Importance

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Abstract

Disclosed herein is a ring cutter for a tunneling apparatus, the ring cutter formed by a process in one form comprising several steps. In one form, this mold is sacrificial, and may be a pair of parallel cylinders such as an outer and an inner cylinder with a gap there between. In one manufacturing process, a single mold is used to produce multiple cutters which are cast simultaneously within the single mold. In one form, the mold is formed in the final shape of the cutter, such that the cutter requires no further machining to be used in a tunneling apparatus. Another step being: disposing a volume of powdered metal, such as a nickel based alloy, into the mold. The powdered metal may then be subjected to isostatic gas pressures, and elevated sintering temperatures simultaneously (HIP) with the isostatic gas pressure to consolidate the powdered metal.

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First Claim