Embodiments of the invention relate to polycrystalline diamond compacts (“PDCs”) including a polycrystalline diamond (“PCD”) table having a structure for enhancing at least one of abrasion resistance, thermal stability, or impact resistance. In an embodiment, a PDC includes a PCD table. The PCD table includes a lower region including a plurality of diamond grains exhibiting a lower average grain size and at least an upper region adjacent to the lower region and including a plurality of diamond grains exhibiting an upper average grain size. The lower average grain size may be at least two times greater than that of the upper average grain size. The PDC includes a substrate having an interfacial surface that is bonded to the lower region of the PCD table. Other embodiments are directed methods of forming PDCs, and various applications for such PDCs in rotary drill bits, bearing apparatuses, and wire-drawing dies.

Embodiments of the invention relate to polycrystalline diamond compacts (“PDCs”) including a polycrystalline diamond (“PCD”) table having a structure for enhancing at least one of abrasion resistance, thermal stability, or impact resistance. In an embodiment, a PDC includes a PCD table. The PCD table includes a lower region including a plurality of diamond grains exhibiting a lower average grain size and at least an upper region adjacent to the lower region and including a plurality of diamond grains exhibiting an upper average grain size. The lower average grain size may be at least two times greater than that of the upper average grain size. The PDC includes a substrate having an interfacial surface that is bonded to the lower region of the PCD table. Other embodiments are directed methods of forming PDCs, and various applications for such PDCs in rotary drill bits, bearing apparatuses, and wire-drawing dies.

A hybrid bit includes an earth-boring element and a percussion element. The earth-boring element and the percussion element are coaxially arranged, with the earth-boring element surrounding the percussion element. A reciprocating member of the percussion element may oscillate in a manner that enables a bottom end of the reciprocating member to repeatedly protrude from a bottom end of the earth-boring element and to be repeatedly withdrawn. A configuration of the earth-boring element may enable it to drill into and remove some materials from an earth formation, while the percussion element may enable the hybrid bit to drill into and remove difficult-to-drill materials, including abrasive materials and/or materials with high compressive forces, such as chert.

A hybrid bit includes an earth-boring element and a percussion element. The earth-boring element and the percussion element are coaxially arranged, with the earth-boring element surrounding the percussion element. A reciprocating member of the percussion element may oscillate in a manner that enables a bottom end of the reciprocating member to repeatedly protrude from a bottom end of the earth-boring element and to be repeatedly withdrawn. A configuration of the earth-boring element may enable it to drill into and remove some materials from an earth formation, while the percussion element may enable the hybrid bit to drill into and remove difficult-to-drill materials, including abrasive materials and/or materials with high compressive forces, such as chert.

A cutting element comprises a supporting substrate, and a cutting table attached to an end of the supporting substrate. The cutting table comprises inter-bonded diamond particles, and a thermally stable material within interstitial spaces between the inter-bonded diamond particles. The thermally stable material comprises a carbide precipitate having the general chemical formula, A.sub.3XZ.sub.n-1, where A comprises one or more of Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Au, Hg, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Ac, Th, Pa, and U; X comprises one or more of Al, Ga, Sn, Be, Bi, Te, Sb, Se, As, Ge, Si, B, and P; Z comprises C; and n is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.75. A method of forming a cutting element, an earth-boring tool, a supporting substrate, and a method of forming a supporting substrate are also described.

A drill bit design generator uses drill bit metrics to generate drill bit designs with reduced 3D coupled vibration. The drill bit design generator generates an initial set of drill bit designs that are simulated in a deployed or artificial environment. Simulated drill bits according to the initial drill bit designs have gyroscopic sensors that detect the presence of 3D coupled vibration. A drill bit simulator tracks metrics such as side cutting efficiency and drilling efficiency during simulations and correlates these metrics with 3D coupled vibration. The drill bit design generator determines thresholds for these metrics using correlations with 3D coupled vibration and generates updated/new drill bit designs using the metric thresholds.

A drill bit design generator uses drill bit metrics to generate drill bit designs with reduced 3D coupled vibration. The drill bit design generator generates an initial set of drill bit designs that are simulated in a deployed or artificial environment. Simulated drill bits according to the initial drill bit designs have gyroscopic sensors that detect the presence of 3D coupled vibration. A drill bit simulator tracks metrics such as side cutting efficiency and drilling efficiency during simulations and correlates these metrics with 3D coupled vibration. The drill bit design generator determines thresholds for these metrics using correlations with 3D coupled vibration and generates updated/new drill bit designs using the metric thresholds.

A cutting element comprises a supporting substrate, and a cutting table attached to an end of the supporting substrate. The cutting table comprises inter-bonded diamond particles, and a thermally stable material within interstitial spaces between the inter-bonded diamond particles. The thermally stable material comprises a carbide precipitate having the general chemical formula, A.sub.3XZ.sub.n-1, where A comprises one or more of Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Au, Hg, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Ac, Th, Pa, and U; X comprises one or more of Al, Ga, Sn, Be, Bi, Te, Sb, Se, As, Ge, Si, B, and P; Z comprises C; and n is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.75. A method of forming a cutting element, an earth-boring tool, a supporting substrate, and a method of forming a supporting substrate are also described.

A cutting element comprises a supporting substrate, and a cutting table attached to an end of the supporting substrate. The cutting table comprises inter-bonded diamond particles, and a thermally stable material within interstitial spaces between the inter-bonded diamond particles. The thermally stable material comprises a carbide precipitate having the general chemical formula, A.sub.3XZ.sub.n-1, where A comprises one or more of Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Au, Hg, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Ac, Th, Pa, and U; X comprises one or more of Al, Ga, Sn, Be, Bi, Te, Sb, Se, As, Ge, Si, B, and P; Z comprises C; and n is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.75. A method of forming a cutting element, an earth-boring tool, a supporting substrate, and a method of forming a supporting substrate are also described.

A hybrid bit includes an earth-boring element and a percussion element. The earth-boring element and the percussion element are coaxially arranged, with the earth-boring element surrounding the percussion element. A reciprocating member of the percussion element may oscillate in a manner that enables a bottom end of the reciprocating member to repeatedly protrude from a bottom end of the earth-boring element and to be repeatedly withdrawn. A configuration of the earth-boring element may enable it to drill into and remove some materials from an earth formation, while the percussion element may enable the hybrid bit to drill into and remove difficult-to-drill materials, including abrasive materials and/or materials with high compressive forces, such as chert.