How to judge the quality of rock drill rods？

Date: Feb. 28, 2024

When evaluating the quality of rock drill rod, consider the following aspects:

• Tool construction: Compare the fracture of the cutting insert of the rock drill rod to the recommended dimensions, which is generally as narrow as 0.3 to 0.5mm and as deep as 100mm or more. The thinner the rod, the sharper and deeper will be the fracture.
• Ropes alignment: After installation, make sure the centerline of the rod does not change due to coiling or installation errors, otherwise the effectiveness of the cutting inserts may be reduced or the drill bit will tilt.
• Thread quality: The thread quality of the rock drill rod should be as fine as possible to ensure that the cutting insert can cut through the rock quickly and effectively.
• Grinding surface: The grinding surface of the rock drill rod should be smooth and uniform, which can reduce the friction and wear of the cutting insert and improve its service life.
• Weight and balance: The rock drill rod should have a certain balance and stability, so that when the drill bit is used to cut into rock, the rotation rate can be maintained accurately and wear of the bit can be reduced.
• Nitride hardness: Nitride hardness should be in line with that of low alloyed drilling pipe (LUPE) which has good hardness for supporting sleeves without sliding, and poor hardness for soft granite during pipe plunging, or non-critical thickness and good flexing capability under pressure when fracturing pipe materials are also required.
• Surface treatment: Surface treatment is also an important factor to consider when evaluating the quality of rock drill rod. For example, coating with a hard coating can improve the cutting efficiency and wear resistance of the cutting insert.

In general, when evaluating the quality of rock drill rod, it is recommended to compare it with similar products from other manufacturers or suppliers and check its performance in actual use.