A method of forming a cutting element comprises disposing diamond particles in a container and disposing a metal powder on a side of the diamond particles. The diamond particles and the metal powder are sintered so as to form a polycrystalline diamond material and a low-carbon steel material comprising less than 0.02 weight percent carbon and comprising an intermetallic precipitate on a side of the polycrystalline diamond material. Related cutting elements and earth-boring tools are also disclosed.

The invention relates to a surface-hardened, rotationally symmetrical workpiece, to a hardening method and to a hardening apparatus. The proposed hardening apparatus comprises a machine frame on which two coaxially arranged rotary bearings designed to support a rotationally symmetrical workpiece are arranged, at least one rotary bearing being operatively connected to a drive device to generate rotation of the workpiece; and at lease one laser apparatus for generating focused, high-energy radiation is arranged on said rotary bearing, said laser apparatus being movable in the axial direction, and the radiation being directed toward the workpiece.

The invention relates to a surface-hardened, rotationally symmetrical workpiece, to a hardening method and to a hardening apparatus. The proposed hardening apparatus comprises a machine frame on which two coaxially arranged rotary bearings designed to support a rotationally symmetrical workpiece are arranged, at least one rotary bearing being operatively connected to a drive device to generate rotation of the workpiece; and at lease one laser apparatus for generating focused, high-energy radiation is arranged on said rotary bearing, said laser apparatus being movable in the axial direction, and the radiation being directed toward the workpiece.

A wear-resistant armored cutting tool may be provided. The wear-resistant armored cutting tool may include a tool body, a bolster, at least one wear-resistant member, and a cutting tip. The bolster may be fixedly attached to the tool body with an end of a surface of the tool body disposed adjacent the bolster. The at least one wear-resistant member may be fixedly attached to the tool body. The at least one wear-resistant member may be disposed adjacent to the end of the surface of the tool body. The cutting tip may be fixedly attached to the bolster. The bolster, the at least one wear-resistant member, and the cutting tip may each have a material hardness which is greater than that of the tool body.

A method of treating a sintered mining insert including cemented carbide includes the step of subjecting the mining insert to a surface hardening process. The surface hardening process is executed at an elevated temperature of or above 100° C. A mining insert is also provided, wherein the HV1 Vickers hardness measurement increase (HV1%) from the surface region, measured as an average of HV1 measurements taken at 100 μm, 200 μm and 300 μm below the surface, compared to the HV1 Vickers hardness measured in the bulk (HV1bulk), is at least 8.05-0.00350×HV1bulk.

A method of treating a sintered mining insert including cemented carbide includes the step of subjecting the mining insert to a surface hardening process. The surface hardening process is executed at an elevated temperature of or above 100° C. A mining insert is also provided, wherein the HV1 Vickers hardness measurement increase (HV1%) from the surface region, measured as an average of HV1 measurements taken at 100 μm, 200 μm and 300 μm below the surface, compared to the HV1 Vickers hardness measured in the bulk (HV1bulk), is at least 8.05-0.00350×HV1bulk.

A wear-resistant armored cutting tool may be provided. The wear-resistant armored cutting tool may include a tool body, a bolster, at least one wear-resistant member, and a cutting tip. The bolster may be fixedly attached to the tool body with an end of a surface of the tool body disposed adjacent the bolster. The at least one wear-resistant member may be fixedly attached to the tool body. The at least one wear-resistant member may be disposed adjacent to the end of the surface of the tool body. The cutting tip may be fixedly attached to the bolster. The bolster, the at least one wear-resistant member, and the cutting tip may each have a material hardness which is greater than that of the tool body.

Provided is a free-cutting steel that, despites not containing Pb, has machinability by cutting higher than or equal to that of a low carbon sulfur-lead composite free-cutting steel. A free-cutting steel comprises: a chemical composition that contains, in mass %, C: less than 0.09%, Mn: 0.50% to 1.50%, S: 0.250% to 0.600%, O: more than 0.010% and 0.050% or less, and Cr: 0.50% to 1.50%, with a balance consisting of Fe and inevitable impurities, and in which a A value defined by the following formula (1) is 6.0 to 18.0, and a steel microstructure in which at least 500 particles/mm.sup.2 of sulfide of less than 1 μm in equivalent circle diameter and at least 2000 particles/mm.sup.2 of sulfide of 1 μm to 5 μm in equivalent circle diameter are distributed.

A system for treating material of a cutting element may include a method, and the method may include providing a piece of material to form a blank for the cutting element, and applying a cladding material to at least a portion of the blank utilizing a laser to bond a cladding powder to the exterior surface of the blank. The application may include selecting and utilizing a power level of the laser and a rate of movement of the spot of the laser across the exterior surface which is effective to form a stratum of martensite in the substrate of the material below the exterior surface and the cladding material bonded to the exterior surface. The method may further include removing a portion of the cladded blank to form a cutting edge with a portion of the stratum of martensite exposed at the cutting edge.

A system for treating material of a cutting element may include a method, and the method may include providing a piece of material to form a blank for the cutting element, and applying a cladding material to at least a portion of the blank utilizing a laser to bond a cladding powder to the exterior surface of the blank. The application may include selecting and utilizing a power level of the laser and a rate of movement of the spot of the laser across the exterior surface which is effective to form a stratum of martensite in the substrate of the material below the exterior surface and the cladding material bonded to the exterior surface. The method may further include removing a portion of the cladded blank to form a cutting edge with a portion of the stratum of martensite exposed at the cutting edge.