Drilling Bit Dull Grading
Roller Cone and Fixed Cutter Bits
December 2010
IADC Dull Grading System
T B G REMARKS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
CUTTING STRUCTURE B G REMARKS
Inner Outer Dull Loca- Brng. Gage Other Reason
Rows Rows Char. tion Seal 1/16 Dull Pulled
(I) (O) (D) (L) (B) (G) (O) (R)
Identifying TCI Rows
Heel Row
Gage Row
Inner Row
TCI Bit
Identifying MT Rows
Gage Row
Inner Row
MT Bit
Shirttail Definitions – RC Bits
Shirttail
– The shirttail is that area
below a horizontal line Leg
drawn through the ball
plug.
Shirttail
Ball Plug
I: Inner Rows – RC Bits
Used to report the condition of the
cutting elements NOT touching the wall
of the hole.
Linear scale from 0 - 8 measuring the Milled Tooth
combined cutting structure reduction
due to lost, worn and/or broken cutting
elements.
TCI Bit
I: Inner Rows – PDC Bits
• Used to record the average
wear on the inner two-thirds
(⅔) of the bit radius
• Cutter wear is recorded using
a linear scale from 0 to 8
0 = no diamond wear
8 = no diamond remaining
PDC cutter wear should be measured across the
diamond table regardless of the cutter shape, size,
type or exposure
I: Inner Rows – PDC Bits
Inner/Outer Designation
1/3
2/3
(O)
(I)
PDC Cutter Effective Exposure
IADC Dull Grading
System grades the entire Blade 0
Top
cutter diameter Cutter
Exposure
8
I: Inner Rows – Bi-Center Bits
Bi-Center Bits
• Inner section is considered the entire
pilot section
PDC cutter wear should be measured across
the diamond table regardless of the cutter
shape, size, type or exposure
Dull Grading Impreg Bits
Impregnated bits (K series, old
Xtend series)
Use a ratio of remaining rib-height
to original rib-height
• If original rib-height was 0.5”
and remaining rib-height is
0.25”, grading would be ‘4’
(50% wear)
Inner row wear is graded on a 0 to
8 scale .
Rib Height for Various Impregnated Bits
XTG/KINETIC
XTN XTS
w/9mm GHI w/13mm GHI
13/ "
⅜” ⅜” 32 ½”
Note: Chart does not apply for bit diameters 5" and under
Dull Grading Impreg Bits
Impregnated bits (K series, old Xtend
series)
Kinetic bits with GHI (Grit Hot-Pressed
Inserts)
At the point where the GHI is flush with
the ribs, the bit should be graded a ‘1’
• Wear after that point is measured the
same as conventional impregnated
bits.
Rib Height for Various Impregnated Bits
XTG/KINETIC
XTN XTS
w/9mm GHI w/13mm GHI
13/ "
⅜” ⅜” 32 ½”
Note: Chart does not apply for bit diameters 5" and under
Dull Grading Impreg Bits
O: Outer Rows – RC Bits
Used to report the condition of
the cutting elements that TOUCH
the wall of the hole
Linear scale from 0 - 8 measuring Milled Tooth
the combined cutting structure
reduction due to lost, worn and/or
broken cutting elements.
TCI Bit
O: Outer Rows – PDC Bits
• Used to record the average
wear on the outer one-third
(⅓) of the bit radius
• Cutter wear is recorded using
a linear scale from 0 to 8
0 = no diamond wear
8 = no diamond remaining
PDC cutter wear should be measured across
the diamond table regardless of the cutter
shape, size, type or exposure
O: Outer Rows – Bi-Center Bits
Bi-Center Bits
• Outer section is considered the
entire reamer
Amount of cutter wear is
determined by the same method
as for PDC bits
PDC cutter wear should be measured across
the diamond table regardless of the cutter
shape, size, type or exposure
D: Dull Characteristics
BC - Broken Cone LN - Lost Nozzle
BF - Bond Failure # LT - Lost Teeth/Cutters
BT - Broken Teeth/Cutters NO - No Dull Characteristic
BU - Balled Up OC - Off Center Wear
CC - Cracked Cone PB - Pinched Bit
CD - Cone Dragged PN - Plugged Nozzle
CI - Cone Interference RG - Rounded Gage
CR - Cored RO - Ring Out #
CT - Chipped Teeth/Cutters SD - Shirttail Damage
ER - Erosion SS - Self Sharpening Wear
FC - Flat Crested Wear TR - Tracking
HC - Heat Checking WO - Washed Out Bit
JD - Junk Damage WT - Worn Teeth/Cutters
LC - Lost Cone
Show cone number or numbers under location (L)
# Not used for roller cone bits
D: Dull Characteristics
• Two letter code to indicate the major dull characteristic of the
cutting structure.
This column is only for codes that apply to cutting structures
Recommendation - input only one dull characteristic code
• Which code do I select?
Recommendation - The cutting structure dull characteristic is the
observed characteristic that would most likely limit further usage of
the bit in that application
L: Location – RC Bits
• Uses a letter or number code to indicate the location on the face of the
bit where the cutting structure dull characteristic occurs
G = Gage: those cutting elements which touch the hole wall.
N = Nose: the centermost cutting elements of the bit.
M = Middle: the cutting elements between the nose and the gage.
A = All rows
Cone numbers
Recommendation: a maximum of two characters to be input
Location Identification Rule – RC Bits
Gauge
Middle
Nose
Cone Identification Rule – RC Bits
#1 #1
Centermost Cutting Element
(Spearpoint)
#3 #2 #3 #2
L: Location – PDC Bits
• Uses a letter code to indicate the location on the bit face
where the major dull characteristic occurs
C = Cone
N = Nose
T = Taper
S = Shoulder
G = Gage
A = All Areas
B: Bearings and Seals – RC Bits
• Sealed Bearing Bits
E - Seals effective
F - Seals failed
N - Not able to grade
• Non-Sealed Bearing Bits
Linear scale from 0 to 8
Estimating bearing life used
B: Bearings and Seals – RC Bits
• Items to check when determining Bearing/Seal effectiveness
– Ability to rotate cone
– Cone ‘springback’
– Internal sounds
– Shale burn / Shale packing
– Gaps - backface or throat
– Cone axial movement
B: Bearing and Seals – PDC Bits
• Not Applicable
This space is used only for roller cone bits
Always mark ‘X’ for fixed cutter bits
G: Gauge – RC Bits
• Used to report the undergauge condition of the cutting
elements that touch the wall of the hole.
Based upon a nominal ring gauge.
New bits are built to API specifications.
API Tolerances for Roller Cone Bits
3⅜” to 13¾” API Tolerance: + 1/32 : - 0
14” to 17½” API Tolerance: + 1/16 : - 0
>17⅝” API Tolerance: + 3/32 : - 0
G: Gauge
• Used to record the condition of the bit gauge
Based upon a nominal ring gauge
API DIAMOND BIT TOLERANCES
Nominal Bit Size Tolerance
Inches mm* Inches mm*
6-3/4" and smaller 171.45mm and smaller +0.0" : -0.015" +0.0mm : -0.381mm
6-25/32" to 9" 172.24mm to 228.6mm +0.0" : -0.020" +0.0mm : -0.508mm
9-1/32" to 13-3/4" 229.39mm to 349.25mm +0.0" : -0.030" +0.0mm : -0.762mm
13-25/32" to 17-1/2" 350.04mm to 444.50mm +0.0" : -0.045" +0.0mm : -1.143mm
17-17/32" and larger 445.29mm and larger +0.0" : -0.063" +0.0mm : -1.600mm
API ROLLER CONE BIT TOLERANCES
Nominal Bit Size Tolerance
Inches mm* Inches mm*
3-3/8" to 13-3/4" 85.73mm to 349.25mm -0.0" : +0.031" (1/32") -0.0mm : +0.794mm
14" to 17-1/2" 355.6mm to 444.50mm -0.0" : +0.063" (1/16") -0.0mm : +1.588mm
17-5/8" and larger 447.66mm and larger -0.0" : +0.094" (3/32") -0.0mm : +2.381mm
*converted from inches
G: Gauge – RC Bits
‘Two-Thirds Rule’
Applies to all 3-cone bits
Amount out of gage =
Measured distance x ⅔
Amount Undergage in 16ths
IN = In Gage
1 = 1/16”
2 = 2/16”
3 = 3/16”
Etc..
Rotate all cones to MAXIMUM offset
G: Gauge – Two Cone Bits
Two-Cone Bits
Amount out of gauge =
Measured distance
Amount Undergauge in 16ths
IN = In Gauge
1 = 1/16”
2 = 2/16”
3 = 3/16”
Etc..
Rotate all cones to MAXIMUM offset
G: Gauge – PDC Bits
PDC Bits
Measure on the gauge pads
Amount out of gauge =
Measured distance
Amount Undergauge in 16ths
IN = In Gage
1 = 1/16”
2 = 2/16”
3 = 3/16”
Etc..
G: Gauge – Bi-Center Bits
Bi-Center Gage Measurement Procedure
Step 1 of 3
Measure the shank diameter with a caliper, making sure the full shank
is measured
Do not measure inside the breaker slots
Shank
Diameter
G: Gauge – Bi-Center Bits
Bi-Center Gage Measurement Procedure
Step 2 of 3
Measure the height of the longest reamer blade from the outer surface
of the shank
Use a straight edge and a ruler
Height of Longer
Reamer Blade
(from shank)
G: Gauge – Bi-Center Bits
Bi-Center Gage Measurement Procedure
Step 3 of 3
The bit’s diameter is then calculated by taking the diameter of the
shank and 2 times the height of the longest reamer blade
Gauge Diameter = + 2x
(Shank Diameter) (Reamer Height)
= inches
Compare this diameter to Nominal Drilling Diameter
O: Other Dull Characteristic
BC - Broken Cone LN - Lost Nozzle
BF - Bond Failure # LT - Lost Teeth/Cutters
BT - Broken Teeth/Cutters NO - No Dull Characteristic
BU - Balled Up OC - Off Center Wear
CC - Cracked Cone PB - Pinched Bit
CD - Cone Dragged PN - Plugged Nozzle
CI - Cone Interference RG - Rounded Gage
CR - Cored RO - Ring Out #
CT - Chipped Teeth/Cutters SD - Shirttail Damage
ER - Erosion SS - Self Sharpening Wear
FC - Flat Crested Wear TR - Tracking
HC - Heat Checking WO - Washed Out Bit
JD - Junk Damage WT - Worn Teeth/Cutters
LC - Lost Cone
Show cone number or numbers under location (L)
# Not used for roller cone bits
R: Reason Pulled
BHA - Change Bottom Hole HR - Hours on Bit
Assembly LIH - Left in Hole
CM - Condition Mud LOG - Run Logs
CP - Core Point PP - Pump Pressure
DMF - Downhole Motor Failure PR - Penetration Rate
DP - Drill Plug RIG - Rig Repair
DSF - Drill String Failure TD - Total Depth / Casing Depth
DST - Drill Stem Test TQ - Torque
DTF - Downhole Tool Failure TW - Twist Off
FM - Formation Change WC - Weather Conditions
HP - Hole Problems WO - Washout in Drill String
