IMPROVEMENT OF WEAR COMPONENT'S PERFORMANCE BY UTILIZING ADVANCED MATERIALS AND NEW MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES: CASTCON PROCESS FOR MINING APPLICATIONS

Michigan Technological University, together with The Robbins Group, Advanced Ceramic Research, Advanced Ceramic Manufacturing, and Superior Rock Bits, evaluated a new process and a new material for producing drill bit inserts and disc cutters for the mining industry. Difficulties in the material preparation stage slowed the research initially. Prototype testing of the drill bit inserts showed that the new inserts did not perform up to the current state of the art. Due to difficulties in the prototype production of the disc cutters, the disc cutter was manufactured but not tested. Although much promising information was obtained as a result of this project, the objective of developing an effective means for producing rock drill bits and rock disc cutters that last longer, increase energy efficiency and penetration rate, and lower overall production cost was not met