Method and fabricating tools for earth boring

Abstract

A method for creating a rapid prototype mold for parts of an earth boring tool for manufacture thereof comprises initially optimizing the drill bit design and integrating this design into CAD code. The CAD code is utilized to generate a prototype file in a computer outputting command signals to a laser, and a laser scanner to prototype a mold utilizing stereolithography, selective laser sintering, or laminated object manufacturing, in addition to other prototype techniques to manufacture earth boring tool parts.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for fabricating components of an earth boring tool, comprising: 
 (a) creating a CAD database comprising a design of a component of the tool;    (b) prototyping a mold of the design of the tool component from the created CAD database;    (c) preparing the mold for casting the tool component; and    (d) filling the prepared mold with a material selected for the tool component.    
     
     
         2 . A method of fabricating a component of an earth boring tool as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 repeating (a) through (d) for each component of a tool.  
 
     
     
         3 . The method of fabricating a component of an earth boring tool as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising firing the filled mold in a furnace to solidify the selected material of the tool component.  
     
     
         4 . The method of fabricating a component of an earth boring tool as set forth in  claim 1  wherein filling the prepared mold comprises filling the prepared mold with a molten metal.  
     
     
         5 . The method of fabricating a component of an earth boring tool as set forth in  claim 1  wherein filling the prepared mold comprises filling the mold with a nonmetallic material.  
     
     
         6 . The method of fabricating a component of an earth boring tool as set forth in  claim 1  wherein filling the prepared mold comprises filling the mold with a matrix powder with a binder.  
     
     
         7 . A method of fabricating a component of an earth boring tool, comprising: 
 (a) optimizing a design of a tool component by operation of a computer program;    (b) integrating the optimized design of the tool component into a CAD database;    (c) prototyping a mold of the design of the tool component from the integrated CAD database;    (d) preparing the mold for casting the tool component; and    (e) filling the prepared mold with a material selected for the tool component.    
     
     
         8 . The method of fabricating a component of an earth boring tool as set forth in  claim 7  further comprising repeating (a) through (e) for each component of an earth boring tool.  
     
     
         9 . The method of fabricating a component of an earth boring tool as set forth in  claim 7  wherein optimizing the design comprises optimizing both the mechanical and hydraulic design of a tool component.  
     
     
         10 . The method of fabricating a component of an earth boring tool as set forth in  claim 7  further comprising firing the filled mold in a furnace to solidify the selected material of the drill bit component.  
     
     
         11 . The method of fabricating a component of an earth boring tool as set forth in  claim 10  further comprising breaking away the prepared mold to recover the molded tool component.  
     
     
         12 . The method of fabricating a component of an earth boring tool as set forth in  claim 7  wherein prototyping a mold comprises prototyping the mold by stereolithography.  
     
     
         13 . The method of fabricating a component of an earth boring tool as set forth in  claim 7  wherein prototyping a mold comprises prototyping by selective laser sintering.  
     
     
         14 . The method of fabricating a component of an earth boring tool as set forth in  claim 7  wherein prototyping a mold comprises prototyping by laminated object manufacturing.  
     
     
         15 . The method of fabricating a component of an earth boring tool as set forth in  claim 7  wherein prototyping a mold comprises prototyping by fused deposition modeling.  
     
     
         16 . A method for creating a mold for components of a drill bit for fabrication thereof, comprising: 
 optimizing the design of a component of a drill bit by operation of a computer program;    integrating the optimized design of the drill bit component into a CAD database; and    prototyping a mold of the drill bit component to be fabricated in accordance with the optimized design.    
     
     
         17 . The method for creating a mold of components of a drill bit as set forth in  claim 16  wherein prototyping a mold comprises prototyping a male mold of the drill bit component.  
     
     
         18 . The method for creating a mold for components of a drill bit as set forth in  claim 16  further comprising covering the prototyped mold supported on a burnable pattern with a slurry of a hardenable refractory material.  
     
     
         19 . The method for creating a mold for components of a drill bit as set forth in  claim 18  further comprising hardening the refractory material to form a shell.  
     
     
         20 . The method for creating a mold for components of a drill bit as set forth in  claim 19  further comprising burning out the burnable pattern and the prototype mold leaving the shell.  
     
     
         21 . The method for creating a mold for components of a drill bit as set forth in  claim 20  further comprising filling the shell with a material selected for the drill bit component.  
     
     
         22 . The method for creating a mold for components of a drill bit as set forth in  claim 21  further comprising breaking away the shell to release the molded drill bit component.  
     
     
         23 . The method for creating a mold for components of a drill bit as set forth in  claim 16  wherein prototyping a mold comprises prototyping a female mold of a drill bit component.  
     
     
         24 . The method for creating a mold for components of a drill bit as set forth in  claim 23  further comprising creating a male master mold from the prototyped female mold.  
     
     
         25 . The method for creating a mold for components of a drill bit as set forth in  claim 24  further comprising creating a destructible female mold from the male master mold.  
     
     
         26 . The method for creating a mold for components of a drill bit as set forth in  claim 25  further comprising filling the destructible female mold with a material selected for the drill bit component.  
     
     
         27 . A method for fabricating a component of a drill bit for earth boring, comprising: 
 optimizing the design of a drill bit component by operation of a computer program;    integrating the optimized design into a CAD database comprising a design of the component of the drill bit;    generating a prototype file on the drill bit comprising the CAD database;    prototyping a mold of the drill bit component from the prototype file;    preparing the mold for casting the drill bit component; and    filling the prepared mold with a material selected for the drill bit component.    
     
     
         28 . The method of fabricating a component of a drill bit as set forth in  claim 27  wherein prototyping a mold comprises prototyping a male mold of the drill bit components.  
     
     
         29 . The method of fabricating a component of a drill bit as set forth in  claim 27  further comprising covering the mold supported on a burnable pattern with a slurry of hardenable refractory material.  
     
     
         30 . The method of fabricating a component of a drill bit as set forth in  claim 29  further comprising hardening the refractory material to form a shell.  
     
     
         31 . The method of fabricating a component of a drill bit as set forth in  claim 30  further comprising burning out the burnable pattern and the prototype mold leaving the shell.  
     
     
         32 . The method of fabricating a component of a drill bit as set forth in  claim 31  wherein filling the prepared mold comprises filling the shell with a material selected for the drill bit component.  
     
     
         33 . The method of fabricating a component of a drill bit as set forth in  claim 32  wherein filling the prepared mold further comprises breaking away the shell to uncover the molded bit body component.  
     
     
         34 . The method of fabricating a component of a drill bit as set forth in  claim 27  wherein prototyping a mold comprises prototyping a female mold of the drill bit component.  
     
     
         35 . The method of fabricating a component of a drill bit as set forth in  claim 34  further comprising creating a male master mold from the prototype female mold.  
     
     
         36 . The method of fabricating a component of a drill bit as set forth in  claim 35  further comprising creating a destructible female mold from the male master mold.  
     
     
         37 . The method of fabricating a component of a drill bit as set forth in  claim 36  wherein filling the prepared mold comprises filling the destructible female mold with a material selected for the drill bit component.