Manufacture of cutting elements having lobes

Abstract

An apparatus for forming a cutting insert may include a compression device having a sleeve with a bore. The sleeve may receive a substantially hollow can. Solid particulates may be positioned within the can, and a substrate material or other punch may also be positioned in the can. A forming device adjacent an end of the can in which the solid particulates are located may include at least one protrusion extending into the bore. The protrusion may be adapted to deform the can while also forming the plurality of solid particulates into a solid mass having one or more reliefs and/or lobes. A method may include pressing the solid particulates while within a can to form a solid mass having one or more reliefs or lobes. An HPHT process may be performed to bond the solid mass to a substrate material.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for forming a cutting insert, comprising:
 a sleeve having a bore formed at least partially therethrough, the sleeve being arranged and designed to receive a substantially hollow can having a plurality of solid particulates therein; and   a forming device at a first end portion of the bore, the forming device including at least one protrusion extending into the bore, the at least one protrusion being arranged and designed to deform the can while the solid particulates are therein.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a compression device at a second end portion of the bore, the compression device being arranged and designed to move in a direction parallel to, or coaxial with, a central longitudinal axis through the bore.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the compression device and forming device are arranged and designed to be positioned within respective portions of the bore having differing sizes. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is made of polyurethane, epoxy, polyester, phenolic, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is a first sleeve, the apparatus further comprising:
 a second sleeve at least partially enclosing the first sleeve, the second sleeve being more rigid than the first sleeve.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein an inner surface of the forming device includes a curved surface having the at least one protrusion extending therefrom. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , the curved surface having a radius of curvature from about 3 mm to about 20 mm. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the at least one protrusion including two or more protrusions that are circumferentially offset from one another about a central longitudinal axis through the forming device.