Apparatus and method for selective laser-applied cladding

Abstract

A method for applying a wear-resistant material to a rock bit is disclosed that includes depositing a coating on a selected area of the rock bit, applying a heated wear-resistant material using a laser assisted cladding apparatus to a selected portion of the rock bit, wherein the coating is selected to have material properties to prevent significant bonding between the heated wear-resistant material and the coated area of the rock bit.

1 . A method for applying a wear-resistant material to a rock bit, comprising: 
 depositing a coating on a selected area of the rock bit; and    applying a heated wear-resistant material to the rock bit, wherein the coating is selected to have material properties to prevent significant bonding between the heated wear-resistant material and the coated area of the rock bit.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selected areas of the rock bit comprises inserts.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a carbide, a boride, and a nitride of a metal selected from group IVA, VA, VIA transition metal.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising removing the heated wear-resistant material from the selected area of the rock bit.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying comprises using a laser assisted cladding apparatus.  
     
     
         6 . An insert having a coating on a portion thereof for use in a rock bit, comprising: 
 a substrate; and    a coating deposited on at least one portion of said substrate in an amount sufficient to reduce bonding of a wear-resistant material to said substrate.    
     
     
         7 . The insert of  claim 7 , wherein the coating comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a carbide, a boride, and a nitride of a metal selected from group IVA, VA, VIA transition metal.  
     
     
         8 . A method of fabricating a drill bit, comprising: 
 forming a body of the drill bit;    forming a plurality of holes in portions of the body to receive coated inserts;    inserting at least one coated insert into at least one of said plurality of holes;    cladding at least one selected area of said body with a wear-resistant material.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the laser-assisted cladding apparatus comprises a feed line and a laser.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the feed line comprises the wear-resistant material.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising disposing the feed line in parallel with the laser.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising cooling the drill bit.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising removing the wear-resistant material from the plurality of coated inserts.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the cladding comprises using a laser-assisted cladding apparatus.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the wear resistant material is deposited in a single step.  
     
     
         16 . A system for performing a cladding process, comprising: 
 a processor;    a memory operatively coupled to a laser-assisted cladding apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises a feed line, wherein the feed line comprises a wear-resistant material, and a laser.    
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the memory stores a program readable by the processor.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the program contains a geometric information of a rock drill bit.  
     
     
         19 . A rock bit made using the method of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         20 . A rock bit comprising an insert in accordance with  claim 6 .  
     
     
         21 . A method for selectively applying cladding to a rock bit, comprising: 
 depositing, in a one step process, wear resistant material on a selected region of a cone, without contacting inserts on that cone.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the one step process comprises using a laser assisted cladding apparatus.