BlueFire Equipment Corp., Houston, revealed its 3D printing initiative achieved a key milestone with the development of a digital model of its proprietary polycrystalline diamond cutter (PDC) drill bit. The highly complex digital model was prepared to stringent specifications for BlueFire by a Texas-based 3D scanning company.
Using SolidWorks, the 3D computer aided design (CAD) software, the team is currently working to finalize the design engineering of the scanned drill bit for 3D printing. By incorporating this leading edge technology, the company expects to achieve considerable cost savings compared to traditional manufacturing methods and expand engineering capabilities to further improve the product line.
Chairman and CEO of BlueFire Equipment Corporation William A. Blackwell said, “We are excited about continuing our industry leading position by making our innovative drilling products even more outstanding using 3D manufacturing.”
3D scanning works hand-in-hand with the 3D printing process. Scanners analyze a physical object to collect data on its shape, size and appearance using a laser or light to measure the distance between the scanner and the object. The captured data is then turned into a digital file used to print a 3D object.
BlueFire bits employ large cutter face volumes for rapid drilling of shales, sandstones, limestones and sticky clays. These bits utilize premium PDC cutters for improved ROP and are designed using directed ports to accelerate cleaning and optimize cooling. Company findings indicate a decrease of more than 30 percent in temperature on the cutting surfaces, drastically reducing cutter wear and extending the life of the bit.
Conventional bits use nozzles that eject drilling fluid into the well bottom resulting in a general application and uneven distribution at the point of contact. BlueFire’s bit design employs strategically aligned nozzles to concentrate high-pressure jet streams directly on the cutting edge, lubricating the interface between the cutters and the rock formation being drilled. Furthermore, improved cleaning and scouring action facilitates removal of cuttings. The result is a bit that runs cleaner and cooler.
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BlueFire Equipment Corp.
