pads to resist pad wear and assist in reaming the side wall. Therefore, as used herein, the term "cutter element" is used to include at least the above-described forward-facing cutter elements 40, blade protrusions 55, and flush or protruding elements 51 a embedded in the gage pads, all of which may be made in accordance with the principles described herein.
  • each cutter element 40 comprises an elongated and generally cylindrical support member or substrate which is received and secured in a pocket formed in the surface of the blade or gage pad to which it is fixed.
  • each cutter element may have any suitable size and geometry.
  • Figure 1 (B) is representative of a roller cone bit made in accordance with principles described herein, wherein PDC cutters (such as those exemplified as 14-16) are positioned on cones 1 1 , 12 and 13.
  • Figure 4C is an exemplary side view of a PDC cutter element used in accordance with a roller cone bit
  • Figure 4 D is representative of such a PDC cutter that is comprised of a number of different layers (41 -44) which are discrete and in some embodiments are comprised of diamond powders that impart varying mechanical and thermal properties to different areas of the PDC cutter, as exemplified herein and throughout this disclosure.
  • a cutter element 40 having a cutting face 94 is shown.
  • a cutter element ((40) as described in figures 1A and 2)) includes a polycrystalline diamond table 90a, forming cutting face 94 and supported by a carbide substrate 90b.
  • the interface 90c between PDC table 90a and substrate 90b is planar in this example but may likewise be non-planar.
  • the central region 95 of cutting face 94 is planar in this embodiment, although concave, convex, or ridged surfaces may be employed.
  • the cutting edge 90d extends about the entire periphery of table 90a in this example, but may extend along only a circumferential portion that is to be located adjacent the formation to be cut.
  • the cemented carbide is a metal matrix composite where tungsten carbide particles are the aggregate and a metal binder material comprising Co, Ni, Fe, Cr, B and alloys thereof, serve as the matrix.
  • the binder material such as cobalt
  • the binder material becomes the liquid phase and WC grains (with a higher melting point) remain in the solid phase.
  • cobalt embeds or cements the WC grains and thereby creates the metal matrix composite with its distinct material properties.
  • the naturally ductile cobalt metal serves to offset the characteristic brittle behavior of the tungsten carbide ceramic, thus raising its toughness and durability.
  • the diamond powder(s) used in the formation of the PDC cutters are chosen to impart desirable properties to the PDC cutter element by choosing the appropriate diamond for each layer.
  • the diamond powder may be comprised of particles that are sub-micron in size, in some other embodiments the diamond powder is comprised of particles that are nanometer in size, in some further embodiments the diamond powder may be comprised of a range of particle sizes. The selection of a diamond powder is however not solely dependent on the size of the diamond grain, but also the chemical diversity of the diamond or combinations thereof.
  • a cutter element may be composed of a diamond powder comprising a dopant such as: Al, B, N, Li, K, Ti, P, and Zr, or combinations thereof.
  • a method of making a cutter element for a drill bit or other cutting tool comprises positioning a first polycrystalline diamond material in a canister to form a first region of a first material in Step 501 .
  • a second material is positioned to form a second region of second material in Step 502.
  • multiple other polycrystalline diamond materials are positioned in the canister in Step 503, and a substrate is loaded into the canister in Step 504.
  • the materials are positioned by a fill to weight system for precise and accurate positioning of even small material quantities of material.
  • the loaded canister is sintered to form a cutter element.
  • a third material may be positioned to form a third region comprising a third material of a polycrystalline diamond table.
  • a region may be a continuous layer, where a continuous layer is formed when a material is positioned onto another material layer (or in some cases a substrate layer, should it be necessary under some manufacturing conditions to load the substrate into the canister first) such as to cover the entire cross-sectional surface of the canister.
  • a region is defined as less than a continuous layer, whereby a material is positioned onto the another material layer such that when the material is positioned it does not cover the entire cross-sectional surface.
  • the method of powder placement presented herein is a fill to weight system.
  • a fill to weight system provides a method of recording weights using a direct weighing method.
  • the fill to weight system uses a closed loop control and a high speed loading cell which reduces variability and results in a low relative standard deviation in the weights of powders delivered.
  • positioning of the material has a relative standard deviation of less than 10%, and in other embodiments said positioning of said material has a relative standard deviation of less than about 3%.
  • a fill to weight system includes a powder dispensing and sensing apparatus which comprises a structure to receive and hold a container; a powder dispenser assembly including powder dispenser modules to dispense powder into respective containers or regions of a container; a powder transport system to deliver powder to the powder dispenser modules, a sensor module including sensor cells to sense respective fill states of each of the containers; and a control system to control the powder dispenser modules in response to the respective sensed fill states of each container(s), or regions of a container(s).
  • the fill to weight system is also capable of handling a wide range of powders such as both cohesive and free flowing powders.
  • the method is able to switch between such powders that have varying properties, which in some embodiments are placed by multiple independent delivery heads, which are individually controlled.
  • the method provides a high speed of delivery of such powders, and provides a scalable system. Therefore, in some embodiments, a fill to weight system, with a high performance weighing device and a powder control system is used to accurately deliver a specified weight of powder in the production of PDC cutter elements having specific desired characteristics, and wherein the rate of such delivery is, in some embodiments between 1 mg of powder per second and 300 mg of powder per second.
  • positioning of said material comprises using a first delivery head (or filling head) and a first positioning device. In other embodiments, positioning of said material comprises using at least a second delivery head and at least a second positioning device.
  • the system is equipped with multiple filling heads and precise positioning devices which allow highly accurate three dimensional positioning of a number of different powders.
  • positioning is either step wise; producing distinct boundaries between powders in different regions or zones, i.e. a "step" gradient; or by creating true or continuous gradients by varying material composition at the same time as varying position, by using multiple feeders, (see for example the plot of Figure 27). Therefore, in some embodiments of the method of making a cutter element described herein, positioning of said material(s) is by a step gradient, and in some embodiments the first region of material positioned may be distinct from a second region of material positioned. In other further embodiments, positioning of said material(s) is by a continuous gradient, wherein said first region is non-distinct from said second region.
  • the sizes of nozzles used in the deliver heads can be optimized, whereby larger diameter nozzles may be used for delivery of bigger volumes of powder.
  • powders can be routinely placed that weigh in the order of about 1 mg to l OOOOmg, and in some embodiments smaller units of material, in the order of about 1 mg to about 2000 mg can be positioned.
  • positioning comprises positioning about 1 mg to about 100 mg of a material, in other embodiments positioning comprises positioning about 1 mg to about 50 mg of a material.
  • the first region comprises about 1 mg to about 1700 mg of a material, in other embodiments, first region comprises about 1 mg to about 400 mg of a material.
  • the second region comprises about 1 mg to about 1700 mg of a material, in other embodiments, second region comprises about 1 mg to about 400 mg of a material and in other embodiments, the second region comprises about 1 mg to about 50 mg of a material.
  • other materials may also be positioned as to impart further regions of varying materials in specific designs so as to impart desired properties to the PDC cutter elements herein described.
  • the wall friction angle parameter used to quantify the level of friction between the device material and the powders being deposited is taken into consideration, and hence used in optimizing the uniformity of fill weight.
  • Accurate, reproducible and fast deposition of small quantities of PDC materials can therefore be automated, for example, when bulk granular materials are poured onto a horizontal surface, a conical pile forms.
  • the internal angle between the surface of the pile and the horizontal surface is known as the angle of repose and is related to the density, surface area and shapes of the particles, and the coefficient of friction of the material.
  • the powder delivery system herein described delivers 1 mg of diamond powder(s) to form a cone, wherein said cone may have a minimum height of about 0.6 mm, a minimum diameter of about 1 .4 mm and an angle of repose of about 35° to about 55°.
  • the surface is in fact not flat but thus irregular, as will be the surface of the powder placed upon it placed by the same method.
  • the interaction of such non-liner boundaries thus increases the strength of the boundary upon sintering, and reduces mechanical failures between the different diamond powder layers, thus imparting a greater overall strength to the PDC element.
  • the powder delivery system described herein can deliver 1 mg of powder every 0.2 seconds, thereby depositing 1 mg of powder 5 times in one second, and whereby the powder is delivered to a discrete position (A).
  • the powder delivery head may be repositioned between deposits, thereby depositing 1 mg of powder 2-3 times per second in discrete positions, for example a depositing 1 mg of powder at a first position (A), a discrete deposition of 1 mg of powder at a second position (B) and a discrete deposition of 1 mg of powder at a third position (C).
  • the delivery head may deliver powder continuously as it moves for example from a first position (A) to at least a second position (B).
  • an 8mm diameter cutter may be produced by filing an 8mm canister with 400mg of powder, whereby the filling may be executed by depositing the power (at a discrete position A) in 1 mg increments for a total of 80 seconds.
  • an 8 mm diameter cutter may be produced by filling an 8 mm diameter canister with 400mg of powder, whereby the filling may be executed by depositing the power at a first position (A), and at a second position (B) and optionally a third position (C), in 1 mg discrete deposits for a total of about 135 seconds to about 200 seconds.
  • the delivery head may deliver 400 mg of powder continuously as it moves for example from a first position (A) to at least a second position (B).
  • a 19mm diameter cutter may be produced by filing a 19 mm diameter canister with about 1700 mg of diamond powder, whereby the filling may be executed by depositing the power (at a discrete position A) in 1 mg increments for a total of about 340 seconds.
  • a 19 mm diameter cutter may be produced by filling an 19 mm diameter canister with 1700 mg of powder, whereby the filling may be executed by depositing the power at a first position (A), and at a second position (B) and optionally a third position (C) wherein the filling is by 1 mg discrete deposits for a total of about 575 seconds to about 850 seconds.
  • the delivery head may deliver 1700 mg of powder continuously as it moves for example, from a first position (A) to at least a second position (B).
  • the fill to weight delivery system herein described may produce filled canisters at a rate of about 5 canisters to about 10 canisters per minute, for example five to ten 1700 mg canisters may be filed at a rate of about 140 mg/second to about 280 mg/second with one size of diamond powder, wherein the powder is delivered continuously; in another embodiment different sizes of diamond powder or different types of diamond powders may be used.
  • the above methodology may be used to fill canisters of varying size, utilizing the fill techniques described herein to position powder(s) in a discrete or a continuous manner with such described accuracy and speed to create powder placement patterns exemplified but not limited to the patterns described herein.
  • the cutters described above are then formed by treating the loaded canisters as described herein and throughout the current application.
  • powders deposited by this method may be diamond powder; metal powder; or any other desired powdered material; or combinations thereof. Powders, therefore may be mono or multi modal, being mixes of materials and/or particle size. Therefore in some embodiments of the methods of making cutter elements described herein, the material(s) comprises mono-modal properties, multimodal properties or combinations thereof, and in some embodiments said properties may comprise physical composition, chemical composition or combinations thereof. As previously described, in some embodiments, said physical composition comprises, particle size, shape, density, thermal conductivity, porosity or combinations thereof, and in other embodiments, the chemical composition comprises doped diamond or un- doped diamond.
  • materials used in different regions include mono modal properties or multi modal properties, of combinations thereof.
  • powders may be placed to create characteristics in the finished PDC, such as to impart specific wear shapes; different leaching characteristics or rates of leaching; provide leachable and non-leachable regions; and produce PDC elements with a variation in thermal conductivities. Further, powders may be placed to optimize residual stresses, such as to reduce interfacial failure between different powders (such as diamond and substrate) by generating non planer interfaces (NPI's) or textured interfaces; or reduce interfacial failure between leached and unleached regions of the cutter, again by generating (NPI's) or textured interfaces; to position powders in relation to substrate geometry for optimal packing density and for identification , such as to generate identification/part numbers or company logo's.
  • NPI's non planer interfaces
  • textured interfaces or reduce interfacial failure between leached and unleached regions of the cutter, again by generating (NPI's) or textured interfaces
  • a cutter element that comprises a substrate; and a polycrystalline diamond table coupled to the substrate, wherein the table comprises at least 1 mg of a first material, wherein the first material is at least 0.6mm in height and at least 1 .4mm in width and comprises at least a first region of the table; and at least 1 mg of a second material, wherein the second material is at least 0.6mm in height and at least 1 .4mm in width and comprises at least a second region of the table, and wherein at least one region comprises a material that is positioned by a fill to weight system, and is positioned at a rate of about 1 mg per second to about 280 mg per second.
  • a cutter element is herein described, wherein said polycrystalline diamond table comprises: a conical or other geometry; an indexable wear profile; leachable materials; non-leachable materials, materials positioned radially; materials positioned in discrete parallel layers or bands; strips of materials positioned parallel or at right angles to each other; circumferential gradients; concentric rings and simple perpendicular strips; step gradients of materials; or a combination thereof.
  • a drill bit for drilling a borehole in earthen formations comprises a plurality of cutter elements mounted on the bit, wherein the cutter elements comprise a substrate; and a polycrystalline diamond table coupled to the substrate, wherein the table comprises at least 1 mg of a first material, wherein the first material is at least 0.6 mm in height and at least 1 .4 mm in width and comprises a first region of the polycrystalline diamond table; and at least 1 mg of a second material, wherein the second material is at least 0.6 mm in height and at least 1 .4 mm in width and comprises at least a second region of the polycrystalline diamond table; wherein at least one region comprises a material that is positioned by a fill to weight system, and is positioned at a rate of about 1 mg per second to about 280 mg per second.
  • Example 1 a Three Dimensional Positioning of Powders in Simple Layers
  • Figure 6 depicts a PDC cutter element, comprising: a substrate (59), having a longitudinal axis (L), and a first layer of diamond powder (60), a second layer of diamond powder (61 -1 ), where the first layer is axially positioned between the substrate and the second layer (61-1 ). Further layers (two shown: 61 -2 and 61 -3) may also be so positioned. Each layer is comprised of a powder of any particle size or any material. Each layer is deposited by the fill to weight system moving in a direction B perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (L) as described above and depicted in the flow chart of Figure 5.
  • diamond layer (61 -3) is positioned uniformly into the canister, and may comprise at least one deposition of powder, wherein a single powder deposition comprises a depth of at least about 0.6 mm; at least about 1 .4 mm in diameter, and the deposition of at least about 1 mg of the selected powder, wherein said positioning occurs at a rate of about 1 mg/sec to about 300 mg/sec.
  • Any number of subsequent layers of powders (61 -2, 61 -1 , and 60) may be further deposited consecutively onto diamond layer (61 -3) to form multiple discrete diamond layers; finally substrate (60) is placed in the canister and sintering performed to form a PDC cutter element.
  • Each distinct layer may be composed of materials that are selected to impart varying degrees of thermal stability, abrasion resistance, toughness etc.
  • a drill bit 10 Figure 1A
  • the aspect of the formation may change with depth.
  • the cutting table may be designed as to erode at a rate that corresponds to the change in type of rock formation that the cutters contact in service such that, as the cutter wears, it exposes a different layer of material that is optimized for maximum efficiency in each geological formation material encountered. Cutters can therefore be optimized, layer by layer, for a known geological formation.
  • Figures 7A-7B depicts a PDC cutter, comprising: a substrate (59) having a longitudinal axis (L) and a layer of distinct diamond powders (62, 63) positioned in separate concentric rings.
  • Figures 7A-7B depict concentric rings of powder(s) (62, 63) placed directly into a canister, followed by substrate (59), however any number of layers of powders may also be placed into the canister prior to or after the positioning of powders (62, 63) in concentric rings, but before the positioning of the substrate.
  • the powders may be comprised of any particle size or any material.
  • Each layer is deposited by the fill to weight system in a concentric fashion, as described above and depicted in the flow chart of Figure 5, which further details the high pressure, high temperature sintering performed after powder deposition to form the PDC cutter element.
  • the powder of rings (62, 63) are positioned in a highly accurate fashion, whereby the positioning devices and powder control systems deliver powder to comprise the concentric pattern.
  • the concentric rings are comprised of at least about 1 .4 mm in width, at least about 0.6mm in depth, and requiring the accurate deposition of at least about 1 mg of the selected powder(s).
  • Such intricate patterns are accomplished by the automated and precise placement of powders by the process described herein, allowing reproducibility of results.
  • the PDC cutter element of Figures 7A, 7B is so designed as to impart properties that are optimal for the specific geological formation experienced when the cutter is in service.
  • Example 1 C Three Dimensional Positioning of Powders to Yield a Non-Planar Interface
  • Figure 8 depicts a PDC cutter, comprising a substrate (59) having a longitudinal axis (L) and a first layer of powder (65) positioned into a canister, and a second layer of powder (64), positioned onto the first layer, with a differential in the depth (D) of powder that is placed onto the first powder layer, such as to form a non-planer interface (66) between the first powder layer (65) and the second powder layer (64).
  • a PDC cutter comprising a substrate (59) having a longitudinal axis (L) and a first layer of powder (65) positioned into a canister, and a second layer of powder (64), positioned onto the first layer, with a differential in the depth (D) of powder that is placed onto the first powder layer, such as to form a non-planer interface (66) between the first powder layer (65) and the second powder layer (64).
  • Figure 8 depicts the formation of a non-planer interface (66) between a first layer (65) and the second layer (64) of powder, but it will be understood that any number of layers of powder may be placed prior to the positioning of layer (65) that forms the non-planer interface, and further layers may also be positioned onto the surface of second powder layer (64), on completion of the placement of the various diamond powders, substrate (59) is placed into the canister prior to sintering.
  • Each powder (64, 65) may be comprised of any particle size or any material.
  • Each layer is deposited by the fill to weight system in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (L) described above and depicted in the flow chart of Figure 5.
  • the first diamond layer (65) may be positioned uniformly into the canister, and the second powder layer (64) may be deposited on to the first layer, whereby the positioning heads and delivery device are set to place a varying depth of powder (typically a single deposition can accurately position about 1 mg of powder, with a depth of 0.6mm and a diameter of at least 1 .6mm, and the weight of powder can be increased accordingly, as may the positioning of the delivery head(s) as necessary to create the desired pattern).
  • the depth profile (D) of powder deposited may be sequentially repeated (forming a repeat unit/pattern) to produce a non-planer interface (66) comprising a defined repeat unit across the entire PDC element.
  • the second powder layer (64) may comprise larger particle sizes than the first powder layer (65), therefore imparting a greater impact resistance to the second layer (64), while the first powder (65) may be optimized for example, for increased abrasion resistance.
  • the non-planer interface (66) between the two powders may reduce the residual stresses experienced between the two different materials, and reduce the likelihood of chipping and delamination of the second diamond layer (64) from the first layer (65) when in service.
  • the boundary surface is in fact not flat but irregular or wavy, as will be the surface of the second powder placed upon it (64).
  • the interaction of such non- liner boundaries thus increases the strength of the boundary upon sintering, and reduces mechanical failures between the different diamond powder layers, thus imparting a greater overall strength to the PDC element.
  • Example 1 D Three Dimensional Positioning of Powders in a Circumferential Gradient
  • FIGS 9A and 9B depict another PDC cutter comprising a substrate (59) having a longitudinal axis (L).
  • Diamond powders are deposited into a canister in the form of three dimensional dots, in mounds or columns that follow the circumference of the cutter surface.
  • the dots may be formed by placing alternating powders (67, 68) within a central powder (69), where for example powder (67), and powder (68) may have different grain or particle sizes; be composed of different chemical compositions, may have different leachable rates; or the physical size of the dots can vary.
  • the cutting surface will be comprised of circumferentially positioned powders with a variety of in-service wear resistances.
  • power (69) may be a powder different still from powders (67) and (68).
  • multiple powder layers may be positioned into the canister prior to or after the positioning of the circumferential dots (67, 68), wherein each such layer may be made by depositing a different powder, for example.
  • the powders (67-69) may be of any particle size or any material and selected to impart pre-selected properties to the PDC cutter, finally the substrate (59) is positioned into the canister prior to sintering.
  • Figure 10 shows a further alternative cutter in which dots (67, 68) differ in size (i.e., diameter).
  • each powder deposition is precisely deposited by the fill to weight system described above and depicted in the flow chart of Figure 5.
  • Powders (67) and (68) for example, may be positioned into the canister in uniformly sized dots, wherein the selected powder deposition is performed as described herein and throughout this disclosure, where for example powders are placed directly into a canister prior to the addition of a pre-formed substrate.
  • the different powders circumferentially placed about the cutter surface impart different wear rates, and experience different degrees of wear.
  • the less hard, less abrasive resistance powders (67, for example) will wear more quickly, developing a serrated edge, thereby providing a method of self-sharpening of the cutting edge.
  • the wear profile of the cutter may result in the generation of fluid channels in the cutter element, providing a cooling and cleaning mechanism to the cutter. As such, the precise method of positioning of powders allows fast and reliable reproducibility of cutting elements of the above design.
  • cutter elements include the positioning of different powders (70, 71 ) in distinct, parallel bands or strips extending across the cutter surface.
  • Such strips may include three dimensional positioning of powders in such strips (70, 71 ) of different materials as shown in Figures 12A, 12B in which such strips, are positioned in a top layer (80) and a bottom layer (81 ).
  • the strips of different powders (70, 71 ) in layer (80) are positioned at right angles to the strips in layer (81 ).
  • Positioning of powders to impart radial strips (82, 83, 84) of different materials on the PDC cutter surface is illustrated in Figure 13.
  • powders 70 and 71 are positioned into the canister upon which a continuous layer of diamond is applied which is adjacent to the substrate (59), the substrate (59) thus being positioned lastly, prior to sintering.
  • powders may be specifically placed during the production of PDC cutters, whereby the different powders are leachable to different degrees. Powders may be selected that are non-leachable, i.e. do not contain a leachable metal catalyst, or powder compositions may also be selected to impart a varying leach rate.
  • Example 2A Generation of Cutters with Protective Non-leachable Layers.
  • PDC cutters may be produced by the method described in the flow chart of Figure 5, where pre-selected diamond powders are deposited into a canister by the precise fill to weight system described herein, followed by a preformed metal carbide substrate (59). The packed can then undergoes High Pressure/High Temperature (HP/HT) sintering to form the cutter; followed by leaching of the cutter to impart increased wear resistance to the cutting surface or other regions of the cutter.
  • HP/HT High Pressure/High Temperature
  • Figure 14 depicts a PDC cutter element comprising a substrate (59) having longitudinal axis (L) and a first layer of powder (91 ) positioned into the can; a second layer of powder (90) is positioned on the first layer (91 ), where the second layer (90) is axially positioned between the substrate (59) and the first layer (91 ).
  • the precise fill to weight system may be to used to deposit a layer of non-leachable powder (90) with a specific uniform depth, across the entire substrate surface in a direction perpendicular to (L) axis of the substrate, wherein the non-leachable powder (90), is a powder that does not, for example, contain a metal catalyst such as cobalt, which can be removed under treatment with powerful acids, i.e. leaching.
  • a metal catalyst such as cobalt
  • the non-leachable layer (90) acts as a barrier, protecting the substrate layer (59) from attack by the acid during leaching, as such strong bonds are maintained between the substrate and the PDC layers, which are often diminished during leaching which typically results in a weakening of the substrate/PDC bonding and subsequent impact strength in service.
  • the PDC cutter of Figure 14 is designed to have increased thermal stability and hardness of the work surface of the cutter while maintaining cutter impact strength by providing a strong PDC/substrate interaction provided by the non-leached layer (90). In this manner, the properties of the resulting cutter are imparted by the selection of powders and the specific placement of such powders.
  • the design of the cutter illustrated in Figure 14 may be further modified, to include other discrete layers or regions positioned to impart desired properties to the cutter element, so selected to improve in-service performance of the PDC cutters herein described.
  • the leachable and non-leachable powders are placed by the highly accurate fill to weight system, described herein, whereby powders are placed at a rate of about 1 mg a second to about 300 mg a second.
  • Figure 15 further illustrates the selective placement an annular-shaped layer of non-leachable powder (90).
  • the placement of the non-leachable powder (90) acts like a seal, thus allowing the leachable powder(s) (91 ), to undergo acid treatment and leach down the perimeter of the cutter as close to the substrate (59) as possible, thereby providing a thick diamond table with increased thermal stability and abrasion resistance.
  • Figure 16 and 17 similarly show selective placement of leachable and non- leachable powders by the precise fill to weight system herein described.
  • Figure 16 illustrates how a second powder (90) is placed onto a first powder (91 ) (or another diamond powder layer) so as to form a diamond layer having, in a profile view, a uniform central thickness ("T") and narrowing thickness near the edges.
  • Powder (91 ) was positioned to create the rounded side angle maintained during the positioning of the powder (90).
  • the resultant cutter formed by sintering at HTHP and subsequent leaching will again have a differential wear rate as imparted by the pre-selection of powders (90) and (91 ).
  • Figure 17 depicts the central placement of a first powder (92) into a canister, to form the cutter surface, placement of a second powder (91 ) onto the first powder and extending the second powder (91 ) to the cutter's perimeter; followed by placement of a third powder (90) onto the second powder (91 ), and finally placement onto (90) of substrate (59).
  • the first powder (92) and third powder (90) are leachable
  • the second powder (91 ) is a non-leachable material.
  • the non- leachable material (91 ) forms a barrier to the leachable material (90).
  • the leachable layer (90) will be protected from the acids of the leaching process by the barrier layer (91 ), such that no binder/catalyst material will be lost through excessive leaching, and the diamond-binder-matrix will retain its toughness and resistance to impact.
  • the outer layer (92) is leached to form a super-hard, highly abrasive and thermally stable layer that will wear in-service to give a concaved profile due to the positioning of the leachable outer layer (92) relative to the non-leachable barrier layer (91 ).
  • Figures 18 and 19 depict the formation of further PDC cutters from the precise positioning (as previously described) of non-leachable layers (100) and leachable powders (101 ).
  • Such powder layer(s) is required to produce the exact angles (a) between the different types of powders.
  • the regions formed on non-leachable powder (100) will wear more quickly to form an angular cutter edge CE with geometry analogous to a back rake cutter angle.
  • Such cutters are designed to selectively wear and produce a cutter that is configured to provide increased shear in soft formation whilst, after wear, being configured to better withstand impact loads and abrasive wear in hard formations.
  • Example 2C Generation of a PDC Cutter that Differentially Wears to Form Serrated Cutting Surface
  • Figure 20A and 20B depict another PDC cutter, comprising a substrate (59), having a longitudinal axis (L); and alternating layers of diamond powder.
  • the layers are formed by the precise placement of alternating strips of powders (93, 94) into a canister, thereby forming adjacent parallel zones of different powders followed by precise placement or powder (92) in a continuous layer.
  • leachable powder (93) and non-leachable powder (94) are placed in alternating strips.
  • Each of the diamond powder (93, 94) used in this example may also be comprised of any particle size, the diamond powder may be also chemically modified in addition to being a leachable or non-leachable material.
  • Each layer is deposited by the fill to weight system described above and depicted in the flow chart of Figure 5.
  • powder layer (92) is positioned after 93 and 94 (and prior to the substrate (59)) to form a distinct zone or region, of the selected powder.
  • Each strip (93, 94) of the first layer may comprise a width of at least about 1 .6 mm, a depth of at least about 0.6 mm, and thus requiring the deposition of at least about 1 mg of the selected powder.
  • the pattern of deposition is repeated across the entire surface of the canister to comprise a PDC cutter element of multiple discrete parallel layers, whereby the layers are precisely positioned as described above, sintered and leached.
  • the resulting PDC cutter thus comprises a surface of leached and non- leached regions.
  • the non-leached regions formed by non-leachable powders (94) wear at a greater rate than the leached superhard regions formed by regions of leachable powder (93).
  • the cutter therefore wears into a form having a serrated cutting surface.
  • the alternating ridges in the cutter surface minimize the magnitude of thermally induced stresses between the diamond layer and the cemented carbide layer (59) by acting as a graded stress interface, thereby reducing the likelihood of delamination in service.
  • Powders are shown deposited in parallel strips (106- 109) by the precise fill to weight method described herein. Powders of strips (106- 109) have varying leach rates where the powders which are most leachable (i.e., 106) are positioned at the center of the cutting face and span the entire diameter of the surface. Additional powders having lower leach rates are placed in strips (107-109) to impart a leaching gradient across the cutter's surface, so that the degree of leaching decreases moving from the center to the edge of the cutting face (i.e., powder 107 has a higher leach rate than 108 which has a higher leach rate than 109).
  • the center strip (106) of the cutter surface Upon leaching, the center strip (106) of the cutter surface will have increased hardness and abrasion resistance and will exhibit the least wear, and the softer, non-leached or lesser- leached material 109 will experience the most wear. The cutter will therefore wear to produce a rounded edge in service rather than a typical wear flat surface.
  • Figure 22 depicts a PDC cutter surface where the different powders are placed in strips similar to the cutter described in Figure 20A-20B.
  • strips of powder (1 10-1 13) are different powders and are placed to impart a variation in the depth of leaching.
  • strips of powder (1 1 1 , 1 13) will impart shallow leaching, while central strips (1 10) and strips (1 12) will comprise a deep leach material.
  • the alternating strips will wear at different rates when placed in service resulting in a serrated cutting edge with strips (1 10, 1 12) raised relative to strips (1 1 1 , 1 13).
  • Figure 23 depicts the outer surface or cutting face of a PDC cutter, whereby leachable powders (120) and non-leachable powders (121 ) are accurately positioned by the fill to weight system described herein. Such positioning of powders produces a cutting element that, in-service, will wear to generate indexable points (124-126) that allow rotation and repositioning of the cutter element during bit repair.
  • indexable points 124-126
  • FIG. 24 and 25 Further examples of the use of the highly accurate fill to weight powder placement includes the positioning of leachable and non-leachable powders to create identification numbers and trademarks as depicted in Figures 24 and 25.
  • the regions depicting letters and numbers can be made with non-leachable powders, with surrounding regions formed of leachable powders.
  • This procedure can routinely be preformed using the highly accurate fill to weight system, whereby characters, numerals or letters are formed by the placement of differentially leachable powders into an empty canister, or a prepositioned powder layer, (or onto a substrate layer in some embodiments) and the cutter sintered and subsequently acid etched to impart the identification number.
  • PDC cutters may be formed by methods herein described, whereby the precise fill to weight system may form true and continuous gradients by using multiple feeders such as A and B as depicted in Figure 26, to deliver materials with differing chemical or physical compositions at the same time.
  • Feeder A deposits a large course grain diamond powder (A), at a flow rate of about 1 mg per second to about 300 mg per second
  • feeder B deposits a fine grain diamond powder (B) at a flow rate again of about 1 mg per second to about 300 mg per second, as depicted in Figure 27.
  • such a method of positioning such powders may occur in a direction that is perpendicular to the cutter's longitudinal axis (L) (moving A to B in Figure 28) or in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis (L) (moving from B to A in Figure 29).
  • the powders may also be placed in a concentric fashion (See for example Figure 30).
  • a PDC cutter element with continuous diamond particle size gradient may be formed as depicted in Figure 29, where a very course powder (A) is deposited into a canister followed by a preformed substrate (59), forming beneficial non-planer interactions with the substrate and imparting a high degree of toughness, reduced residual stress and high impact resistance.
  • the feeders continue to deposit powders (as depicted by the plot of Flow (F) against Time (T) of Figure 27) of smaller and finer grain size, whereby the finest powder (B) is deposited on the outer surface of the cutter.
  • This method may therefore provide a cutter that has high abrasion resistance at the working surface of the cutter and still maintains its toughness.
  • each distinct powder layer may be composed of materials that are selected to impart varying degrees of thermal stability, abrasion resistance, and toughness.
  • each distinct powder layer may be composed of materials that are selected to impart varying degrees of thermal stability, abrasion resistance, and toughness.
  • the bit will encounter and be required to drill through layers of formation material having varying characteristics (e.g., hardness, abrasiveness, other).
  • the cutting surface of the cutter elements may be designed so as to erode at a rate that corresponds to the change in type of rock formation that the cutters contact in service. Therefore, as the cutter wears, it exposes a different layer or portion of material that is optimized for maximum efficiency in each geological formation encountered.
  • Cutters can therefore be optimized by layer or portion for a known geological formation. Further, during drilling of a well there is often need to machine out metal components in the well bore, for example steel lining casing may be run in the well and cemented in place and it may be necessary to mill a hole in the casing for a side track or lateral well as disclosed in US 6,612,383 and US 8,191 ,654 and incorporated herein in their entirety. It is therefore desirable to have bits designs and cutters than can both machine the metal parts of the casing and also a length of the rock formation, and in some embodiments be capable of drilling through a casing bit disposed at an end of a casing or liner string and cementing equipment or other components such as float equipment.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Geology (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Crystallography & Structural Chemistry (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
  • Earth Drilling (AREA)
  • Drilling Tools (AREA)
  • Manufacture Of Alloys Or Alloy Compounds (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un procédé de fabrication d'un élément de coupe pour un trépan, dans lequel une première matière est positionnée dans une boîte pour former une première région, et une seconde matière est positionnée pour former une seconde région, ledit positionnement s'effectuant par un système de remplissage par pesée; un substrat est chargé dans la boîte; et la boîte est frittée pour former un élément de coupe, la première région et la seconde région conférant une table de diamant polycristallin ayant différentes caractéristiques.
PCT/US2014/013217 2013-01-28 2014-01-27 Mise en place précise de poudres pour former des éléments de coupe de diamant polycristallin optimisés et outils de coupe WO2014117097A2 (fr)

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Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0111600A1 (fr) * 1982-12-13 1984-06-27 Reed Rock Bit Company Outils de coupe
GB2261894A (en) * 1991-11-30 1993-06-02 Camco Drilling Group Ltd Improvements in or relating to cutting elements for rotary drill bits
US6203861B1 (en) * 1998-01-12 2001-03-20 University Of Central Florida One-step rapid manufacturing of metal and composite parts
WO2004009319A1 (fr) * 2002-07-19 2004-01-29 Smi Incorporated Procede et appareil de production de comprimes miniatures
US20110262638A1 (en) * 2008-11-27 2011-10-27 Comm. A L'energie Atomique Et Aux Energies Alter. Device and method for depositing a powder mixture for forming an object with composition gradients

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0111600A1 (fr) * 1982-12-13 1984-06-27 Reed Rock Bit Company Outils de coupe
GB2261894A (en) * 1991-11-30 1993-06-02 Camco Drilling Group Ltd Improvements in or relating to cutting elements for rotary drill bits
US6203861B1 (en) * 1998-01-12 2001-03-20 University Of Central Florida One-step rapid manufacturing of metal and composite parts
WO2004009319A1 (fr) * 2002-07-19 2004-01-29 Smi Incorporated Procede et appareil de production de comprimes miniatures
US20110262638A1 (en) * 2008-11-27 2011-10-27 Comm. A L'energie Atomique Et Aux Energies Alter. Device and method for depositing a powder mixture for forming an object with composition gradients

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WO2014117097A3 (fr) 2014-10-09

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