An example mold assembly system includes a mold assembly including a mold forming a bottom of the mold assembly, a funnel operatively coupled to the mold, and an infiltration chamber defined at least partially by the mold and the funnel, the infiltration chamber being used for forming an infiltrated downhole tool. A mold assembly cap is positionable on the mold assembly and including a sidewall extendable about an outer periphery of the mold assembly at least partially along a height of the mold assembly. The sidewall exhibits a horizontal cross-sectional shape that accommodates a shape of the mold assembly and the sidewall is made of a thermal material that promotes directional solidification of the infiltrated downhole tool during fabrication.

Methods of forming at least a portion of an earth-boring tool include providing particulate matter including a hard material in a mold cavity, melting a metal and the hard material to form a molten composition comprising a eutectic or near-eutectic composition of the metal and the hard material, casting the molten composition to form the at least a portion of an earth-boring tool within the mold cavity, and providing an inoculant within the mold cavity. Methods of forming a roller cone of an earth-boring rotary drill bit include forming a molten composition, casting the molten composition within a mold cavity, solidifying the molten composition to form the roller cone, and controlling grain growth using an inoculant as the molten composition solidifies. Articles including components of earth-boring tools are fabricated using such methods.

Methods of forming at least a portion of an earth-boring tool include providing particulate matter including a hard material in a mold cavity, melting a metal and the hard material to form a molten composition comprising a eutectic or near-eutectic composition of the metal and the hard material, casting the molten composition to form the at least a portion of an earth-boring tool within the mold cavity, and providing an inoculant within the mold cavity. Methods of forming a roller cone of an earth-boring rotary drill bit include forming a molten composition, casting the molten composition within a mold cavity, solidifying the molten composition to form the roller cone, and controlling grain growth using an inoculant as the molten composition solidifies. Articles including components of earth-boring tools are fabricated using such methods.

A method for manufacturing a matrix drill bit includes: placing a metallic blank within a casting assembly including a mold having an inner surface formed into a negative shape of facial features of the drill bit; loading powder into an annulus formed between the blank and the mold, the powder including at least one of: ceramic powder and cermet powder; placing a binder alloy into the casting assembly over the blank and the mold; protecting the binder alloy from oxidation; inserting the casting assembly, blank, powder, and binder alloy into a furnace; operating the furnace to heat the protected binder alloy to an infiltration temperature between solidus and liquidus temperatures thereof, thereby infiltrating the powder with the binder alloy and forming a bit body; removing the bit body from the furnace; and after removal, attaching cutters to blades of the bit body.

A method for manufacturing a matrix drill bit includes: placing a metallic blank within a casting assembly including a mold having an inner surface formed into a negative shape of facial features of the drill bit; loading powder into an annulus formed between the blank and the mold, the powder including at least one of: ceramic powder and cermet powder; placing a binder alloy into the casting assembly over the blank and the mold; protecting the binder alloy from oxidation; inserting the casting assembly, blank, powder, and binder alloy into a furnace; operating the furnace to heat the protected binder alloy to an infiltration temperature between solidus and liquidus temperatures thereof, thereby infiltrating the powder with the binder alloy and forming a bit body; removing the bit body from the furnace; and after removal, attaching cutters to blades of the bit body.

The disclosure herein relates to a method for preparing ceramic grains comprising: making a slurry comprising inorganic particles and a gelling agent; making droplets of the slurry; introducing the droplets in a liquid gelling-reaction medium wherein the droplets are gellified; deforming the droplets before, during or after gellification; drying the gellified deformed droplets, thereby obtaining dried grains and sintering the dried grains, thereby obtaining the ceramic grains.

The disclosure herein further relates to ceramic grains obtainable by a disclosed method.

The disclosure herein relates to a method for preparing ceramic grains comprising: making a slurry comprising inorganic particles and a gelling agent; making droplets of the slurry; introducing the droplets in a liquid gelling-reaction medium wherein the droplets are gellified; deforming the droplets before, during or after gellification; drying the gellified deformed droplets, thereby obtaining dried grains and sintering the dried grains, thereby obtaining the ceramic grains.

The disclosure herein further relates to ceramic grains obtainable by a disclosed method.

A hammer mountable at a rotor of a horizontal shaft impact crusher (HSi-crusher), the hammer including a front face, a rear face and at least one recess projecting inwardly into a main body of the hammer from the front face. The at least one recess being arranged to receive an attachment element to mount the hammer at a hammer lifting device.

A hammer mountable at a rotor of a horizontal shaft impact crusher (HSi-crusher), the hammer including a front face, a rear face and at least one recess projecting inwardly into a main body of the hammer from the front face. The at least one recess being arranged to receive an attachment element to mount the hammer at a hammer lifting device.

The present disclosure is related to methods of manufacturing a hierarchical composite wear component comprising a reinforced part, said reinforced part comprising a reinforcement of a triply periodic minimal surface ceramic lattice structure, said structure comprising multiple cell units, said cell units comprising voids and micro-porous ceramic cell walls, the micro-pores of the cell walls comprising a sinter metal or a cast metal, the ceramic lattice structure being embedded in a bi-continuous structure with a cast metal matrix.