Patent ID: 7537726

Claim:
A method of producing a component made from a hard metal alloy, containing at least one carbide, mixed carbide or carbonitride of the metals selected from the group consisting of W, Ti, Ta, Mo, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, and Cr, at least one grain growth-inhibiting additive selected from the group consisting of V, Cr, Ti, Ta, and Nb or a compound thereof, and at least one metallic binder selected from the group consisting of Co, Ni, and Fe, the binder content being 0.1 to 20% by weight and at least one grain growth-inhibiting additive having, at least locally, a graduated concentration profile, with the carbide grain size increasing from an edge zone of the component in a direction towards a center of the component, the method which comprises the following method steps: producing a powder preform made from a hard metal alloy using powder metallurgy compacting or shaping processes; producing a dispersion or solution containing at least one grain growth-inhibiting additive selected from the group consisting of V, Cr, Ti, Ta, and Nb or a compound thereof in finely distributed or dissolved form; applying the dispersion or solution to a surface of the powder preform and producing a graduated concentration profile by penetration of the dispersion or solution towards an interior of the powder preform; and further processing by heat consolidation.