Methods for joining cutting elements or other components to earth-boring tools and related methods

Abstract

A method of joining a component, such as a cutting element, to another component or body of an earth-boring tool, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, includes disposing a third-body structure, which may comprise a braze material, between a surface of the component and a surface of the another component of the earth-boring tool. The component to be joined is then rotated relative to the surface of the another component to generate frictional heat in the third-body structure and to at least plasticize material of the third-body structure. After the rotation, the plasticized material of the third-body structure is compressed between the surfaces and then allowed to solidify, which bonds the component to the another component without deforming either the component or the another component.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of joining a cutting element to an earth-boring tool, the method comprising:
 disposing a cutting element in a pocket defined in a body of the earth-boring tool with a third-body structure between a surface of the cutting element and a surface of the body within the pocket;   providing relative movement between the third-body structure and at least one of the surface of the cutting element and the surface of the body within the pocket to generate frictional heat within and at least plasticize material of the third-body structure; and   after providing the relative movement, compressing and at least plastically deforming at least a portion of the material of the third-body structure between the surface of the cutting element and the surface of the body within the pocket.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the surface of the body within the pocket comprises a floor of the pocket. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the material of the third-body structure comprises a braze material. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the braze material comprises a silver-based braze material, a copper-based braze material, a zinc-based braze material, or a nickel-based braze material. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising disposing the third-body structure in the pocket adjacent a floor of the pocket before disposing the cutting element in the pocket, the third-body structure having a disc shape. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forming the third-body structure on the surface of the cutting element before disposing the cutting element in the pocket. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forming the third-body structure on the surface of the bit body within the pocket before disposing the cutting element in the pocket. 
     
     
         8 . A method of joining a component of an earth-boring tool to a surface of another component of the earth-boring tool, the method comprising:
 providing a third-body structure having a shape substantially symmetrical about a longitudinal axis of the third-body structure;   abutting the third-body structure against the surface of the another component of the earth-boring tool;   providing relative rotational movement between the third-body structure and at least one of the component and the another component of the earth-boring tool such that material of the third-body structure is heated by friction and at least plasticized; and   after providing the relative rotational movement, compressing and at least plastically deforming at least a portion of the material of the third-body structure between the component and the another component of the earth-boring tool.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein providing the third-body structure comprises providing a third-body structure having a non-planar shape. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein providing relative rotational movement between the third-body structure and at least one of the component and the another component comprises rotating the component and generating frictional heat along an interface between the third-body structure and at least one of the component and the another component of the earth-boring tool, and raising a temperature of the material of the third-body structure without exceeding a melting point temperature of the material of the third-body structure. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the method is carried out without melting material of the component and without melting material of the another component. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 selecting the component to comprise a cutting element; and   selecting the another component to comprise a body of the earth-boring tool.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein providing relative rotational movement between the third-body structure and at least one of the component and the another component of the earth-boring tool comprises rotating the component using a rotatable robotic arm. 
     
     
         14 . A method of forming an earth-boring tool, the method comprising:
 disposing a third-body structure between a surface of a component and a surface of a body of the earth-boring tool to which the component is to be joined;   rotating the component about a longitudinal axis of the component and generating friction between the third-body structure and at least one of the surface of the component and the surface of the body of the earth-boring tool, the friction resulting in heating and at least plasticizing of the third-body structure; and   after the rotating, applying force on the component toward the surface of the body of the earth-boring tool.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein disposing the third-body structure between the surface of the component and the surface of the body of the earth-boring tool to which the component is to be joined comprises disposing the third-body structure between a bottom surface of the component and a floor within a pocket defined in the body of the earth-boring tool to which the component is to be joined. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein disposing the third-body structure between the surface of the component and the surface of the body of the earth-boring tool to which the component is to be joined comprises disposing the third-body structure at least partially between a sidewall of the component and a sidewall of a pocket defined in the body of the earth-boring tool to which the component is to be joined. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein disposing the third-body structure between the surface of the component and the surface of the body of the earth-boring tool to which the component is to be joined comprises disposing the third-body structure between the surface of the component and the surface of the body of the earth-boring tool to which the component is to be joined, the third-body structure not being affixed to the component or to the body of the earth-boring tool prior to the rotating. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising, forming the third-body structure to have a longitudinal thickness of between about 0.025 mm and about 2.5 mm prior to disposing the third-body structure between the surface of the component and the surface of the body of the earth-boring tool to which the component is to be joined. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein disposing the third-body structure between the surface of the component and the surface of the body of the earth-boring tool to which the component is to be joined comprises disposing, between the surface of the component and the surface of the body of the earth-boring tool to which the component is to be joined, a third-body structure having a top surface and a bottom surface continuous across a diameter of the surface of the component. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein disposing the third-body structure between the surface of the component and the surface of the body of the earth-boring tool to which the component is to be joined comprises disposing, between the surface of the component and the surface of the body of the earth-boring tool to which the component is to be joined, a third body structure having a discontinuous top surface.