Method of making a tool component

Abstract

A method of producing a tool component comprising a working portion of bonded abrasive particles including a non-homogeneous region. The method includes the step of providing at least two sources of a material comprising abrasive particles in a suitable binder, the materials of the sources differing from each other. The material of one source may comprise diamond or cubic boron nitride particles, whilst the material of the other source may comprise carbide particles. Alternatively, the materials of the two sources may contain the same abrasive particle, such as diamond or cubic boron nitride particles, but in different particle sizes. The materials are delivered to a zone where mixing occurs, and the mixture is applied to a surface to produce a layer of the mixed materials on the surface, typically by spraying. By controlling the quantity of material from each source which is delivered to the mixing zone, different mixtures of the two abrasives can be created. In this way, layers, e.g. one on top of the other, can be produced which differ from their neighbours in abrasive particle composition. These layers, on sintering, form non-homogeneous regions in the working portion of a tool component.

1 . A method of producing a tool component comprising a working portion of bonded abrasive particles, which includes a non-homogeneous region, the method including the steps of providing at least two sources of a material comprising abrasive particles in a suitable binder, the materials of the sources differing from each other, delivering a quantity of the materials to a zone where mixing occurs and applying the mixed materials to a surface to produce a layer of the mixed materials on the surface.  
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the layer of mixed materials forms at least a part of the non-homogeneous region of the working portion of the tool component.  
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the non-homogeneous region differs in size of abrasive particle, in the nature of the abrasive particle or in a combination thereof.  
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the layer of the mixed materials is a green state form of the non-homogeneous region.  
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 1 , comprising first and second sources of material, the first source comprising a mass of discrete ultra-hard abrasive particles in a binder and the second source comprising a mass of discrete abrasive particles, different to those of the material of the first source, in a binder.  
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein the first source of material comprises a mass of discrete diamond or cubic boron nitride particles in a binder and the second source of material comprises carbide particles in a binder.  
   
   
       7 . A method according to  claim 1 , comprising first and second sources of material, the materials of the two sources containing the same abrasive particle, but in different particle sizes.  
   
   
       8 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the mixed materials are delivered from the mixing zone in the form of a spray.  
   
   
       9 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the surface to which the layer or layers of mixed material is applied is the surface of a cemented carbide substrate producing a green state composite abrasive compact.  
   
   
       10 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the surface to which the layer or layers of mixed materials is applied is the surface of a substrate which is sacrificed leaving a green state layer or layers of mixed materials which may be sintered.  
   
   
       11 - 12 . (canceled)