METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATED EARTH BORING DRILL BIT MANUFACTURING

• Main Authors: BARTLETT GLYNN R, PARROTT CRYSTAL A, LUCE DAVID K, WIRTH SEAN W, MASSEY ALAN J
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 11.11.2010
• Subjects: COMBINED OPERATIONS; MACHINE TOOLS; MAKING FORGED OR PRESSED METAL PRODUCTS, e.g. HORSE-SHOES,RIVETS, BOLTS OR WHEELS; MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVINGMATERIAL; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; OTHER WORKING OF METAL; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PUNCHING METAL; TRANSPORTING; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS

A method and system for manufacturing a earth boring tool, comprising placing a tool in a positioner of an system which then conforms the tool to a model through the performance of a plurality of processing steps thereon. The positioner may move the tool in two axis. The system may include a manipulator which performs each of the processing steps. Alternatively, the system may include a plurality of manipulators, each performing a different one of the processing steps. The processing steps may include various shaping, cleaning, painting, and packaging steps. The processing steps may be performed without removing the tool from the positioner. The tool may be repositioned in the positioner during or between processing steps. For example, performing the processing steps may comprise performing one or more of the process steps, repositioning the tool in the positioner, and re-performing the one or more of the process steps.