Underground Construction - October 2019 - 46

2019 CAPABILITIES GUIDE
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Choosing an Economic HDD Tooling Solution
for Utility Bores
Unless your horizontal directional drilling (HDD)
crews are working in in tough rock conditions regularly, investing in a dedicated rock drilling solution
like a dual rod machine, air hammer or mud motor
system may not be the most economical tooling
solution for your needs. Instead, you may want
to consider equipping your team with a versatile
HDD tooling package, like the Vermeer Armor®
drilling system, that has multiple drill bit options to
be productive in a wide range of conditions. This
rock-focused drilling system features a premium,
sideload housing assembly, numerous drill bits
designed for whatever rock formations you may
encounter, and extras, including swivels, pullback
mounts and bent sub adapters.
According to Jason Zylstra, product manager for
Lifecycle at Vermeer, the Vermeer Armor system is
a good fit for drilling in ground conditions ranging
from hard pack soils to rock up to 10,000 pounds
per square inch (68.9 MPa). "The system has several
bit options that can be easily and quickly swapped
out as soil conditions change," he explained. "Also,
the housing is constructed with dual water ports
that can deliver up to 70 gallons per minute (265
Lpm) at 800 fluid pressure per square inch (48.3
bar) of mud flow to effectively carry cuttings out of
the bore. The system's performance, as well as a
robust exterior design that uses a single roll pin to
secure the sonde lid to the housing instead of bolts,
gives contractors dependable performance on
challenging bores."

DRILL BIT OPTIONS

On many bores, ground conditions can change
quickly - one bore may start in soft soils and
then change to a more solid formation or cobble.
It's projects like these where the Vermeer Armor
system can improve a crew's efficiency because
they can swap between a range of bits by removing
a single pin, instead of dealing with a threaded,
torqued connection. Each bit in the Armor system
has been designed to perform efficiently in specific
conditions, and you can build your system one bit
at a time or all at once.
For working in hard packed soil, gravel or cobble,
you'll want to consider using a Lance™ Original or
Lance Pro bit. These bits have a scoop design to aid
with steering and limit wandering in challenging
ground conditions. The Lance Pro bit offers continuous carbide coverage across the front to help extend
the wear life. Both bits include a heavy-duty quick
pullback hook for smaller diameter installations.
Lance bits also perform well in cobble/broken
formations, but for solid formations you may want
to consider a Gauntlet™ bit. These bits are designed
for use in soft to medium rock, shale and caliche
up to 10,000 pounds per square inch (68.9 MPa)
while maintaining excellent steering capabilities.
There are also Gauntlet bit bolt-on options with a
pullback hook.
The single roller cone bit is designed to deliver
versatility in cobble and broken formations. As it
works through the ground, the cone's rotation helps
smooth out the entire drill string and reduce torque

spikes. For additional versatility in mixed and solid
rock conditions, the API bent sub adapter offers
compatibility with any API thread tri cone or PDC bit.
"All of the possible configurations with the
Vermeer Armor system help ensure a better tooling
match for whatever current ground conditions are,"
Zylstra explained. "And, as any drill operator knows,
having the right drill bit in challenging ground
conditions can make a world of difference."

REBUILDABLE DRILL BITS

Challenging, rocky soils are tough on bits, and
through a rebuild program offered by Vermeer you
can extend the life of Lance bits, and Gauntlet bits.
It's an easy-to-use program that can help reduce
your out-of-pocket tooling expenses and help you
get more from your rock tooling.
"To have a bit rebuilt, Armor system owners
simply need to contact their local Vermeer dealer to
send the bit or housing to the Vermeer manufacturing facility in Pella, Iowa," said Zylstra. "It will then be
analyzed to confirm it can be rebuilt to factory specifications - most bits can be rebuilt several times. The
whole process happens quickly, so we can get the
rebuilt tooling back out in the field working. It's just
one more reason why the Vermeer Armor system is
a great and economical rock drilling solution."

THREADED OPTIONS

The Vermeer Armor drilling system is a complete
system for challenging bores, but Vermeer now
offers its popular Gauntlet and Lance Pro bits on
the threaded Armor Direct API connection platform.
Since these models are threaded, you won't have
the ability to quickly swap out bits like you would
with the single roller pin design and the bits aren't
able to be rebuilt. However, threaded Gauntlet
and Lance Pro bits are productive and economical
options when you're working in tough conditions
that outmatch plate bits.
For more information about the Vermeer Armor
drilling system, talk to your local Vermeer dealer or
visit borestore.com. *
Vermeer Corporation reserves the right to make changes in product
engineering, design and specifications; add improvements; or
discontinue manufacturing or distribution at any time without
notice or obligation. Equipment shown is for illustrative purposes
only and may display optional accessories or components specific
to their global region. Please contact your local Vermeer dealer
for more information on machine specifications. Vermeer,
the Vermeer logo, Armor, Lance and Gauntlet are trademarks
of Vermeer Manufacturing Company in the U.S. and/or other
countries. © 2019 Vermeer Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

OCTOBER 2019 | UConOnline.com

Underground Construction - October 2019

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