ISSN 2319-8885

Vol.03,Issue.43
November-2014,
Pages:8624-8630
www.ijsetr.com

Modeling, Analysis and Manufacturing Process of DTH Button Bit

KOTESWARARAO.B1, G.SRAVANI 2
1
PG Scholar, Pydah College of Engineering, Kakinada, AP, India, E-mail: basam.koteswararao@gmail.com.
2
Assistant Professor, Pydah College of Engineering, Kakinada, AP, India.

Abstract: DTH is short for "down-the-hole". The down-the-hole drilling is used to produce large-diameter holes or bores in to
the hard rock surfaces of earth crust.DTH drilling is useful producing of either straight holes as well as direction holes. The
main tools which are used in DTH drilling are DTH hammer and DTH button bit. This project deals with complete
manufacturing process of 6.5 inch DTH button bit and modeling analysis of DTH button bit (1) with button materials instead of
existing one. Modeling and analysis of DTH button bit deals with evaluate the button bit with multiple button materials like
tungsten carbide(2), Titaninium carbide(3) and oil quenched steel(4). The main aim of this project is to find out the suitable
material for button manufacturing among tungsten carbide, titanium carbide and oil quenched steel. This analysis consists of
structural and frequency analysis of button bit with multiple buttons, by using proE and solid works software’s.

Keywords: Button Bit, Tungsten Carbide, Titanium Carbide, Oil Quenched Steel.

I. INTRODUCTION so on. The DTH button bit is the multi point cutting tool that
DTH is short for "down-the-hole". The down-the-hole cut the rocks and soil used to make holes or bores in to the
drilling is used to produce large-diameter holes in rocks, hard rock surfaces of the earth and to breaking the rocks and
usually in the initial stage prior to blasting, but it is also used the solid masses of land in its way .it is the key part of entire
in non-blasting applications. DTH drilling are used mostly in rig. The down-the-hole bit is subject to severe stress from the
mining quarries but can be used in a variety of other striking piston as well as from the abrasive cuttings passing
construction applications. The DTH drilling method is the bit at high velocity.
growing in popularity, with increases in all application
segments, including blast-hole, water well, foundation, oil &
gas, cooling systems and drilling for heat exchange pumps.
Applications were later found for the DTH method
underground, where the direction of drilling is generally
upwards instead of downwards. In DTH drilling, the
percussion mechanism commonly called the hammer is
located directly behind the drill bit. The drill pipes transmit
the necessary feed force and rotation to hammer and bit plus
compressed air for the hammer and flushing of cuttings. The
drill pipes are added to the drill string successively behind Fig1. DTH Button Bit.
the hammer as the hole gets deeper. The piston strikes the
impact surface of the bit directly, while the hammer casing A. Types of Button Bits
gives straight and stable guidance of the drill bit. This means Based on shape of the button bit face bits are classified in to
that the impact energy does not have to pass through any three types. They are concave, convex, and flat.
joints at all. 1. Concave:

The impact energy Different types of bits depending on the

type of soil and the working conditions. The different types
of bits are concave, convex and flat. The holes can be drilled
ranging from 4 1/2 inch to 32 inch. The way to choose
suitable drilling equipment is complicated and a lot of
information is required to reach performance and economy in
the operation. Aspects that have to be taken into
consideration are the purpose of the borehole, geology,
hydrogeology pump, method of drilling, flushing media and Fig1. Concave.

Copyright @ 2014 IJSETR. All rights reserved.

 KOTESWARARAO.B, G.SRAVANI
This face has been utilized in very hard drilling formation. iii. Thermal Properties:
Face design allows for increased body support for gauge CTE = 11.5 mm/m oc
carbide. There are two gauges and the inner gauge row helps Specific heat = 0.472 J/g - oc
to protect the outer row from excessive wear. Convex bit is Thermal conduction = 51.9 w/n-k
used in applications where the rock is somewhat worn away
and drills with two buttons as opposed to one. Applications: B. Composition of en36c:
Soft to medium hard rock. Non abrasive formations. High C = 0.12 %
penetration rate. Typical formations: Limestones,Hard Mn = 0.30 %
limestone, Shale. Si = 0.10 %
Cr = 0.60 %
Ni = 3.19 %
Mi = 0.14 %
S = 0.05

III. MODELING AND ANALYSIS OF BUTTON BIT

A. Specifications of Button Bit
Load = 9 tones
Rotational Speed of the button bit = 900 rpm
Weight of component = 23kgs
Manufacturing Material = EN36C
Fig2. Flat.

This bit is very aggressive in drilling application and is

suited best for very hard rock and broken formation. Face
slots help eliminate bit plugging in softer Zones. More
carbide to surface contact for better rock fracture. It is a
simple and a robust design well suited for medium to hard
rock formations. Flat-faced bits are used in heavy-duty
drilling applications where the drilling is deep. As described,
the face of the bit is flat as it drills. Applications: Hard and
abrasive formations, all rounds. Typical formations: Granite,
hard limestone, basalt.

II. MATERIAL USED FOR BUTTON BIT

EN36C is a case hardening steel or nickel chromium steel.
It is low carbon steel or carburizing steel that offers high core
strength, high fatigue strength, high temperature resistance
and high harden ability. It can achieve carburized case
hardness of 60-62 HRC (comparable to conventional gear Fig3. Base Model of DTH Button Bit.
steels such as 8620, 9310, etc.) but provides ultrahigh core
properties for demanding shaft and gear applications. It’s
high tempering temperature (900°F) offers a 400-600°F
increase in thermal stability relative to conventional gear
steels.

A. Properties of EN36c
i. Physical Properties:
Density = 7.85 g / cc
ii. Mechanical Properties:
Hardness= 40 HRC
Ultimate tensile strength = 1238 Mpa
Yield tensile strength = 993 Mpa
Elongation at break = 200 Gpa
Modulus of elasticity = 200 Gpa
Bulk modulus = 140 Gpa
Machinabilty = 50 %
Shear modulus = 80 Gpa
Fig4. Mesh Model of DTH Button Bit.

International Journal of Scientific Engineering and Technology Research

Volume.03, IssueNo.43, November-2014, Pages: 8624-8630
 Modeling, Analysis and Manufacturing Process of DTH Button Bit
Table1. Results
material
Allowable
Stress Displacement Strain
values
values
Tungsten
1.886 0.521 0.0062 344 mpa
carbide
Titanium
1.689 0.00054 0.0000054 2000 mpa
carbide
Steel 1.718 0.00045 0.0000054 1345 mpa

IV. BUTTON BIT MANUFACTURING PROCESSES

Fig5. Structural analysis of oil quenched steel.
1. Material selections
Round corner square bars are delivered in the as rolled
stage. These bars have rounded edges, the radius is
approximately,15% of the side length. Round Corner Square
Bars are available in standard size ranging from 20 mm to
160 mm. These are available in different grades such as
carbon steel, and alloy steel and also in the specified grade as
per the clients’ requirements. These Bars are known for its
features such as robust construction, durable, application
specific design.

2. Defects in materials
Selecting high quality materials is an essential factor to be
considered during the selection of materials. Profit and
quality of the product mainly depends up on the selection of
quality material. While we aim to purchase only quality
materials we often find defects. These can be either 'natural'
or 'artificial'.

3. Quality checking
a. Dimensional Test
In dimensional test the physical properties such length of
RCS, width, thickness of a material, physical appearance of a
material, rust or corrosion on a surface, scratches,
indentations, external cracks , uneven surfaces, external
bending of RCS should be tested. This quality check is must
be conducted by quality engineer
Fig6. Structural analysis of Titanium carbide.
b. Ultrasonic flaw detection test
Before going to cut the round corner square material
(RCS) it has to be check to detect the material defects inside
of the material. For this purpose ultra sonic flaw detector is
used.

Fig8.Ultrasonic flaw detectors.

Fig7. Structural analysis of Tungsten carbide.
International Journal of Scientific Engineering and Technology Research
Volume.03, IssueNo.43, November-2014, Pages: 8624-8630
 KOTESWARARAO.B, G.SRAVANI
The UDS2-RDM-22 flaw detector is designed for revealing
defects along the whole length and across the rail and RCS
bar sections, with continuous testing at a movement speed up
to 4km/hr.
c. Spectro Metal Analyzer
The principle of the analysis method of SPECTRO´s
stationary metal analyzers is optical emission spectroscopy.
Sample material is vaporized on the spark stand by an arc or
spark discharge. The atoms and ions contained in the atomic
vapour are excited into emission of radiation. The radiation
intensity, which is proportional to the concentration of the
element in the sample, is recalculated internally from a stored
set of calibration curves and can be shown directly as percent
concentration.
Fig9. Spectro metal analyzer.
d. Metal Cutting
The material is cut by a Band saw with a conveyor the
cutting of material is fast in the process. The pieces will be
then weighed and the pieces that are less than the given
weight specified and its tolerance are rejected and the
remaining are sent for further machining.
Fig10. Material cutting.
International Journal of Scientific Engineering and Technology Research
Volume.03, IssueNo.43, November-2014, Pages: 8624-8630
e. Forging
This process usually carried above recrystalization temp-
erature. Therefore, it is called as hot working process. For our
raw materials selected, the piece is kept in the furnace and
heated to a temperature of 9000 C -12000 C. The different
Types of forging are Open die forging.
Fig11. Forging.
Then the piece is forged to steps. The piece will be in red
hot even in these conditions. Then the piece in the form of
steps is placed in the mould and they drop forged. Then the
piece attains the shape of the die finally the piece is kept in
air for cooling. Next, the piece will be sent for further
machining. After forging, the metal will be of 34.5kg in
mass.
f. Annealing
Annealing generally refers to any heating and cooling
operation that is usually applied to induce softening. Our
piece from forging reaches annealing. Here the piece is
heated to 9800 c and left for 10 hrs.Then it is cooled in the
atmosphere air for 3hrs.Then the pieces are again heated for
about 8hrs.It is left in the furnace for 2hrs and then taken out
for cooling.
Fig11. Work piece after annealing.
After annealing, the metal becomes soft for machining.
Then it is sent for further machining. Then sent for further
machining. Mass of the piece after annealing is 32kg.
 Modeling, Analysis and Manufacturing Process of DTH Button Bit
g. Rough Turning
It is the process of metal removal in the form of chips when
the tool is feed against the rotating piece. The process is
suitable for cylindrical jobs only. The turning is carried out
by carbide tipped tool. This turning need no accuracy i.e., the j. Deep Whole Drilling
dimensions may vary up to 1mm.
Fig12. Rough turning.
The mass of the piece after roughing will be 30kg. The
main aim of this roughing will be removal of the top layer.
After this, the dimensions are to be perfectly maintained. The
piece is then sent to further machining
h. Introduction To CNC
The CNC control will interpret a CNC program and
activate the series of commands in sequential order. As it
reads the program, the CNC control will activate the
appropriate machine functions, cause axis motion, and in
general, follow the instructions given in the program.
Fig13. Surface turning
I. Finish and Turning
In this cnc machine three tool bits are used. First tool bit is
used to produce the shank. Second tool bit is allotted for
International Journal of Scientific Engineering and Technology Research
Volume.03, IssueNo.43, November-2014, Pages: 8624-8630
performing roughing operation and third one is for finishing.
in this cnc machine to reduce the heat of working part , to
reduce the temperature of tool and for cleaning purpose
quacker coolant is used. Scrap is collected automatically.
In the process, the top surface of the bit is drilled with 30
mm to a distance 254.8 mm from the top surface. This is
done by using a deep hole-drilling machine is operated
hydraulically. The tool is fitted to the moving end of the
machine tailstock. The oil is pumped continuously into and
out of machine for tail; stock movement first drilling and
then boring is done in the drilled hole.
l. Welding
Welding is done to the top section of the round milling. The
purpose of welding is to posses high strength and wear
resistance to the outer surface of the head of the button bit. It
provides hardness to the top of the round milling.
m. Carburizing
In this process carbon is added to the surface of the button
bit. Before carburization of button bit the percentage of
button bit material is 0.16 to 0.4 %. During carburizing
carbon is induced in to the surfaces of button bit. Due to this
the carbon percentage of the button bit is increased to 0.4- 0.6
%.
n. Hardening
In hardenining process the button bits are heated to the
860 degree centigrade temperature, after that it is held at that
temperature until the desired internal structural changes take
place. This process is called soaking. The length of time held
at temperature is called the soaking period. The oil mixtures
are more suitable for metals that need a soaking period
depends on the chemical analysis of the slower rate of
cooling. Generally, carbon steels are water-hardened and
alloy steels are oil-hardened. soaking period is determined by
the largest section .During the soaking stage, the temperature
of the button bit is slowly brought down to the room
temperature. The Electrical furnace is used to heat the salt
bath 800 degree centigrade. The soaking temperature is 800
degree centigrade and soaking time is 1.5 hr
o. Periphery Drilling
10 no of holes are to be produced on the periphery of the
button bit, to insert the tungsten buttons on the periphery of
the button bit. The diameter of the button is 16.7 mm. Depth
of the periphery hole is 22.2 mm. Air hole is also provided at
the center of periphery drilled hole with a diameter of 6 mm
and depth of air hole is 5mm.the purpose of providing air
hole to the drill hole is to tap the excess air during insertion
of buttons. The depth of the air hole for periphery drilling is
(22.5 + 5) mm. A vertical CNC drilling machine is used to
produced holes on the face and periphery of the bit. Speed is
500 rpm for face drilling, 600 rpm for periphery drilling.
Drilled hole tolerance is 10 microns for both periphery and
face drilling holes.
 KOTESWARARAO.B, G.SRAVANI
widely applied for rock tools, mining tools for use in
quarrying and mining, tunneling, and civil constructions.
These are generally made of tungsten carbide, which is
imported from West china .These are pressed into the holes
of the bit. As this is a interference fit. The buttons once in
cannot be removed out. 20 buttons are required for each
button bit. 10 buttons needed for periphery and other 10
buttons needed for face.

Fig14. Face Drilling and Periphery Drilling.

p. Inspection
A digital bore gauge is used to measure or check the
accuracy of the diameter of a bore to eliminate the wastage of
a time during checking. Bore gauge consisting of two jaws.
Before going to check the hole the pressure of bore gauge is
set as 16.70 for the hole which is to be checked. when the
jaws are inserted in the hole it shows the difference between
the standard hole to the existing hole. It consist of digital
screen, on digital screen it shows the readings of particular
hole. Blaso cut 4000 coolant is used to remove heat and to
clean the work place.
Fig16. Buttons with copper washer.
B. Material of button
Tungsten carbide (WC) is an inorganic chemical compound
containing equal parts of tungsten and carbon atoms.
Colloquially, tungsten carbide is often simply called carbide.
In it is most basic form, it is a fine gray powder, but it can be
pressed and formed into shapes for use in industrial
machinery, tools, abrasives, as well as jewelry. Tungsten
carbide is approximately three times stiffer than steel, with a
Young's modulus of approximately 550 Gpa, and is much
denser than steel or titanium. It is comparable with corundum
(α-Al2O3) or sapphire in hardness and can only be polished
and finished with abrasives of superior hardness such as
cubic boron nitride and diamond amongst others, in the form
of powder, wheels, and compounds.

C. Applications
 Used for water well drilling.
 Used for mining and quarry.
 Used for short hole drilling.
 Used for mineral exploration.
Fig15. Bore Gauge  Used for civil constructions.
 Used for drifting
V. BUTTON PRESSING  Used for tunneling
A. Buttons  Used for making of bore wells
Tungsten Carbide buttons has its unique performance and
are widely applied to oil filed drilling and snow removal. VI. CONCLUSION
According to the different oil-field drilling machinery such as Based on the modeling and analysis software like CREO
roller cone bits, DTHbits, geotechnical drilling tools, etc. and ANSYS some of the results are obtained. These results
Carbide buttons are used in the coal cutter drilling tools, mine are taken based on the stress , strain and deflection values of
machinery tools and road maintenance tools for snow each material button bit .among all these materials oil
clearing and road cleaning. Carbide mining button bits are quenched steel gives lower values of stress strain and

International Journal of Scientific Engineering and Technology Research

Volume.03, IssueNo.43, November-2014, Pages: 8624-8630
 Modeling, Analysis and Manufacturing Process of DTH Button Bit
deflection than that of the remaining materials. By using of
oil quenched steel buttons to the DTH button bit life is
increased and it can sustain under high loads like 9 tones. So
oil quenched steel buttons are preferable to overcome the
problems that are faced by the DTH buttons bit like
deflection, stress and strain.

VII. FUTURE SCOPE

In KLR industries ltd they faces a problem that is during
drilling of holes in to the hard rock surfaces of earth crust,
wearing of periphery of button bit takes place .This is due to
rotation and linear moment of a button bit . for the reduction
of this problem, they applied welding at the top of the round
milling .the button bit already gets hardened during
carburization .due to this application of welding it becomes
brittle ,during rotation and a linear moment of a button bit in
to the rock surfaces it leads to button cut and face cut. For the
remedy of that problem I suggested that instead of welding
applying ceramic coating on the periphery of button bit .due
to this ceramic coating the periphery of button bit gets
hardened, and it improves the wear and tear resistance of
button bit. I hope that in future they may implement my
suggestion to overcome the above problem i also suggested
that by decreasing rough turning about 2mm there is a
possibility for saving of materials about 2kgs .instead of
rough turning if we can use exact dimensions of bit from the
forging .It leads to availability of button bit at lower cost and
also profits for the management. In future There is a scope
for reducing the weight of button bit and increase the strength
by the using of different new trend materials like aluminum
alloys and other type of materials. Generally the life of the
button bit is 2000 fts. In future there is a scope for increasing
the life of button bit for 4000 feet’s. Some of the DTH button
bit failures are occur during operation they are Bottom Cut,
Chip Off, Cracks, Shank Cut, Periphery Button Cut, Face
Button Cut and V Shape Cut. In future these button bit
failures requires remedies for the improvement of button bit
life.
VIII. ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This paper is based on M. Tech. project carried out by the
student of Pydah College of engineering, Kakinada studying
M.Tech (Thermal engineering).The project had been
completed by Ms. Koteswararao.B bearing H.T.no.:
126T1D2103 under the guidance of Ms.G. SRAVANI. I am
very much grateful to Mr.K.SATISH, Associate professor,
SMGOIH for his necessary technical support and stimulated
guidance throughout the course of the project work. I take
this opportunity to record our obligations to Mr. .MOHAN,
Design engineer for his encouragement and in valuable
guidance for the development of this project.

IX. REFERENCES
[1] www.dthrotarydrilling.com.
[2] www.drillingrigsindia.com.
[3]R.Hamilton P.Makulsawatudum, & D. Meckenzie, “Stress
concentration On Dth Button Bit”, Journal of Strain Analysis,
Vol 4, pp 415-421, 2009.

International Journal of Scientific Engineering and Technology Research

Volume.03, IssueNo.43, November-2014, Pages: 8624-8630