Methods for automated application of hardfacing material to drill bits
Active Publication Date: 2013-10-17
BAKER HUGHES INC
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[0024]In some embodiments, methods for depositing hardfacing material on portions of drill bits comprise providing a vertically oriented plasma transfer arc torch secured to a positioner having controllable movement in a substantially vertical plane. A rolling cutter is secured to a chuck mounted on an articulated arm of a robot. A surface of a tooth of the rolling cutter is positioned in a substantially perpendicular relationship beneath the torch. The torch is oscillated along a substantially horizontal axis. The rolling cutter is moved with the articulated arm of the robot in a plane beneath the oscillating torch. A hardfacing material is deposited on the tooth of the rolling cutter.
[0025]In other embodiments, methods for depositing hardfacing material on portions of drill bits comprise providing a vertically oriented plasma transfer arc torch secured to a positioner having controllable movement in a substantially vertical plane. A cutter is secured to a chuck mounted on an articulated arm of a robot. A surface of a tooth of the cutter is positioned in a substantially perpendicular relationship beneath the torch. A first waveform target path is provided and the torch is oscillated along a substantially horizontal axis. The cutter is moved with the articulated arm of the robot beneath the midpoint of the oscillating torch path so as to impose a second torch waveform onto the first wav
Problems solved by technology
As the roller cones of the drill bit roll on the bottom of the hole being drilled, the teeth or carbide inserts apply a high compressive and shear loading to the formation causing fracturing of the formation into debris.
Under normal drilling conditions, the teeth of the steel-tooth roller cone drill bits are subject to continuous impact and wear because of their engagement with the rock being drilled.
As the teeth are worn away, the penetration rate of the drill bit decreases causing the cost of drilling to increase.
Limited availability of qualified welders has aggravated the problem because the application of hardfacing is extremely tedious, repetitive, skill-dependent, time-consuming, and expensive.
The application of hardfacing to roller cones is considered the most tedious and skill-dependent operation in the manufacture of a steel-toothed roller cone drill bit.
However, U.S. Pat. No. 6,392,190 does not describe details of solutions to the numerous obstacles in automating the hardfacing of roller cones using robotic arms and positioners.
One factor limiting use of robotic hardfacing has been the unsatisfactory appearance of the final product when applied using robotically held torches over stationary cutters.
Another factor limiting use of robotic hardfacing to rolling cutters is the commercial unavailability of a material that directly compares to conventional Oxygen Acetylene Welding (OAW) welding rod materials that can be applied with commercially available
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[0065]The system and method of the present invention have an opposite configuration and method of operation to that of manual hardfacing and prior automated hardfacing systems. In the present system and method a robotic system is used, having a plasma transfer arc torch secured in a substantially vertical position to a torch positioner in a downward orientation. The torch positioner is program-controllable in a vertical plane. Shielding, plasma, and transport gases are supplied to the torch through electrically controllable flow valves. Rather than use a torch positioner, a robotic arm can be used having a transfer arc torch secured thereto in a substantially vertical position in a downward orientation. For handling a roller cone, a robot having program controllable movement of an articulated arm is used. A chuck adapter is attached to the arm of the robot. A three jaw chuck is attached to the chuck adapter. The chuck is capable of securely holding a roller cone in an inverted position
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Abstract
Methods for depositing hardfacing material on portions of drill bits comprise providing a vertically oriented plasma transfer arc torch secured to a positioner having controllable movement in a substantially vertical plane. A rolling cutter is secured to a chuck mounted on an articulated arm of a robot. A surface of a tooth of the rolling cutter is positioned in a substantially perpendicular relationship beneath the torch. The torch is oscillated along a substantially horizontal axis. The rolling cutter is moved with the articulated arm of the robot in a plane beneath the oscillating torch. A hardfacing material is deposited on the tooth of the rolling cutter.
Description
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