Patent ID: 8858870

Claim:
A method of making an article of manufacture comprising cemented carbide, the method comprising: positioning at least one cemented carbide piece and, optionally, a non-cemented carbide piece in a void of a mold in predetermined positions to partially fill the void and define an unoccupied space in the void, wherein a volume of the at least one cemented carbide piece comprises at least 5% of a total volume of the article of manufacture; adding a plurality of inorganic particles to partially fill the unoccupied space and provide a remainder space between the inorganic particles; heating the cemented carbide piece, the non-cemented carbide piece if present, and the plurality of inorganic particles; infiltrating an infiltrant that is one of a molten metal and a molten metal alloy in the remainder space, wherein a melting temperature of one of the molten metal and the molten metal alloy is less than a melting temperature of the plurality of inorganic particles; cooling the molten metal and the molten metal alloy in the remainder space, wherein the molten metal and the molten metal alloy solidifies and binds the cemented carbide piece, the non-cemented carbide piece if present, and the inorganic particles to form the article of manufacture; and wherein the infiltrant comprises a bronze consisting essentially of 78 weight percent copper, 10 weight percent nickel, 6 weight percent manganese, 6 weight percent tin, and incidental impurities.