Method and apparatus for manufacturing polycrystalline diamond stud assemblies for a drill bit. The stud assembly is cylindrical in form and has a truncation at one marginal end thereof. The truncated end includes a shelf which forms a land positioned perpendicular to a back to provide a seat for the polycrystalline diamond cutter element. The land and back lie in perpendicular planes which intersect the longitudinal axial centerline of the stud. The cutter element is semicircular in form and represents a cylinder or wafer which has been bisected by cutting so that the diameter of the cylinder is received against the land while the rear face of the cutter element is received against the back. The cutter element is fabricated in a fixture having a cavity therein which receives the stud and element therewithin, and spaced abutment means so that one abutment means can be moved towards the other to place the elements of the stud assembly in compression. Between one of the abutment means and the stud assembly is a shim having a very high coefficient of expansion with respect to the stud, cutter element, and the fixture. The fixture containing the stud assembly is heated, thereby causing the rear face and bottom of the element to be bonded to the back and land of the stud. The fixture is cooled, and the finished stud assembly removed therefrom to provide an improved polycrystalline diamond cutter assembly.