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HARNESSING THE POWER OF
Michael Bouska and Jarred Koenig, IDS, USA,
examine how the call for improved drill bit performance in
challenging environments is being met.
R
ecently, the drilling industry has seen an unprecedented
evolution in technological advancements. The
bar for performance is continually rising, and the
demand for consistent, quality products is at an all time
high. In response, International Diamond Services (IDS)
has engineered solutions designed to overcome the most
challenging environments (Figure 1). This has led to faster,
longer and more economical solutions for the consumer.
Fatigue characteristics and product consistency are two
key PDC attributes that help to ensure the homogeneity of
the PDC layer, compatibility of composition, and process
conditions. Attention to material quality, preparation, and
process control are essential to achieving these attributes.
Furthermore, managing the residual stress at the PDC
interface and within the diamond table microstructure is a
critical component of product performance.
In order to identify the key elements that reduce PDC
residual stress, the company carried out several experiments
that tested multiple PDC design parameters. An in-depth
analysis was performed at the Argonne National Laboratory
in Chicago, Illinois, US, utilising their synchrotron. Seven
potential factors were identified that the company wanted to
evaluate. The seven factors were tested at two or three levels
each. The results led to the discovery that three of the factors
had a significant effect on residual stress. These findings
allowed the company to make the necessary adjustments in
the product design and manufacturing process and helped
lead to the development of a first-generation thermally
stable PDC.
Without the opportunity to test the theories developed,
the design of a thermally stable PDC that performed as well
or better than a leached PDC was initially believed to be
non-viable. However, a product was developed that allowed
customers to gain market share and improve performance
in previously unattainable areas, as outlined in the following
case studies.
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