Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods for forming fixed-cutter earth-boring drill bit bodies and drill bits, such as those made from steel.
Earth-boring tools for forming wellbores in subterranean earth formations may include a plurality of cutting elements secured to a body. For example, fixed-cutter earth-boring rotary drill bits (also referred to as “drag bits”) include fixed blades and cutters secured to the fixed blades. It is known to form fixed-cutter steel drill bits by: (1) rough turning a wrought alloy bar; (2) heat treating the turned bar; (3) forming threads on the turned bar for connection of the drill bit to another sub, drill collar, or drill pipe; (4) machining a profile of the bit crown; (5) milling blades, junk slots, waterways, nozzle holes, and cutter pockets in the bit crown; (6) positioning cutters within the cutter pockets; and (7) positioning nozzles within the nozzle holes. This fabrication process is performed individually for each drill bit, based on a preselected design, including position, length, width, angle, and other parameters of the blades, drilling profile, cutters, nozzles, etc. Such fabrication processes are often time-consuming and expensive.
In some embodiments, the present disclosure includes methods of forming fixed-cutter drill bits for earth-boring operations. In accordance with such methods, a forged steel drill bit body is retrieved from an inventory of substantially identical forged steel drill bit bodies, the forged steel drill bit body including fixed blades and junk slots between the fixed blades. Cutter pockets are formed in the blades. Nozzle holes are formed in the forged steel drill bit body to provide fluid communication from an interior of the forged steel drill bit body to the junk slots.
In some embodiments, the present disclosure includes additional methods of forming fixed-cutter drill bits for earth-boring operations. In accordance with such additional methods, a first steel drill bit body including first fixed blades is forged. A second steel drill bit body including second fixed blades is forged. The second steel drill bit body is at least substantially identical to the first steel drill bit body in shape and configuration. First cutter pockets are formed in a first configuration along the first fixed blades of the first steel drill bit body. Second cutter pockets are formed in a second configuration along the second fixed blades of the second steel drill bit body. The second configuration is different from the first configuration.
In some embodiments, the present disclosure includes methods of forming fixed-cutter earth-boring drill bits. In accordance with such methods, a steel material is forged into a drill bit intermediate structure that includes a crown portion and a shank portion in an integral, unitary body. The crown portion includes blades, junk-slots between the blades, and hard-facing grooves along leading edges of the blades. Threads are formed on the shank portion to form a connection region for connecting the shank to an adjacent sub, drill collar, or drill pipe. Cutter pockets are formed along the blades. Nozzle holes are formed to provide fluid communication between the junk slots and a central fluid conduit of the drill bit intermediate structure. A hard-facing material is positioned within the hard-facing grooves. Cutters are positioned within the cutter pockets.
The following description provides specific details, such as material types, material thicknesses, and configurations of elements in order to provide a thorough description of embodiments of the present disclosure. However, a person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without employing these specific details. Indeed, the embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced in conjunction with conventional techniques and materials employed in the industry.
In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the present disclosure may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to practice the present disclosure. However, other embodiments may be utilized, and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. The illustrations presented herein are not meant to be actual views of any particular system, device, structure, or process, but are idealized representations that are employed to describe the embodiments of the present disclosure. The drawings presented herein are not necessarily drawn to scale. The drawings may use like reference numerals to identify like elements.
As used herein, the term “substantially” in reference to a given parameter, property, or condition means and includes to a degree that one skilled in the art would understand that the given parameter, property, or condition is met with a small degree of variance, such as within acceptable manufacturing tolerances. For example, a parameter that is substantially met may be at least about 90% met, at least about 95% met, or even at least about 99% met.
As used herein, any relational term, such as “first,” “second,” “top,” “bottom,” “underlying,” “upper,” “lower,” etc., is used for clarity and convenience in understanding the disclosure and accompanying drawings and does not connote or depend on any specific preference, orientation, or order, except where the context clearly indicates otherwise.
The embodiments of the present disclosure include methods for forming fixed-cutter earth-boring drill bits. Such methods may include forging an intermediate structure that includes blades and junk slots between the blades. The intermediate structure may, in some embodiments, include a crown portion (including the blades and junk slots) and a shank portion forged as an integral, unitary body. Multiple specimens of the forged intermediate structure may be held in inventory, for tailoring to specific designs and applications by further processing. For example, a forged intermediate structure may be machined to include cutter pockets along the blades and nozzle holes in different configurations (e.g., number, size, position, angle, etc.) for different applications.
A side view of an embodiment of a drill bit body intermediate structure 100, also referred to herein as an intermediate structure 100 for simplicity, is illustrated in
The intermediate structure 100 may include a crown portion 108 and a shank portion 110. In some embodiments, the intermediate structure including the crown portion 108 and shank portion 110 may be forged by the first and second forging dies 102, 104 together in an integral, unitary body. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the intermediate structure 100 may include only the crown portion 108, and the shank portion 110 may be separately fabricated and later joined to the crown portion 108, such as via one or more of threads, welding, brazing, or a press fit, for example. In such embodiments, the crown portion 108 may be forged and connection structure (e.g., threads), if any, may be machined or otherwise formed on the forged crown portion 108 for connection to the shank portion 110. The shank portion 110 may be fabricated by, for example, one or more of forging, machining, or turning prior to connection to the crown portion 108.
Referring to
Inner surfaces of the first forging die 102 may include recesses for forging complementary blades 112 in the intermediate structure 100. Inner surfaces of the first forging die 102 may also include protrusions for forging complementary fluid courses and junk slots 114 in the intermediate structure 100 between the blades 112. The blades 112 may include a face region 116, a gage region 118, and a shoulder region 120 at a transition between the face region 116 and the gage region 118. In some embodiments, as shown in
The arrangement and configuration of the blades 112 and junk slots 114 of the intermediate structure 100 may be common to a number of different final drill bit bodies having cutters, nozzles, and other features in different positions, as will be explained below with reference to
Optionally, the second forging die 104 may include a central internal protrusion 122 (shown in dashed lines in
The forging of the drill bit body intermediate structure 100 may enable the reduction or elimination of conventional bit body fabrication operations. For example, the formation of the blades 112 and junk slots 114, as well as optional central fluid conduit 124 and hard-facing grooves 126, may be completed in one forging operation. Thus, the blades 112, junk slots 114, and, optionally, central fluid conduit 124 and hard-facing grooves 126, may be substantially fully formed via the forging operation, while eliminating or reducing expensive and time-consuming machining operations (e.g., turning, milling, cutting, etc.) conventionally used to form such features.
The intermediate structure 100 may be formed of a steel material. By way of example and not limitation, a material of the intermediate structure 100 may be or include a ferrous alloy steel, a carbon steel, a stainless steel, a nickel alloy steel, or a cobalt alloy steel.
A side view of another embodiment of a drill bit body intermediate structure 200 is illustrated in
As discussed above with reference to
In some embodiments, multiple specimens of the forged intermediate structure 300A, prior to or after heat-treating, may be carried in inventory. When a bit body is to be formed, the forged intermediate structure 300A may be removed from inventory for further processing, as described below.
Referring to
In some embodiments, one or more surfaces of the blades 312B may be machined to tailor the intermediate structure 300B for a specific application. For example, a length of a gage portion 318B of the blades 312B may be shortened by removing (e.g., machining, grinding, milling, turning, cutting, etc.) an upper portion of the gage portion 318B. The gage portion 318B may also be modified (e.g., by machining, addition of hard-facing material, etc.) to remove the draft angle provided to facilitate the forging operation. Similarly, a surface of the blades 312B may be machined to modify a profile of the blades 312B. Thus, the intermediate structure 300B may be tailored and modified to provide bit bodies having different designs and cutting (e.g., earth-boring) properties.
In some embodiments, multiple specimens of the intermediate structure 300B, including the central fluid conduit 324B, the tapered pin connection portion 328B (with or without threads 334B), the radial groove 330B, and the flats 332B, may be carried in inventory. When a bit body is to be formed, the intermediate structure 300B may be removed from inventory for further processing, as described below.
Referring to
After the drill bit body 300C is formed as described above with reference to
Although the embodiments described above and shown with reference to
Accordingly, the methods of the present disclosure enable customization of drill bit bodies from a common, standardized intermediate structure. Customization may be available for various design parameters. By way of example and not limitation, drill bit bodies fabricated from a common, standardized intermediate structure may include one or more of: different cutter configurations, different wear button configurations, different nozzle configurations, different gage lengths, and different hard-facing material placement. Time, material, and manufacturing costs of fixed-cutter drill bits of a number of designs may be reduced when employing the present disclosure, compared to conventional fixed-cutter drill bits.
The embodiments of the disclosure described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures do not limit the scope of the invention, since these embodiments are merely examples of embodiments of the disclosure. The invention is encompassed by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Any equivalent embodiments lie within the scope of this disclosure. Indeed, various modifications of the present disclosure, in addition to those shown and described herein, such as other combinations and modifications of the elements described, will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the description. Such embodiments, combinations, and modifications also fall within the scope of the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/443,413, filed Feb. 27, 2017, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 15443413 | Feb 2017 | US |
Child | 16841421 | US |