Abstract: A tip for twist drill, comprising a super-hard structure joined to a substrate at an interface boundary coterminous with an end of the substrate, the super-hard structure comprising sintered polycrystalline material comprising super-hard grains, the super-hard structure defining a super-hard end surface opposite the interface boundary and a plurality of cutting edges configured for boring into a body in use; the super-hard end surface including a centre point or chisel edge, and comprising a plurality of surface regions configured such that respective planes tangential to each of the surface regions are disposed at substantially different angles from the axis of rotation of the tip in use. Precursor constructions for use in manufacturing the tips as well as methods for making the precursor constructions and the tips are disclosed.

Abstract: Tips for pick tools and pick tools comprising same are provided. The tip comprises an impact structure formed joined at a non-planar boundary surface of a substrate. The boundary surface includes a depression. The impact structure comprises super-hard material and has a working end including an apex opposite the depression. The boundary surface of the substrate comprises a ridge at the periphery of the depression and a generally tapered circumferential region depending away from the ridge towards a side of the tip, a lowest point of the depression being directly opposite the apex.

Abstract: A tip for a degradation tool, the tip comprising a PCD structure (20) joined to a cemented carbide substrate (30); the PCD structure comprising a plurality of strata (24, 25) arranged so that adjacent strata have alternating compressive and tensile stress states, adjacent strata comprising different PCD grades and being directly bonded to each other by inter-growth of diamond grains; each stratum having a mean thickness of at most 500 microns; the PCD structure defining a working end including a rounded conical apex (22) having a radius of curvature of 1.3 mm to 4 mm.

Abstract: A pick tool for degrading asphalt or rock, comprising a PCD element; the PCD element comprising a PCD structure (20) bonded to a cemented carbide support body (30) at an interface; the PCD structure comprising a first region (24) and a second region (25) adjacent the first region, the second region bonded to the first region by intergrowth of diamond grains; the first region (24) comprising a plurality of alternating strata (24c, 24t), each stratum having a thickness in the range of about 30 to 300 microns; the second region comprising a plurality of strata (25a, 25b), one or more strata in the second region (25a) having a thickness greater than the thicknesses of the individual strata in the first region (24c, 24t), wherein the alternating strata in the first region (24) comprise first strata alternating with second strata, the first strata being in a state of residual compressive stress and the second strata being in a state of residual tensile stress.

Abstract: A pick assembly (100) comprising a pick tool (200), a pick holder (300) and a rotatable drive means (400); in which the pick holder is attached to the rotatable drive means and the pick tool comprises a base (220) and a strike element (210) capable of being attached to the base, the strike element comprising a strike tip (212) defining a strike tip axis (213) and the base capable of being attached to the pick holder; the pick holder and pick tool being configured in relation to the drive means operative to the strike tip axis being oriented to within a strike angle of at most 5 degrees with a strike plane on which the strike tip will travel when driven by the drive means.

Abstract: Cutting elements for earth-boring tools include one or more recesses and/or one or more protrusions in a cutting face of a volume of superabrasive material. The superabrasive material may be disposed on a substrate. The cutting face may be non-planar. The recesses and/or protrusions may include one or more linear segments. The recesses and/or protrusions may comprise discrete features that are laterally isolated from one another. The recesses and/or protrusions may have a helical configuration. The volume of superabrasive material may comprise a plurality of thin layers, at least two of which may differ in at least one characteristic. Methods of forming cutting elements include the formation of such recesses and/or protrusions in and/or on a cutting face of a volume of superabrasive material. Earth-boring tools include such cutting elements, and methods of forming earth-boring tools include attaching such a cutting element to a tool body.

Abstract: A tip (20) for a rotary machine tool comprising a superhard structure (12) joined to a cemented carbide substrate 14 by means of at least one intermediate layer (161, 62, 163) disposed between the superhard structure (12) and the cemented carbide substrate (14), the intermediate layer or layers (161, 162, 163) comprising grains of superhard material and grains of a metal carbide material dispersed in a metal binder material.

Abstract: The invention is for a polycrystalline diamond abrasive compact comprising a layer of polycrystalline diamond bonded to a cemented tungsten carbide substrate. The polycrystalline diamond defines a plurality of interstices and a binder phase is distributed in the interstices to form binder pools. The polycrystalline diamond is characterized by the presence of a separate tungsten particulate phase in the binder phase, in excess of 0.05 volume % but not greater than 2 volume %, expressed as a % of the total polycrystalline diamond, and the binder phase further containing a low eta-phase, Co3W3C, content as determined by conventional XRD analysis, an XRD peak height of the <511> eta-phase (Co3W3C) peak which is less than 0.06 when expressed as a fraction of the peak height of the <200> cubic cobalt peak. The invention extends to a composition and to a method for manufacturing the polycrystalline diamond abrasive compact.

Abstract: The invention relates to an abrasive insert comprising a layer of PCD or PCBN; and a cemented carbide substrate to which the layer of PCD or PCBN is bonded through an interlayer; the interlayer comprising a bonded mass of superhard abrasive particles and refractory particles wherein an average size of the superhard abrasive particles is the same as or less than that of the refractory particles and to a method of manufacture of the insert.

Abstract: The invention relates to an insert for an attack tool, the insert comprising a super-hard cap having a volume and bonded to a substrate at an interface, the super-hard cap having an average Young's modulus of greater than 900 GPa and the substrate characterised in that it comprises a reinforcing bolster portion as a means for stiffening a region of the substrate proximate the interface, the reinforcing bolster portion having an aggregate volume that is greater than that of the super-hard cap and an average Young's modulus at least 60% that of the super-hard cap. The invention further relates to a method for manufacturing such an insert and a method for using such an insert.

Abstract: A method for making a superhard tip for a rotary machine tool, the method including contacting at least one sintered polycrystalline superhard structure to a carrier body comprising cemented carbide to form a pre-compact assembly, and subjecting the pre-compact assembly to a pressure and temperature at which the superhard material is thermodynamically stable to form a pre-form body for a superhard tip; and processing the pre-form body to form a superhard tip.

Abstract: The invention is for a polycrystalline diamond abrasive compact comprising a layer of polycrystalline diamond bonded to a cemented tungsten carbide substrate. The polycrystalline diamond defines a plurality of interstices and a binder phase is distributed in the interstices to form binder pools. The polycrystalline diamond is characterised by the presence of a separate tungsten particulate phase in the binder phase, in excess of 0.05 volume % but not greater than 2 volume %, expressed as a % of the total polycrystalline diamond, and the binder phase further containing a low eta-phase, Co3W3C, content as determined by conventional XRD analysis, an XRD peak height of the <511 > eta-phase (Co3W3C) peak which is less than 0.06 when expressed as a fraction of the peak height of the <200> cubic cobalt peak. The invention extends to a composition and to a method for manufacturing the polycrystalline diamond abrasive compact.

Abstract: This invention is for a polycrystalline diamond composite material comprising diamond particles and a binder phase, the polycrystalline diamond composite material defining a plurality of interstices and the binder phase being distributed in the interstices to form binder pools. The invention is characterised in that there is present in the binder phase a separate tungsten carbide particulate phase in excess of 0.05 total volume %, but not greater than 2 volume %, expressed as a % of the total composite material and that the tungsten carbide particulate phase is homogenously distributed in the composite material in such a manner that the relative standard deviation of the tungsten carbide grain size is less than 1. The invention extends to a method of manufacturing the composite material and to a polycrystalline diamond abrasive compact comprising the diamond composite material for use in cutting or abrading of a substrate or in drilling applications.