Roller Cone Rock Bits
- Tricon’s own TDS series for drilling in soft formation to very hard formation
- Constant product development
- Available in both open-air bearing type or sealed bearing type
Description
Tricon bits provide both performance and value to the end user. Our drill bits are developed through a coordinated interaction between our technical staff and end users. We have conducted extensive studies of drilling applications across North America, Mexico, South America, Australia and South Africa. These are the major mining areas in the world that provide the opportunity for rapid testing and dull bit analysis. We can make site-specific evaluations and apply appropriate design modifications to suit specific drilling applications.
Bearing Types
Open Air Bearings
These bits with open bearings are designed for drilling blast holes, flushing with air or water-air mixture. The bits of this line use both journal bearings (the bits ranging from 5 1/8” to 6 ¼”) and roller bearings (the bits ranging from 6 1/4” to 15 1/2”). They show high performance due to high-reliability bearing elements, cutting structure and bit body protection.
Cutting Structure: The bits of this line have Tungsten Carbide Inserts (TCI) as their cutting structure. Depending on the formation hardness the gauge is protected with TCI.
Shirttail & Leg Protection: Depending on the formations abrasiveness shirttail and leg are hardfaced along the leading edge and protected with tungsten carbide inserts.
Cone Protection: Special features are provided for cone steel erosion when drilling is abrasive formations
Sealed Roller Bearings
These bits with sealed Roller Bearings are designed for drilling blast holes, flushing with air or water-air mixture. The bits of this line use Roller-Ball-Roller bearings.
While sealed Roller Bearings have some of the features of Open to Air Bearings, the Bearing pack is protected with an O-Ring Seal and has lubrication and pressure compensator system built in. This prevents ingress of dirt into the Bearing system and leakage of grease. This configuration is used for Mining, Workover and Exploration applications.
Cutting Structure: The bits of this line have TCI as their cutting structure. To improve the protection against gauge loss, there are TCI on the gauge.
Shirttail & Leg Protection: Shirttails and legs are hardfaced along the leading edge and protected with tungsten carbide inserts.
Cone Protection: Special features are provided for cone steel erosion when drilling in abrasive formations.
Sealed Journal Bearings
These premium bits with sealed bearings are designed for drilling blast holes, flushing with air or water-air mixture. The bits of this line use journal bearings.
In Sealed Journal Bearing the Rollers inside the cone are replaced by a Floating Bush made out of a special alloy which is silver plated. The Bearing Pack is protected with an O-Ring Seal. The Bearing lubrication and pressure compensator system is built in. The Floating Bush is highly resistant to heat and galling.
They show high performance due to the seal, high-reliability bearing elements, cutting structure and bit body protection, achieving excellent results, especially in water-flooded holes.
Cutting Structure: The bits of this line have TCI as their cutting structure. To improve the protection against gauge loss, there are TCI on the gauge.
Lubrication System: Bit lubrication system is designed to compensate grease consumption and pressure during long-term operation. It consists of a grease reservoir with a rigidly mounted cap, a flexible diaphragm, a metal canister protecting the diaphragm from breakage, and channels to connect the grease reservoir with friction areas in bearings.
Shirttail & Leg Protection: Shirttails and legs are hardfaced along the leading edge and protected with tungsten carbide inserts.
Cone Protection: Special features are provided for cone steel erosion when drilling in abrasive formations.
Design Features
Tungsten Carbide Inserts
Cutting Protection
In a mining roller cone rock bit (open-air bearing type), the air flow passes through the bearing for cooling and cleaning the bearings.
Non-Return Valve
If nominated there is a valve unit inside the bit shank. It consists of a seat with a circular ledge, a spring loaded butterfly valve and a snap ring. To fix the valve unit, a snap ring is mounted inside the pin. To prevent cuttings getting into bit bearings, filters are located at the inlet of the cooling system. The valve unit of a drill bit functions as follows; While drilling the air flows into the bit shank, the valve washer is moved down by the air inside the shank cavity allowing the air to flow downhole through the slots in the cup and through nozzles and bearing air passages.
Side Air Flushing, Cooling & Cleaning
Bit Types
Soft to Soft-Medium Formation
TDS30 series >> TDS40 series
Application: For use in less abrasive softer formations with compressive strength ranging up to 140 Mpa, such as shales, limestones, carbonates and most metamorphic formations.
Cutting structure: These bits are characterized by large diameter, widely spaced chisel or sharp conical inserts with high projection. This configuration promotes maximum penetration rates in softer formations. Smaller carbide inserts are provided on the gage and inner rows to contain shell erosion and improve performance.
- Compression Strength: 2,000-20,000 psi
- Drilling Speeds: 70 – 120 rpm
- Jet Circulation: All sizes
- Weight on Bit (WOB): 2,000 – 4,500 lbs/in of bit diameter
- TDS30 Series IADC Code: 4-1-2
- TDS40 Series IADC Code: 4-2-2
Medium to Medium-Hard Formation
TDS50 series >> TDS60 series
Application: For use in moderately abrasive consolidated formations with compressive strength ranging between 140 – 485 Mpa such as hard limestone, quartzite, granodiorite, and medium grade metamorphic formations
Cutting structure: These bits are characterized by moderately spaced conical inserts with medium projection. This configuration promotes good penetration rates in medium hard and moderately abrasive formations. Smaller carbide inserts are provided on the gage and inner rows or hard metal is deposited in the nose area to contain shell erosion and improve performance.
- TDS50 Series Compression Strength: 20,000 – 50,000 psi
- TDS60 Series Compression Strength: 40,000 – 70,000 psi
- Drilling Speeds: 70 – 120 rpm
- Jet Circulation: All sizes
- Weight on Bit (WOB): 2,500 – 6,000 lbs/in of bit diameter
- TDS50 Series IADC Code: 5-2-2
- TDS60 Series IADC Code: 6-2-2
Hard to Hard-Very Hard Formation
TDS70 series >> TDS80 series
Application : For use in abrasive consolidated formations with compressive strength above 400 Mpa such as taconite, quartzite and banded iron formations
Cutting structure: These bits are characterized by closely spaced conical or spherical inserts with medium to low projection. This configuration promotes good penetration rates in hard, consolidated and very abrasive formations. Smaller carbide inserts are provided on the gage and inner rows or hard metal is deposited in the nose area to contain shell erosion and improve performance.
- TDS70 Series Compression Strength: 60,000 – 90,000 psi
- TDS80 Series Compression Strength: 80,000 – 100,000 psi
- Drilling Speeds: 50 – 90 rpm
- Jet Circulation: All sizes
- Weight on Bit (WOB): 4,000 – 7,500 lbs/in of bit diameter
- TDS70 Series IADC Code: 7-2-2, 7-3-2
- TDS80 Series IADC Code: 8-3-2
Cutting Selection Guide
IADC Code | MPa | 0 | 70 | 140 | 210 | 276 | 345 | 411 | 485 | 552 | 620 | 690 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ksi | 0 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60 | 70 | 80 | 90 | 100 | |
4-1-2 | TDS30 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||||
4-1-7 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||||||||
4-2-2 | TDS40 | ✔ | ✔ | |||||||||
4-2-7 | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||||||
5-1-2 | TDS50 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||||||
5-2-2 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||||
6-1-2 | TDS60 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||||||
6-2-2 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||||
6-2-7 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||||
6-3-7 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||||
7-2-2 | TDS70 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||||||
7-3-2 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||||
7-4-2 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||||
7-2-7 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||||
8-3-7 | TDS80 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Product Series
Open-Air Bearing Type
Bit Size | 6¾” (171mm) | 7⅞” (200mm) | 9″ (229mm) | 9⅞” (251mm) | 10⅝” (270mm) | 12¼” (311mm) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Series / Pin | 3½” API REG | 4½” API REG | 6⅝” API REG | |||
TDS30 | ✔ (4-1-2) |
✔ (4-1-2) |
✔ (4-1-2) |
|||
TDS40 | ✔ (4-1-2) |
✔ (4-1-2) |
✔ (4-2-2) |
✔ (4-1-2) |
✔ (4-2-2) |
|
TDS50 | ✔ (5-1-2) |
✔ (5-1-2) |
✔ (5-2-2) |
✔ (5-1-2) (5-2-2) |
✔ (5-2-2) |
✔ (5-2-2) |
TDS55 | ✔ (5-4-2) |
|||||
TDS60 | ✔ (6-2-2) |
✔ (6-2-2) |
✔ (6-1-2) (6-2-2) |
✔ (6-2-2) |
✔ (6-1-2) (6-2-2) |
✔ (6-2-2) |
TDS70 | ✔ (7-2-2) |
✔ (7-2-2) |
✔ (7-2-2) |
✔ (7-2-2) |
||
TDS75 | ✔ (7-4-2) |
✔ (7-4-2) |
Sealed Bearing Type
Bit Size | 6¾” (171mm) | 7⅞” (200mm) | 9″ (229mm) | 9⅞” (251mm) | 10⅝” (270mm) | 12¼” (311mm) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Series / Pin | 3½” API REG | 4½” API REG | 6⅝” API REG | |||
TDS30S | ✔ (4-1-7) |
✔ (4-1-5) |
✔ (4-1-7) |
|||
TDS40S | ✔ (4-3-7) |
✔ (4-2-7) |
||||
TDS50S | ||||||
TDS55S | ||||||
TDS60S | ✔ (6-1-5) |
✔ (6-2-5) |
||||
TDS70S | ✔ (7-2-7) |
|||||
TDS75S |