PDC Bit Body Material

PDC Bit

The PDC bit body may be

  1. Steel Body :
    • The bit body is forged or milled from steel (steel-bodied bits).
    • The cutters on a steel body bit are manufactured as studs.
    • The stud can be set with a fixed back rake and/or side rake.
    • Field experience with the steel body bit indicates that face erosion is a problem, but this has been overcome to some extent by applying a hard-facing compound.
    • Steel body bits also tend to suffer from broken cutters due to limited impact resistance. This limited impact resistance is because there is no support to the stud cutter.
    • They are preferred as they can be easily repaired but suffer from erosion.
  2. Matrix Body :
    • Matrix Body Bits are constructed in a cast from tungsten carbide (matrix bit).
    • They are more resistant to erosion but are prone to bit balling in soft clay formations due to their low blade height compared with steel-bodied bits.
    • Matrix body bits have an economic disadvantage because the raw materials used in their manufacture are more expensive.
PDC bit body steel matrix material

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