CA1295322C - Surface protection method and article formed thereby - Google Patents

Surface protection method and article formed thereby

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Publication number
CA1295322C
CA1295322C CA000555637A CA555637A CA1295322C CA 1295322 C CA1295322 C CA 1295322C CA 000555637 A CA000555637 A CA 000555637A CA 555637 A CA555637 A CA 555637A CA 1295322 C CA1295322 C CA 1295322C
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CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
surface areas
carbide
component
heavy metal
super
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related
Application number
CA000555637A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Jay Stuart Bird
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Dresser Industries Inc
Original Assignee
Dresser Industries Inc
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Dresser Industries Inc filed Critical Dresser Industries Inc
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Publication of CA1295322C publication Critical patent/CA1295322C/en
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Classifications

    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
    • C23CCOATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
    • C23C30/00Coating with metallic material characterised only by the composition of the metallic material, i.e. not characterised by the coating process
    • C23C30/005Coating with metallic material characterised only by the composition of the metallic material, i.e. not characterised by the coating process on hard metal substrates
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B22CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
    • B22DCASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES
    • B22D19/00Casting in, on, or around objects which form part of the product
    • B22D19/06Casting in, on, or around objects which form part of the product for manufacturing or repairing tools
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B22CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
    • B22DCASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES
    • B22D19/00Casting in, on, or around objects which form part of the product
    • B22D19/08Casting in, on, or around objects which form part of the product for building-up linings or coverings, e.g. of anti-frictional metal
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
    • C23CCOATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
    • C23C4/00Coating by spraying the coating material in the molten state, e.g. by flame, plasma or electric discharge
    • C23C4/04Coating by spraying the coating material in the molten state, e.g. by flame, plasma or electric discharge characterised by the coating material
    • C23C4/06Metallic material
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
    • C23CCOATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
    • C23C4/00Coating by spraying the coating material in the molten state, e.g. by flame, plasma or electric discharge
    • C23C4/18After-treatment
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10TTECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T428/00Stock material or miscellaneous articles
    • Y10T428/12All metal or with adjacent metals
    • Y10T428/12014All metal or with adjacent metals having metal particles
    • Y10T428/12028Composite; i.e., plural, adjacent, spatially distinct metal components [e.g., layers, etc.]
    • Y10T428/12063Nonparticulate metal component
    • Y10T428/12139Nonmetal particles in particulate component

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosed invention describes a method for cladding sur-faces of an earth boring apparatus, or the like, with a hardfacing material having an entrained, or encapsulated, heavy metal refrac-tory carbide. The method includes heating the surface to the incipient melting temperature and applying a molten super-alloy matrix material that has a melting temperature below the melting temperature of the carbide. The super-alloy, in a powder form, is pre-mixed with the carbide material, also in a powder form, such that, when the molten surface and the molten super-alloy cool, they form a metallurgical bond, at the surface, with the carbide material mechanically retained within the solidified matrix material.

Description

3~2 ~URFACE PROTECTION METHOD AND ARTICLE FORMED THEREBY
_ FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to a method of applying a hardfacing material to a working surface of a metal part and the article formed thereby, and more particularly, to a method of ap-plying a powdered heavy metal refractory carbide, such as tungsten carbide, to a steel surface, and in particular, to the surfaces of a drill bit or tool that are important to be maintained relatively free from the loss of material due to abrasion or erosion during lp drilling operations.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

It is highly~desirable, in certain applications, to make the working surface of a steel part extremely wear resistant. Also, because of the difficulties and expenses in machining wear resist-ant material, it is common practice to form the underlying steel body into the final configuration and subsequently, treat the sur-face, as by hardening, or applying a wear resistant material thereto, depending upon the wear resistance desired.

In applications where resistance to extreme wear is re-quired of a steel article, a cladding of hard, wear resistant material is applied to the wear surface of the article, providing . a.wear resis~ant layer supported by the underlying resilient body.
However, heretofore, ~oining certain wear.resistant materia~s to a.
steel body created a problem in the endurance life of the compo-nent. This is particularly true when applying a heavy metalrefractory carbide such as tungsten carbide hard face material to a steel bodied article.

~2~
.2.
Tungsten carbide hardfacing is conventionally applied by welding techniques whereby the surface of the base material is heated sufficiently to melt and encapsulate the carbide particles placed upon the base material, either before or during the appli-cation process. With such process a metallurgical bond is formed.In certain less stringent applications, tunqsten carbide is applied by plasma spray techniques. With a plasma spray process the base material is not melted and the total heat and kinetic energy of the process induces bonding between the carbide material and the base metal, forming what is known as a mechanical bond.
Metallurgical bonds are, for the most part, superior to mechanical bonds in strength.

With a metallurgical bond between the tungsten carbide and the base material, encapsulation of the carbide always involves some dissolusion around the carbide particles as compared to the base material, thus creating a relatively brittle composite mate-rial (i.e., dissolved tungsten carbide and steel) around the remaining tungsten carbide particles. This composite or matrix material becomes highly stressed during cooling of the weldment.
Subsequent thermal treatment adds further stress to this matrix layer due to the differences of thermal expansion between the matrix and the base material. Because of the greater thermal e~pansion rate of-the base material, the matri~ upon heating (as in heat treatment operations) relieves its accumulated stress by cracking. Such cracks often propagate into the base material, thereby weakening the entire structure. An example of such a pro-cess and the product formed thereby, is shown in U.S. Patent 3,800,891.

In the plasma spray method, a weaker bond is created between the tungsten carbide layer and the steel base such that during use, the carbide material flakes or chips off, exposing the rela-tively soft underlying steel surf,ace to a high rate of wear or ,erosion. . . .
. . ~ , , , ! .
Another well k~own technique for applying tungsten carbide ,hardfacing is a flame spray application which also produces a mechanical bond with a high degree~of porosity. Flame sprayed ~ '~
.3.
coatings are not as well bonded as those which are plasma sprayed.
However, hardfacing coatings which are applied through a combina-tion of both flame spray and fusion exhibit a metallurgical bond which is wholly dense and extremely abrasion resistant. Conven-tional welding and flame spraying the hardfacing layer causes highstresses in the hardfacing ~as discussed aboveJ that will lead to deleterious cracking if subjected to further thermal treatment.

The intent of this invention is to apply a heavy metal refractory carbide hardfacing material with a metallurgical bond to the base material, and controlling the matrix material composi-tion (metallurgy) to substantially eliminate its propensity to crack under subsequent heat treatments, while not affecting the servicability of the hardfacing coating.

SUM~RY OF THE PRESENT INVENT ON

The present invention is directed to a method, and the prod-uct formed by the method, of adhering a heavy metal refractory carbide such as tungsten carbide on the surface of a base metal, preferably a steel body, to provide a wear resistant coating to the working surface of the body, and having the coating metallur-gically bonded thereto with sufficient strength such that it does not readily flake ~r chip off, during use, even under extreme abrasion or erosion inducing conditions, such as downhole drill-ing. More importantly, however, the bonding is completed without any tendency to embrittle or otherwise affect the characteristics of the underlying base metal, eliminating the tendency of the coating to crack into the base material during subsequent heat treatment or severe use. In fact, a matrix material with which the carbide hardfacing bonding material is mixed prior to its application to the article, and which, in this process, is met-allurgically bonded to the base material of the article, is prima-' rily comprised of a nickel or cobalt alloy (cQmmonly referred toas super-alloys) which has mechani'cal'and thermal properties that allow it to plast~'cally deform, without crackin~, to'accommodate ' the variable expansion and contraction of the base material during ' subsequent heat treatments, and flexure ~uring use to retain the carbide component of the hardfacing material in place under such c~nditions.

- lZ~ 2~

Generally speaking, the present invention may be considered as providing a method of forming a layer of wear resistant material, including a heavy metal refractory carbide, on selective surface areas of a metal alloy surface comprising the steps of: a.
applying a heavy metal refractory carbide material to the selective surface areas; b. heating the surface areas to the incipient surface melting temperature of the alloy; c. applying a fine powder super-alloy based matrix metal to the surface areas: d. heating the powder matrix metal to a temperature sufficient for the matrix metal to become molten, but below the melting temperature of the heavy metal refractory carbide, while maintaining the surface areas at the incipient surface melting temperature for a predetermined controlled time duration generally less than a time duration in which significant alloying diffusion can occur: e. permitting the molten matrix metal to flow to cover the selective surface areas and encapsulate the unmolten carbide material; and f. cooling the molten metal to metallurgically bond the matrix metal to the surface areas while mechanically encapsulating the heavy metal refractory carbide.

Furthermore, the present invention may be considered as providing a steel-bodied tool having surface areas particularly susceptible to wear or erosion during use, at least portions of the areas having a hard face cladding applied thereon to retard wear or erosion, the cladding being formed from a mixture of component materials comprising: a first component of heavy metal refractory carbide granules; a second component of a heavy metal refractory carbide fine powder; and a third component being a fine powder of a super-alloy based matrix material, the third component being mechanically mixed with the second component and having a melt temperature lower than the melt temperature of the second component; the cladding _ _ being characterized as having a post-melted metallurgical bond existing between the surface areas and the third material component and a mechanical bond existing between the third component and the first and the second material components.

The process of the present invention permits the bonding of a superior tougher cladding that includes, in the cladding, bulk carbide particles also bonded by the super-alloy matrix material. As such, the method comprises initially applying, with an adhesive such as water glass, a bulk heavy metal refractory carbide such as tungsten carbide material, either cast or sintered of 16-45 mesh to the appropriate surface of the article. Secondly, the water glass is dried to adhere the bulk carbide material temporarily to the article. Next, the surface of the article on which the bulk carbide has been adhered is heated, as with a flame torch, to the incipient melting temperature (i.e., the lowest temperature at which any of the components of the base alloy become molten on the surface of the article, which, in the case of steel is around 2600F surface temperature). A fine powder mixture of a heavy metal refractory carbide is intimately mixed with like-sized super-alloy based matrix powder (i.e., having a predominant cobalt or nickel content), and mixed on approximately a 50/50 basis by weight, is applied through a flame spray in a manner such that the reducing flame melts the powdered matrix material but does not melt or degrade the entrained carbide powder.
Upon completion of the spraying, the hardfacing layer is fused using the flame spray gun. Surface temperatures of 1850 to 2100F are achieved during fusing. The incipient melting at the surface of the base material mixes with the molten matrix material to fuse the layer, thereto forming a hard wear resistant surface encapsulating both the powdered and the bulk 3L j!~5322 carbide material and metallurgically bonding the flame sprayed material to the base material in a manner that deters flaking, but yet, because of the ductility of the super-alloy matrix material, does not embrittle or weaken the base material under processing or usage environments.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of the method of the instant invention.

Figure 2 is an isometric view of a rotary drill bit illustrating a patterned application of the hardfacing on selective wear surfaces thereof; and .5. ~ 53~

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the hardfacing material as applied to a base metal illustrative of a photo-micrographic view detailing the bonded layer of the hard-facing material.
DESCRIPTION OF T~E PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to Fig. 1, the hardfacing method of the present invention is disclosed as shown in the schematic diagram illustrating the various steps of the method. As therein seen, a bulk heavy metal refractory carbide material 12 is adhered to the particular surface of an article 16 that requires a hard, wear resistant surface. The bulk car-bide 12 can be either a sintered or cast carbide sized between 16-45 mesh, and is applied in any predetermined pat-tern or area. It is initially adhered to the surface through a water base adhesive 14 such as water glass. The article 16, with the adhesively retained bulk carbide 12, is per-mitted to dry as by air drying, or, to shorten the process, a low temperature baking.
A cobalt-coated heavy metal refractory carbide such as tungsten carbide powder 18 is mixed with a super-alloy based powder or matrix 20, generally in the ratio of approximately 50% of each, by weight, forming a blended hardfacing spray powder 10. A cobalt-coated tungsten carbide powder 18 is generally available commercially as a tungsten carbide plasma spray hardfacing powder, and the super-alloy based matrix powder, blended t:herewith, is also a generally commercially available flame spray powder such as Stellite ~Co-base) or Deloro (Ni-base). (Stellite and Deloro are trademarks of Stoody Deloro Stellite Inc., for cobalt base wear resistant alloys and for nickel, chromium, boron, silicon wear resist-ant alloys respectively.) The refractory carbide powder 18 is sized on the order of -325 mesh U.S. Standard sieve and the matrix powder 20 is sized on the order of -200 mesh, providing a fine powder blend.
The surface of the article 16 having the adhesively P / !`
v .5A. 129~22 applied bulk carbide 12 is then heated to the incipient melting temperature of the article base metal (i.e., on the order of 2600F at the surfaee). This surface heating proeess can be aceomplished by any convenient means, but in the preferred embodiment is aeeomplished through an oxi-acetylene toreh 22 using a reducing flame sp: ~(C

.6. ~ 3~
which has a flame temperature of approximately 5300-5500F. Once the surface 16 to be hardfaced is heated to the appropriate tem-perature to initiate at least some initial melting of the base metal at the surface, but below the melting temperature of the bulk carbide, the mixed powder 10 is introduced to the surface, as through the oxi-acetylene spray torch 22, as is well ~nown in the art for applying a powdered metal to a surface, ralsing the tem-perature of the super-alloy based matrix material 20 to its braze and fusion temperature of approximately 1850-2100F. This liqui-fies the super-alloy based matrix powder 20, but is not of a tem-perature that melts or otherwise degrades the carbide component 18 in the blended powder mixture 10. A1SG~ it is to be noted that in air, heavy metal refractory carbide will begin to degrade (i.e.
oxidize) at approximately 900F; however, the flame of the spray torch 22 is maintained in a reducing condition, so that the car-bide is not oxidized.

The fine mesh size of the flame~spray applied blended pow-der 10, in addition to facilitating the super-alloy based matrix component 20 to readily melt within the oxi-acetylene flame, also facillitates the dispersement of the entrained carbide powder com-ponent 18 throughout the melted matrix 20, cladding the appropri-ate surface of the base and providing a bonded interface between the base material 16 and the bulk carbide 12 so that there are minimal (if any) voids or surface discontinuities. The bulk car-bide 12 is thereby fused, in the nature of brazing, to the surfaceof the base material 16 through a matrix material that itself has, generally equally distributed throughout, a significant component of carbide powder 18 providing a tough and durable hardfacing cladding 24.

The article 16, subsequent to the fusion application of the cladding ?4 to the article 16, as above described, is allowed to cool and then.heat treated as by being austenitized between~ 1475-. 1550F, oil quen;ched and tempered at approximately 350F re.sulting . in a heat treated ~ard~aced article 16~ able to presen~ a tough, .highly;dense, pore-free hardface cladding layer 24 as a wear or abrasion.resistant surface metallurgically bonded to the base metal. The super-alloy based matrix material 20 is fused to the base metal and entrains therein both the bulk and powdered carbide .7. ~ 32~i in a manner that minimizes flaking or chipping. Further, the fusion of the matrix material 20 with the surface melting of the base metal at a temperature below which any dissolusion of the carbide occurs, provides a ductile matrix fusion that has minimal crac~s and prevents propagation of cracks from the hardfacing into the base material. This process, therefore, avoids the embrittlement problem heretofore described, and greatly reduces the flaking or detachment problem heretofore accompanying methods for applying a hardface material.

Reference is now made to Fig. 2 to show the application of the material 18, 20, 12 to provide a hardfaced 24 surface at var-ious exposed surfaces of a steel bodied rolling cutter drillbit 26 that, without special treatment, are readily eroded or abraded away. As is seen in Fig. 2 the hardfacing layer 24 can be easily applied in a patterned or predetermined array so that the rela-tively expensive hardfacing materials 18, 20, 12 can be judi-ciously utilized in those areas from which the most benefit can be obtained. Therefore, it can be seen that, as applied to the rol-ling cone 28 of a drill bit 26, the material 24, at present, is applied between adjacent cutting elements 30 of a common circum-ferential row thexeof or is applied circumferentially between adjacent rows to prevent erosion of the base material in an area that, if left otherwise exposed, would erode to the extent that the cutting elements 30 would become dislodged from their sockets.
~urther, it is seen that the hardfacing 24 will be applied to the shirttail area 32 of the cutter arms 36 in a manner, such as a patterned array or a continuous layer, that prevents the shirttail 32 from eroding or abrading away prematurely, and which would, if abraded away, expose the internal seal, adjacent the bearing cavi-ty at the base 38 of the cone 28 directly to the downhole mud.Other areas and patterns on various downhole drilling tools are also available candidates for the application of this material in the disclosed manner.

Reference is now made to Fig. 3 which shows a schematic iI-.
lustration of a photomicrograph of approximately 200 t;mes enlargement of a cross section of a surface i6 having the hardface layer 24 of mat~rial 18, 20, 12 of the above invention fused thereto in accordance with the above technique. As therein seen, the har~j~aee ]~ver 24 i~ ~omDrised oF the bu]k c~rbide 1~ that ~ ~5322 .8.
provides an aggressive wear resistant surface. The smaller parti-cles are the powdered carbide 18, entrained in the super-alloy based matrix 20 that adheres to the bulk material 12 and is metal-lurgically bonded to the article surface 16. It lS thus clearly seen that the matrix material 20 flows to positions below and be-tween the bulk carbide 12 and the article surface 16 to fill all voids, to provide maximum bonding of the bulk carbide 12 to the surface 16; and further, that the heavy metal refractory carbide powder 18 is dispersed throughout the matrix material 20, to give an unsurpassed wear resistant quality to the super-alloy based matrix material so that it is not readily worn away and, in fact, provides a tough hardface cladding to the surface even without the inclusion of the bulk carbide. The uneven surface of the base material, as shown in Fig. 3, is illustrative of how surfaces ap-pear at high magnification.

.,'" . ', ,, ' ,, . , '. , .
.

Claims (22)

1. A method of forming a layer of wear resistant material, including a heavy metal refractory carbide, on selective surface areas of a metal alloy surface comprising the steps of:

a. applying a heavy metal refractory carbide material to said selective surface areas;

b. heating said surface areas to the incipient surface melting temperature of said alloy:

c. applying a fine powder super-alloy based matrix metal to said surface areas:

d. heating the powder matrix metal to a temperature sufficient for the matrix metal to become molten, but below the melting temperature of said heavy metal refractory carbide, while maintaining said surface areas at said incipient surface melting temperature for a predetermined controlled time duration generally less than a time duration in which significant alloying diffusion can occur;

e. permitting the molten matrix metal to flow to cover said selective surface areas and encapsulate said unmolten carbide material; and f. cooling said molten metal to metallurgically bond the matrix metal to said surface areas while mechanically ercapsulating said heavy metal refractory carbide.
2. The method of Claim 1 wherein said step of applying a heavy metal refractory carbide material to said surface areas includes;

a. an initial application of a heavy metal refractory carbide material to said selective surface areas; and, b. a subsequent application of a heavy metal refractory carbide material applied in conjunction with the application of said fine super-alloy based powder matrix metal to said surface areas.
3. The method of Claim 2 wherein said initial application of carbide material includes adhering bulk carbide granules to said areas.
4. The method of Claim 3 wherein said fine super-alloy based powder matrix and said carbide material of said subsequent application both comprise a fine powder blend applied through a flame-spray to effect said heating of said super-alloy based matrix metal.
5. The method of Claim 4 wherein said flame-spray when heating said super-alloy matrix is maintained as a reducing flame to prevent oxidation of said carbide material.
6. The method of Claim 5 wherein said bulk carbide granules and said heavy metal refractory carbide material of said subsequent application both comprise a tungsten carbide material.
7. A method of forming a layer of wear-resistant material, including a heavy metal refractory carbide, on selective surface areas of a metal alloy surface comprising the steps of;

a. adhering carbide granules to said surface areas;

b. heating said surface areas to the incipient surface melting temperature of said alloy;

c. applying a fine powder mixture of a blend of heavy metal refractory carbide and a super-alloy based matrix metal to said surface areas;

d. heating the blended powder to a temperature sufficient for the matrix metal to become molten, but below the melting temperature of said carbide, while maintaining said surface areas at said incipient surface melting temperature for a predetermined controlled time duration generally less than a time duration in which significant alloying diffusion can occur;

e. permitting the molten matrix metal to flow to cover said selective heated surface areas carrying powdered unmolten carbide to generally cover said surface areas, and encapsulate said carbide material disposed thereon; and f. allowing said areas of molten metal to cool to weld the matrix metal to said surface areas while mechanically encapsulating said carbide material.
8. The method of Claim 7 wherein said heating the blended powder is effected with a torch having a flame maintained as a reducing flame to prevent oxidation of said carbide material.
9. The method of Claim 8 wherein said fine powder mixture of heavy metal refractory carbide and said super-alloy based matrix metal is applied through said torch as a flame-spray applied material to said surface areas.
10. An improved method of producing an earth boring apparatus having a body portion formed of a steel alloy and defining thereon surface areas particularly susceptible to wear or erosion during use, said areas having a hard-face cladding applied thereto to retard said wear or erosion and wherein said improvement comprises forming said cladding by the steps of:

a. applying a granular heavy metal refractory carbide material to said surface areas;

b. heating said surface areas to the incipient surface melting temperature of said steel alloy;

c. applying a fine powder super-alloy based matrix metal to said surface areas;

d. heating the powder matrix metal to a temperature sufficient for the matrix metal to become molten, but below the melting temperature of said heavy metal refractory carbide, while maintaining said surface areas at said incipient surface melting temperature for a predetermined controlled time duration generally less than a time duration in which significant alloying diffusion can occur:

e. permitting the molten matrix metal to flow to cover said selective surface areas and encapsulate said unmolten carbide material; and f. cooling said molten metal to metallurgically bond the matrix metal to said surface areas while mechanically encapsulating said carbide.
11. The method of Claim 10 wherein said step of applying a granular carbide material to said surface areas includes:

a. an initial application of bulk heavy metal refractory carbide material to said selective surface areas; and, b. a subsequent application of powdered heavy metal refractory carbide material applied in conjunction with the application of said fine super-alloy based powder matrix metal to said surface areas.
12. The method of Claim 11 wherein said initial application of carbide material includes adhering bulk carbide granules to said areas.
13. The method of Claim 12 wherein said fine super-alloy based powder matrix and said heavy metal refractory carbide material of said subsequent application both comprise a fine powder blend applied through a flame-spray to effect said heating of said super-alloy based matrix metal.
14. The method of Claim 13 wherein said flame-spray when heating said super-alloy matrix is maintained as a reducing flame to prevent oxidation of said carbide material.
15. The method of Claim 13 wherein said bulk carbide granules and said heavy metal refractory carbide material of said subsequent application both comprise a tungsten carbide material.
16. The method of any one of claims 1, 7 or 10 including the post-cooling step of treating the metal alloy surface and wear resistant material fused thereto.
17. A steel-bodied tool having surface areas particularly susceptible to wear or erosion during use, at least portions of said areas having a hard face cladding applied thereon to retard wear or erosion, said cladding being formed from a mixture of component materials comprising:

a first component of heavy metal refractory carbide granules;

a second component of a heavy metal refractory carbide fine powder; and a third component being a fine powder of a super-alloy based matrix material, said third component being mechanically mixed with said second component and having a melt temperature lower than the melt temperature of said second component;

said cladding being characterized as having a post-melted metallurgical bond existing between said surface areas and said third material component and a mechanical bond existing between said third component and said first and said second material components.
18. A tool as defined in Claim 17 in which said cladding is characterized by said second component being mechanically entrapped and substantially undissolved by a post-melted solidified composition of said third component.
19. A tool as defined in Claim 18 in which said cladding is characterizied by both said first component and said second component being mechanically entrapped and substantially undissolved by a post-melted solidified composition of said third component.
20. A tool as defined in Claim 17 in which said first component is of a size within the range of about 16 to 45 mesh, said second component is of approximately - 325 mesh and said third component pre-melted is of approximately - 200 mesh.
21. A tool as defined in any one of Claims 17, 18 19 or 20 in which, when said cladding is applied, said first component is initially retained adhesively on said surface areas and said third component is applied over said first component in a molten state while said second component is entrained in a solid state substantially undissolved within said molten third component.
22. A tool as defined in Claim 21 in which the application of said molten third component is effected in a controlled relation while the recipient surface area to be clad is at its incipient melting temperature to produce said cladding when said third component is solidified.
CA000555637A 1987-03-25 1987-12-30 Surface protection method and article formed thereby Expired - Fee Related CA1295322C (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US030,408 1987-03-25
US07/030,408 US4814234A (en) 1987-03-25 1987-03-25 Surface protection method and article formed thereby

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GB2253642B (en) * 1991-03-11 1995-08-09 Dresser Ind Method of manufacturing a rolling cone cutter
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