Patent Description:
Earth-boring tools are used to form boreholes (e.g., wellbores) in subterranean formations. Such earth-boring tools may include drill bits, reamers, mills, etc. A conventional fixed-cutter earth-boring rotary drill bit includes a bit body having generally radially projecting and longitudinally extending blades. A plurality of cutting elements may be fixed (e.g., brazed) within pockets formed in the blades. During drilling operations, the drill bit is positioned at the bottom of a well borehole and rotated, and the cutting elements engage and degrade the formation material by mechanisms such as shearing, abrading, etc..

The bit body may comprise materials such as metal alloys (e.g., steel) or particle-matrix composite materials, e.g., cemented tungsten carbide particles dispersed in a metal alloy matrix (e.g., bronze). The bit body may be manufactured by machining, e.g., by milling a steel blank to shape, or casting, e.g., by forming a mold with a negative shape of the desired bit body and filling the mold with molten alloy. Conventionally, the pockets into which the cutting elements are to be affixed are formed in the bit body when the bit body is initially machined or cast to shape. Cutting elements are then affixed within the cutting element pockets using, for example, a brazing process. Other downhole tools also include such cutting elements affixed within cutting element pockets.

Frequently, high-wear areas of steel and other bodies of drill bits and other downhole tools are coated with an abrasion-resistant hardfacing material to reduce wear. Such hardfacing material may comprise particles of cemented tungsten carbide dispersed within a metal matrix material. Hardfacing materials may be applied by welding processes, e.g., plasma-transferred arc welding, oxygen-acetylene welding, gas metal arc welding, or other deposition processes that cause heating of the tool body. The tool body may also undergo thermal processing steps such as heat treatment prior to use of the earth-boring tool in a downhole environment.

<CIT> discloses a method of method of mounting a cutting element insert comprising machining a hole in a surface of a milled tooth, positioning a plug in said hole, applying a hardfacing material to the milled tooth, removing the plug, and positing the insert in the hole.

<CIT> discloses a plug positioned in a cutter pocket as hardfacing material is applied thereto.

<CIT> discloses methods of repairing a rotary drill bit including annealing and aging at least a portion of the rotary drill bit.

<CIT> discloses a method of forming a drill bit structure including applying a hardfacing material to selected surfaces of the drill bit structure.

<CIT> discloses applying hardfacing compositions to a PDC-equipped stell body rotary drag bit. <CIT> discloses a prior art method of hardfacing a steel bodied bit.

The present invention provides a method of forming an earth boring tool as claimed in claim <NUM>.

While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming what are regarded as embodiments of the disclosure, various features and advantages of disclosed embodiments may be more readily ascertained from the following description when read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:.

The illustrations presented herein are not actual views of any particular material or earth-boring tool, but are merely idealized representations employed to describe embodiments of the present disclosure. Additionally, elements common between figures may retain the same numerical designation.

During conventional formation of bit bodies and tool components carrying cutting elements, heat-induced deformation occurring during thermal processing (e.g., heat treatment) and/or application of hardfacing materials may cause permanent distortion of the body, resulting in inaccuracy of the position and/or orientation of the cutting element pockets relative to design specifications. The inventors have unexpectedly discovered that in use, even small deviations (i.e., on the order of about <NUM> inch (<NUM>)) in the intended position of cutting elements from design specifications may have a significant effect on the rate-of-penetration (ROP) beyond which a rotary drill bit is judged to run stably (i.e., the point of "stable crossing"). In other words, manufacturing tolerances inherent in conventional manufacturing processes may compromise the range of rates of penetration at which drill bits and other downhole tools may drill in a stable drilling mode, and may compromise the performance of the downhole tools. The stable crossing may be more sensitive to variations in position and orientation of cutting elements in some cutting positions or regions of the tool body than cutting elements in other cutting positions or regions of the tool body. For example, the stable crossing of a rotary earth-boring drill bit may be particularly sensitive to the position and orientation of cutters located proximate the nose portion of the drill bit. In addition to compromised performance and durability (i.e., intra-bit effect), variations in position and orientation of the cutting elements of an earth-boring bit or tool from the design specifications may cause inconsistent and unpredictable performance between different bits with the same design and specifications (i.e., inter-bit effect).

As used herein, the terms "bit" and "tool" may be used interchangeably for the sake of convenience, and the terms "tool" and "downhole tool" encompass drill bits. Similarly, the term "tool body" encompasses both components of downhole tools configured to carry cutting elements as well as bodies of drill bits.

Described herein are methods and materials for manufacturing earth-boring bits and tools that include cutting elements such as polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutting elements that exhibit much tighter manufacturing tolerances, so as to ensure that the actual drill bit or other downhole tool embodies the intended design of the drill bit or other downhole tool with respect to the position and orientation of the cutting elements mounted thereto. Stated another way, the disclosure includes methods and materials that enable manufacturing of earth-boring tools with cutting element pockets having accurate position and orientation relative to design specifications. Thus, earth-boring tools as described herein may exhibit reduced (e.g., minimized) variation between the specified position and orientation of the cutting element pockets in an earth-boring tool design and the actual position and orientation of the cutting element pockets and cutting elements in an actual, physical earth-boring tool manufactured according to the design.

<FIG> is a perspective view of an embodiment of an earth-boring tool <NUM> in the form of a rotary fixed-cutter earth-boring drill bit, although any other type of downhole tool including cutting elements mounted in cutting element pockets on a body of the tool may also embody teachings of the present disclosure. For example, a device for enlarging boreholes (e.g., a reamer), or any other tool in which cutting elements are affixed in pockets in a tool body, may be the subject of manufacturing methods and materials as described.

The earth-boring tool <NUM> may include a tool body <NUM> with a shank <NUM> having a connection portion <NUM> (e.g., an American Petroleum Institute (API) threaded connection) configured to attach the earth-boring tool <NUM> to a drill string (not shown).

The earth-boring tool <NUM> may include cutting elements <NUM> secured within cutting element pockets <NUM>. As a non-limiting example, the cutting elements <NUM> may comprise polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutting elements. The cutting element pockets <NUM> may be formed in blades <NUM> of the earth-boring tool <NUM>. Each blade <NUM> may extend radially outward from a cone region <NUM> at a radially innermost position of the blade <NUM>. Each blade <NUM> may include a nose region <NUM> adjacent to and radially outward from the cone region <NUM>. Each blade <NUM> may include a shoulder region <NUM> adjacent to and radially outward from the nose region, and a gage portion <NUM> adjacent to the shoulder region <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a plot of a Monte Carlo simulation showing that variance of the stable crossing ROP rises with cutter position tolerance. As shown in the plot, a reduction of cutting element position and orientation tolerances to one-fourth (<NUM>/<NUM>) of a nominal value may significantly reduce variability of the stable crossing ROP. An earth-boring tool <NUM> may be formed using materials and manufacturing methods to reduce cutter position tolerance, and thus reduce variation of the stable crossing ROP, in the following manner. One or more cutting elements <NUM> of the earth-boring tool <NUM> may be designated as a "critical" cutting element. A critical cutting element may be a cutting element <NUM> for which deviations in position and orientation from design specifications have a relatively greater effect on bit dynamic stability and/or cutting performance than similar deviations of other cutting elements <NUM> that are not designated critical. Identification of critical cutting elements <NUM> may be accomplished using statistical and empirical methods, computerized methods, (e.g., dynamic simulation software), or other methods. In some embodiments, all cutting elements <NUM> in a particular region of the blade <NUM> may be designated as critical. For example, the inventors have determined that reduced tolerances of cutting elements near the nose of the drill bit may have the most significant effect on stable crossing ROP. Alternatively, all cutting elements <NUM> of the earth-boring tool <NUM> may be designated as critical.

Referring now to <FIG>, an intermediate tool body <NUM> corresponding to the bit body <NUM> of the earth-boring tool <NUM> (<FIG>) in an unfinished (i.e., partially manufactured) state may be formed from metal alloy (e.g., steel) or a composite material including, for example, particles of tungsten carbide dispersed in a metal alloy (e.g., bronze, steel, etc.). In one embodiment, the intermediate tool body <NUM> may be formed by machining a steel blank with the desired geometry and features. Alternatively, the intermediate tool body <NUM> may be formed by casting, e.g., by introducing molten metal alloy into a mold with the reverse shape of the intermediate tool body <NUM>. In embodiments in which the intermediate tool body <NUM> comprises a particle-matrix composite material, particles of wear-resistant material (e.g., tungsten carbide) may be placed within a mold and infiltrated with a molten metal alloy (e.g., bronze).

In a conventional earth-boring tool manufacturing process for a steel body tool, cutting element pockets may be machined into the bit body when a steel blank is machined with the bit geometry and features. In a conventional earth-boring tool manufacturing process for a tool body comprising a particle-matrix composite material (e.g., cobalt-cemented tungsten carbide), cutting element pockets may be formed in the bit body during the casting process by inserting removable displacements into the mold prior to casting the bit body within the mold and around the displacements.

After forming the bit body, heat cycles applied to the bit body during thermal processing (e.g., heat treatment) or hardfacing application may result in relatively minor distortion and inaccuracy of the position and orientation of cutting element pockets. One or more cutting element pockets <NUM> (<FIG>) of the earth-boring tool <NUM> are partially or completely unformed in the intermediate tool body <NUM> after machining the blank to shape (in embodiments with a machined steel bit) or after casting (in cast embodiments, e.g., cast alloys or particle-matrix composite materials). One or more cutting element pockets <NUM> (<FIG>) corresponding to cutting elements <NUM> (<FIG>) identified as "critical" cutting elements are partially formed or unformed in the intermediate tool body <NUM>. The cutting element pockets corresponding to critical cutting elements are machined after a heat treatment, and also optionally after application of hardfacing and other thermal processing acts. A manufacturing sequence as described herein improves the accuracy of the position and orientation of the cutting element pockets by eliminating heat-induced distortion as a source of variation.

With continued reference to <FIG>, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, when the tool body <NUM> is formed, "inverted" cutting element pockets <NUM> are formed at the locations corresponding to "critical" cutting element pockets <NUM> in the particular bit design. The inverted cutting element pockets <NUM> have a shape and location at least substantially similar to the shape and location of the corresponding cutting element pockets <NUM> to be formed in the finished earth-boring tool <NUM>. Thus, the inverted cutting element pockets <NUM> comprise protrusions on the face of the intermediate tool body <NUM> that have an appearance similar to cutting elements <NUM> (<FIG>) mounted to the tool body. The inverted cutting element pockets <NUM> in the intermediate tool body <NUM> may comprise integral portions of the tool body that will be subsequently removed, after one or more subsequent manufacturing processes that involve the application of heat to the tool body, to form the cutting element pockets <NUM> in the tool body. Thus, in embodiments in which the tool body comprises steel or is manufactured by machining a billet, the inverted cutting element pockets <NUM> may be formed by machining of the billet at the time the intermediate tool body <NUM> is formed by machining. In embodiments in which the tool body comprises a particle-matrix composite material or is manufactured by casting in a mold, the inverted cutting element pockets <NUM> may be formed on, or as an integral part of, the intermediate tool body <NUM> at the time the intermediate tool body <NUM> is cast within a mold.

In some embodiments, the inverted cutting element pockets <NUM> may be formed to have an outer diameter at least substantially identical to an outer diameter of the cutting elements <NUM> intended to be affixed within the cutting element pockets <NUM> to be formed at the locations of the inverted cutting element pockets <NUM>. In other embodiments, the inverted cutting element pockets <NUM> may be formed to have an outer diameter slightly smaller than an outer diameter of the cutting elements <NUM> intended to be affixed within the cutting element pockets <NUM> to be formed at the locations of the inverted cutting element pockets <NUM>. In yet other embodiments, the cutting element pockets may be machined or molded to net shape or near net shape, and a machineable displacement (not shown) may be inserted within the cutting element pocket. The machineable displacements may comprise an easily machineable metal alloy (e.g., mild steel) and may have, for example, a solid or hollow cylindrical shape.

Cutting element pockets <NUM> for cutting elements not designated as critical cutting elements (i.e., "non-critical" cutting elements) may be fully formed in the intermediate tool body <NUM> using conventional processes. For example, cutting element pockets <NUM> may be formed by the machining or casting operation used to form the intermediate tool body <NUM>. Cutting element pockets <NUM> may correspond to cutting elements in backup positions, i.e., cutting elements that rotationally trail other cutting elements, cutting elements positioned on the gage portion <NUM> (<FIG>) of the blade <NUM> of the earth-boring tool <NUM>, cutting elements positioned on the cone portion <NUM> of the blade <NUM> of the earth-boring tool <NUM>, or cutting elements positioned on other portions of the blade <NUM>.

As described below in connection with <FIG> and <FIG>, one or more hardfacing materials may be applied to the intermediate tool body <NUM> in areas where additional wear resistance is desired. For example, additional wear resistance may be desired adjacent the cutting element pockets <NUM> (<FIG>), and on areas of the blade <NUM> rotationally leading or rotationally trailing the cutting elements <NUM>. In some embodiments, a first hardfacing material <NUM> (<FIG>) may be applied to portions of the intermediate tool body <NUM> directly adjacent the inverted cutting element pockets <NUM>. In other words, the first hardfacing material <NUM> may be applied to portions of the intermediate tool body <NUM> directly adjacent the desired locations of cutting element pockets <NUM> (<FIG>) of the completed earth-boring tool <NUM>. A second hardfacing material <NUM> (<FIG>) may be applied to portions of the intermediate tool body <NUM> not directly adjacent the inverted cutting element pockets <NUM> (and thus not directly adjacent the desired locations of cutting element pockets <NUM>).

The first hardfacing material <NUM> may be relatively easier to machine than the second hardfacing material <NUM>. Ease of machining, i.e., "machinability," may be defined variously by parameters such as machining tool life, machining tool forces and machining tool power consumption, AISI machinability rating, and other parameters. In some embodiments, the first hardfacing material <NUM> may exhibit an AISI machinability rating at least about <NUM>% greater than the AISI machinability rating of the second hardfacing material <NUM>. The first hardfacing material may be chosen to exhibit a specific combination of machinability and wear-resistance. The first hardfacing material <NUM> may include finer, more uniformly distributed particles of a hard material, such as tungsten carbide, compared to the second hardfacing material <NUM>. Thus, machining of the first hardfacing material <NUM> may be less likely to result in impact failure of the machining tool compared to machining of the second hardfacing material <NUM>. Finish machining of the first hardfacing material, as described further below, may be performed with relatively high surface speeds and relatively low depths-of-cut compared to conventional machining operations. A machining tool used to machine the first hardfacing material <NUM> may include a surface finish (e.g., aluminum nitride) configured to reduce thermal wear resulting from high surface speeds.

Referring now to <FIG>, the first hardfacing material <NUM> may be applied to selected areas of the intermediate tool body <NUM> that may be contacted by a machining tool to be used to subsequently form the cutting element pockets <NUM> at the locations of the inverted cutting element pockets <NUM>. For example, the first hardfacing material <NUM> may be applied to portions of the intermediate tool body <NUM> adj acent the inverted cutting element pockets <NUM>. In some embodiments, portions of the first hardfacing material <NUM> may overlie portions of the inverted cutting element pockets <NUM>. In some embodiments, regions of the intermediate tool body <NUM> where it is not desired to apply the first hardfacing material <NUM> may be masked with a compound or material that inhibits wetting of the intermediate tool body <NUM> with the first hardfacing material <NUM>. For example, a wetting inhibitor may be applied at least to faces <NUM> of the inverted cutting element pockets <NUM> of the intermediate tool body to prevent wetting of the faces <NUM> with the first hardfacing material <NUM>. One example of a suitable wetting inhibitor is NICROBRAZ® STOP-OFF™, available from Wall Colmonoy Corporation, <NUM> W. Girard, Madison Heights, MI <NUM>, USA.

The first hardfacing material <NUM> may comprise materials selected to enable machining of the first hardfacing material <NUM>. For example, in some embodiments, the first hardfacing material <NUM> may comprise a nickel-boron-silicon (Ni-B-Si) matrix material, in which macro-crystalline particles of tungsten carbide (WC) are dispersed. One example of a commercially available hardfacing material that may be used as the first hardfacing material <NUM> is NITUNG™ <NUM>, a hardfacing material including <NUM> percent tungsten carbide particles by weight in a proprietary alloy matrix, available from Carpenter Powder Products, <NUM> Mayer Street, Bridgeville, PA <NUM> USA. In other embodiments, the first hardfacing material <NUM> may comprise homogenous material, e.g., a substantially continuous metal alloy with a relatively high hardness and without a dispersed particulate phase. For example, some cobalt-based alloys may be suitable for use as the first hardfacing material <NUM>. The particular material and composition used for the first hardfacing material <NUM> may be chosen based upon results of wear testing at contact pressures determined for the specific tool and application.

The first hardfacing material <NUM> may be applied by oxy-acetylene welding (OAW), plasma-transferred arc welding (PTAW), gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), high-velocity oxygen fuel thermal spraying (HVOF), high-velocity air fuel thermal spraying (HVAF), laser cladding, etc. Optionally, the HVOF and HVAF processes may include a fusion step. The first hardfacing material <NUM> may be applied manually, semi-automatically, or automatically. The first hardfacing material <NUM> may exhibit minimal dilution at the interface between the intermediate tool body <NUM> and the first hardfacing material <NUM>. Dilution may be defined as the weight percentage of substrate metal (i.e., material of the intermediate tool body <NUM>) which has diffused into the hardfacing material <NUM>. For example, the first hardfacing material may exhibit less than ten (<NUM>) percent dilution, less than five (<NUM>) percent dilution, or less at the interface between the intermediate tool body <NUM> and the first hardfacing material <NUM>.

Referring now to <FIG>, a second hardfacing material <NUM> may be applied to other selected areas of the intermediate tool body <NUM>. The other selected areas may comprise, for example, high-wear areas of the earth-boring tool <NUM> (<FIG>) not directly adjacent the inverted cutting element pockets <NUM>. In some embodiments, the second hardfacing material <NUM> may be applied over portions of the blade <NUM> rotationally leading and/or rotationally trailing the "inverted cutter" inverted cutting element pockets <NUM>. Accordingly, the first hardfacing material <NUM> may be located between the inverted cutting element pockets <NUM> and the second hardfacing material <NUM>. The second hardfacing material <NUM> may comprise a conventional hardfacing material, such as particles of cemented tungsten carbide dispersed in a metal matrix of, e.g., an iron, cobalt, or nickel alloy, and the composition thereof may be selected for its wear-resistance and/or durability, rather than its machinability. In other words, the second hardfacing material <NUM> may be chosen without regard for machinability, as the second hardfacing material <NUM> may be applied to areas of the intermediate bit body <NUM> that do not require subsequent finish machining. In some embodiments, a wetting inhibitor as described above may be applied to portions of the intermediate bit body <NUM> over which it is not desired to apply the second hardfacing material <NUM>, e.g., portions of first hardfacing material <NUM>, pockets <NUM> previously formed for non-critical cutting elements, etc. The second hardfacing material <NUM> may be applied using any of the methods described above in connection with the first hardfacing material <NUM>, or other suitable methods.

In some embodiments, the second hardfacing material <NUM> may be applied to areas of the intermediate tool body <NUM> that are larger than the areas to which the first hardfacing material <NUM> is applied. For example, while the first hardfacing material <NUM> may be applied only to locations adjacent the inverted cutting element pockets <NUM>, the second hardfacing material <NUM> may be applied over larger areas of the blades <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>. The second hardfacing material <NUM> may be applied over (i.e., may overlap) at least a portion of the first hardfacing material <NUM>. In other embodiments, the second hardfacing material <NUM> may be applied prior to application of the first hardfacing material <NUM>. In these embodiments, a portion of the first hardfacing material <NUM> may be applied over (i.e., overlap) a portion of the second hardfacing material <NUM>.

Methods used to apply the first hardfacing material <NUM> and the second hardfacing material <NUM> may result in application of heat to the intermediate tool body <NUM>. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the intermediate tool body <NUM> may undergo thermal processing, such as heat treatment, quenching, aging, etc. to refine the microstructure of the material of the intermediate tool body <NUM>. As previously discussed, such thermal processing may result in minor distortions (e.g., warping) of the intermediate tool body <NUM>. In other words, heat-induced deformation may result in deviations of the actual shape of the intermediate tool body <NUM> from design specifications. Accordingly, following thermal processing and application of the hardfacing materials <NUM> and <NUM>, the location and orientation of the inverted cutting element pockets <NUM> and the cutting element pockets <NUM> for non-critical cutting elements may differ slightly from design specifications due to heat-induced deformation similar to that which may occur in connection with thermal processing. Accordingly, as described below, finish machining to create cutting element pockets <NUM> (<FIG>) in locations of critical cutting elements may be performed after such thermal processing acts and after application of the first and second hardfacing materials <NUM> and <NUM>.

At least a portion of the inverted cutting element pockets <NUM> may be removed to form a cutting element pocket <NUM> (<FIG>) in each critical cutter location substantially exhibiting a position, size, shape and orientation corresponding to a predetermined, design position, size, shape and orientation for that respective cutting element pocket. For example, the intermediate tool body <NUM> may be machined to remove at least a portion of the inverted cutting element pockets <NUM>. Machining the cutting element pockets <NUM> may include machining at least a portion of the first hardfacing material <NUM> adjacent the protrusion <NUM>, depending on the precise size and shape of the inverted cutting element pockets <NUM> and the degree of any distortion thereof caused by thermal processing. Accordingly, the tools used to machine the cutting element pockets <NUM> may be configured to enable machining of the first hardfacing material <NUM>.

For example, the cutting element pockets <NUM> may be machined using a tool comprising hard materials and/or a hard surface coating. In one embodiment, the cutting element pockets are machined using an end mill with an aluminum nitride coating. Such milling tools may be available from KENNAMETAL® Inc. , <NUM> Technology Way, Latrobe, PA <NUM> USA.

The machining process and parameters may be tailored to facilitate machining of the first hardfacing material <NUM>, if needed. For example, the speed and feed rate of the end mill may be chosen based on the cutting characteristics of the tool and the particular composition of the first hardfacing material <NUM>.

In some embodiments, machining may commence in a location free from the first hardfacing material <NUM> and the second hardfacing material <NUM>. For example, referring now to <FIG>, a portion of a blade <NUM> of an intermediate bit body <NUM> (<FIG>) is shown. A machining operation may be started by plunging an end mill <NUM> into the face <NUM> of the inverted cutting element pocket <NUM> along a longitudinal axis <NUM> corresponding to an axis of the actual cutting element pocket <NUM> (<FIG>) to be formed corresponding to the selected, predetermined orientation of the actual cutting element pocket. The end mill <NUM> may be moved radially (e.g., orbited) with respect to a rotational axis of the end mill and, depending on the precise size and shape of the inverted cutting element pockets <NUM>, a lateral portion <NUM> of the end mill <NUM> may engage the first hardfacing material <NUM>. If the lateral portion <NUM> of the end mill <NUM> engages the first hardfacing material <NUM>, the end mill <NUM> may remain engaged with all phases of the first hardfacing material <NUM> (e.g., the end mill <NUM> may remain engaged with both the metal alloy matrix phase and the discontinuous tungsten carbide particle phase) until the end mill <NUM> is no longer engaging any portion of the first hardfacing material <NUM>. This may prevent abrupt changes in work rate that may occur if the end mill <NUM> were repeatedly brought into contact with and removed from contact with the different phases of the first hardfacing material <NUM>. In some embodiments, formation of the cutting element pockets <NUM> may be performed using polycrystalline diamond-enhanced tools, ultrasonic methods, electrical discharge machining (EDM), thermally-assisted machining or other methods. Following finish machining of the cutting element pockets <NUM>, cutting elements <NUM> may be inserted and affixed within the cutting element pockets <NUM>. For example, cutting elements <NUM> may be brazed within cutting element pockets <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A method of forming an earth-boring tool (<NUM>), the method comprising:
forming a tool body (<NUM>) including at least one inverted cutting element pocket (<NUM>), each of the at least one inverted cutting element pocket (<NUM>) comprising a protrusion on a face of the tool body (<NUM>) , the protrusion having a profile substantially matching a profile of an actual cutting element (<NUM>) to be secured within a cutting element pocket (<NUM>) to be formed by subsequently machining the at least one inverted cutting element pocket (<NUM>);
applying heat to the tool body (<NUM>) during a heat_treatment comprising heating the tool body (<NUM>) to an elevated temperature;
using a machining process, subsequent to the application of heat to the tool body (<NUM>), to remove the protrusion of the at least one inverted cutting element pocket (<NUM>) and to form the actual cutting element pocket (<NUM>) at a location of the protrusion subsequent to removal of the protrusion; and
affixing a cutting element within the actual cutting element pocket (<NUM>).