Optimum powder placement in polycrystalline diamond cutters

Abstract

A precise and reproducible method of making a cutter element for a cutting tool includes positioning at least a first material layer of powder; a substrate and sintering. Whereby the positioning is performed by a fill to weight system, and comprises depositing the first material at a rate of about 1 mg per second to about 300 mg per second by the automated system.

1 . A method of making a cutter element for a cutting tool comprising:
 positioning at least a first material layer of powder in a container;   positioning a second material layer adjacent to said at least a first material layer, to form a non-planer interface between said first and second material layer, wherein said positioning is by a fill to weight system, and said positioning comprises depositing said first material layer and said second material layer at a rate of about 1 mg per second to about 300 mg per second;   loading a substrate in the container; and   sintering to form a cutter element.   
     
     
         2 . The method of making a cutter element of  claim 1 , wherein said first material layer comprises: diamond powder; and said second material layer comprises metal carbide. 
     
     
         3 . The method of making a cutter element of  claim 2 , wherein said first material layer comprises metal carbide. 
     
     
         4 . The method of making a cutter element of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 removing the metal carbide to form a non-planer cutter surface.   
     
     
         5 . The method of making a cutter element of  claim 1 , wherein said positioning optimizes packing density between said material and said substrate, forming a uniform interface between said material and said substrate. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 positioning a second material in the container adjacent to said first material; and   after sintering, eroding one of said first and second materials.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said positioning of said first material comprises positioning about 1 mg to about 1700 mg. 
     
     
         8 . A cutter element comprising: a substrate; and at least a first material layer, wherein said element is made by the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         9 . The cutter element of  claim 8 , wherein said first material is coupled to the substrate through a non-planer interface. 
     
     
         10 . The cutter element of  claim 8 , further comprising a second material layer, wherein said second layer is coupled to the first layer through a non-planer interface. 
     
     
         11 . The cutter element of  claim 10 , wherein the second material layer comprises metal carbide. 
     
     
         12 . The cutter element of  claim 8 , further comprising an erodible material layer, wherein said erodible material layer is coupled to the first material layer through a non-planer interface. 
     
     
         13 . The cutter element of  claim 12 , wherein said erodible material comprises the cutting face of the cutter element. 
     
     
         14 . The cutter element of  claim 12 , wherein said erodible material comprises metal carbide. 
     
     
         15 . The cutter element of  claim 8 , further comprising an erodible material layer forming at least a portion of the cutting face of the cutter element. 
     
     
         16 . The cutter element of  claim 8 , wherein said first material possesses mono-modal properties, multi-modal properties or combinations thereof, wherein said properties comprise physical composition, chemical composition or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The cutter element of  claim 16 , wherein said physical composition comprises, particle size, particle shape, density, thermal conductivity, porosity or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The cutter element of  claim 8 , further comprising a second material, wherein said second material layer comprises polycrystalline diamond and said first layer is an erodible material, wherein said erodible material comprises a region of the cutting face of said element. 
     
     
         19 . The cutter element of  claim 13 , wherein said region is concaved. 
     
     
         20 . The cutter element of  claim 13 , wherein said region comprises perimeter of the cutting face.