Fixed Cutter Bit Design Manual

Blade Layout

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 Fixed Cutter Bit Design Manual

Blade Layout
From a design standpoint blade layout generally determines the initial aggressiveness,
stability, and durability of the bit. Blade count is the first parameter that will determine
the approximate cutter density of the bit coupled with cutter size. Generally lower blade
count bits are more aggressive than those of higher blade counts. Higher blade count bits
will generally have a greater cutter density which increases durability from a total
volume of diamond stand point. Additionally, bits with higher blade counts will typically
be more stable. The increased cutter count and number of blades creates more of a full
face type cutter layout which reduces the likely hood of the bit pivoting about any one
cutter or blade.

The designer must determine the number of primary blades, those which span from the
center of the bit to gauge, and secondary or tertiary blades, those starting at some radius
and continuing to gauge. Depending upon the total number of blades, bit designs will
typically have 2, 3, or 4 blades to center. Generally three blades to center is considered
to be the most stable. Four blades to center will increase cutter density and may provide
better distribution of forces. Two blades to center will be more aggressive and possibly
provide improved cleaning, but has typically proven to be the least stable. Secondary
blades should generally start before the nose in order to provide maximum cutter density
on the nose. However, this is dependent on cleaning issues, nozzle placement and
erosion concerns.

Bits with fewer blades are not only more aggressive from a cutting mechanics stand point
but also from a hydraulics and cuttings evacuation perspective. The number of blades
has a direct affect on the junk slot and face volume for fluid and cuttings removal, and
placement of nozzles which can both directly affect penetration rates. The nozzle
placement must be considered when placing secondary blades as fluid erosion of cutter
substrates and cutter pockets can be extremely detrimental to bit life

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 Fixed Cutter Bit Design Manual

Blade Spiral
It has been documented that bits with non-bladed cutting structures tend to have excellent
stability. Non-bladed bits commonly referred to as “random set” or “synchronous set”
are not able to establish any single points of contact at which the bit may pivot or rotate
about other than the geometric center of the bit. Spiraled bits act somewhat like non-
bladed bits by eliminating the linear lines of cutter contact that can create these pivot
points.

The degree of blade spiral will have a direct affect on the bits stability. Greater blade
spiral will generally provide for a more stable bit as the load on the bit is distributed more
evenly across the bottom of the hole, this is extremely important during vibration events.
While field performance in some areas has indicated that straight blades may drill faster,
there is no cutting mechanics justification for this. However, it is generally accepted that
too much spiral can cause bit cleaning problems. The degree of spiral utilized for FM300
should be chosen based upon the trade-off between stability and cleaning.

There are several ways to define blade spiral in iBits, but our standard methodology is
degree per cutter. The amount of degree per cutter can be controlled along the profile
and may be constant or decreasing (on large bits) from center to gage. Another
consideration is that as spiral increases between cutters each cutter is not as well
supported by the adjacent cutters. The significance of this can be reduced by utilizing
increased cutter side rake.

Example: Blades have 5 degrees per cutter spiral. Total spiral is defined as the
amount of spiral in blade B1.

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 Fixed Cutter Bit Design Manual

Generally, hard formation bits with many blades and high cutter counts do not need large
spiral for enhanced stability, so smaller values may be used in this case. Designs with
fewer blades require larger amounts of spiral to simulate a “random set” bit.

Pocket Length
Pocket length generally refers to the matrix thickness behind the cutters. The actual
dimension used in the design process refers to the length of the pocket machined by the
five-axis NC machine. The pocket length and gage pad width, both specified by the
designer, determines the blade thickness and is dictated by the junk slot depth. Pocket
length, as well as the junk slot depth, should increase from the center to the gage of the
bit. Pocket length requirements must be the length of the cutter displacement plus
0.050”, so for a 13mm cutter the displacement length is 0.490” and the minimum pocket
length should be 0.540”. The minimum gauge pad width should be the sum of the
finishing pocket length, half the cutter radius, and 0.250”. The blade width must meet the
standards for the dimensional blade height to blade width ratio. The following three
examples illustrate the requirements for pocket length given the blade count and the junk
slot depth:

Example 1: The above example shows a large bit with nine blades and 13mm cutters.
Pocket lengths are short to allow adequate room for junk slots. This restricts the junk
slot depth to maintain the maximum allowable BH/BW ratio.

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 Fixed Cutter Bit Design Manual

Example 2: The above example shows a large fish-tail bit with four blades and 19mm
cutters. Pocket lengths are relatively long because of the junk slot depth. The pocket
lengths, however, do not meet the maximum allowable BH/BW ratio in the nose and
shoulder areas of the cutter profile but this will be taken care of by Design Support with
the complete design of the junk slot plug. With cutters that have large exposures the
blades are better defined by junk slot design rather than pocket length.

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 Fixed Cutter Bit Design Manual

Example 3: The above example shows a small bit with nine blades and 8mm cutters.
Pocket lengths are short to allow adequate room for junk slots. This restricts the junk
slot depth to maintain the maximum allowable BH/BW ratio. 8mm and 10mm cutters
have the added benefit of being shorter than 13mm and 19mm cutters so pocket lengths
can be shorter.

Blade Asymmetry
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 Fixed Cutter Bit Design Manual

One way to combat bit whirl is to prevent the harmonic effects of the lobed bottomhole
pattern. When a blade layout is symmetric (for example a three-bladed bit having 120°
between each blade), blades fit into the lobed bottom-hole pattern in a regular, periodic
manner. This low-frequency periodicity is one of the ways bit whirl tends to be self-
regenerative. The images below show a lobed whirling pattern, a smooth single set
pattern, and a smooth trac-set pattern.

Lobed Pattern Smooth Single Set Smooth Trac-Set

With an asymmetric blade layout, the intention is to prevent harmonics or a lobed pattern
from ever developing. To understand this concept more fully, the following diagram
models a symmetric bit as it whirls and creates a lobed pattern. As the bit turns in its
whirling pattern, each blade initiates the creation of a bottomhole lobe. (Laboratory
testing confirms that the number of lobes in a whirling bottomhole pattern = (N)(B)+1;
where N is any integer greater than zero and B is the number of blades. For example a
three-bladed bit could create bottomhole patterns with four or seven lobes. The lower the
number, the more severe the impact damage.) Note in frame 5 that blade 2 neatly fits
into the lobe originally created by blade 1. The pattern can then continue in this way.

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 Fixed Cutter Bit Design Manual

In the next diagram, an asymmetric bit is analyzed in the same way. Note the subtle but
important difference in frame 5. Blade 2 no longer fits exactly into the lobe previously
created by blade 1. This indicates that as the bit rotates down hole, there is a lesser
tendency for the asymmetric design to create the lobed pattern inherent in classic bit
whirl.

Blade asymmetry is also an effective method of force balancing. The amount of

asymmetry is dictated primarily by the force balancing process and interference
considerations such as nozzle placement and size of the junk slots. Severe asymmetry
may become detrimental to cleaning by restricting fluid circulation. The ADE will need
to use common sense in how much asymmetry to incorporate into the design. Bits with
few blades will need more asymmetry to reduce regenerative effects and bits with many
blades do not require as much.

Care should be taken that no planes of symmetry (any plane parallel to the bit centerline
with both sides appearing as a mirror image) or regular, repeating patterns of degrees
between blades are present on the blade layout after force balancing.

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 Fixed Cutter Bit Design Manual

Example 1: A bit that has a mirror image pattern.

Example 2: A bit that has a repeating pattern.

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 Fixed Cutter Bit Design Manual

Example 3: A bit that has been force balanced usually ends up with asymmetric blade
spacing.

Exceptions to the asymmetry guidelines are Slickbore and GeoPilot bit designs.
Asymmetry becomes less important as these designs generally have 360 degrees bore
hole coverage, or “full wrap”. Since there is no perceived benefit to asymmetry in this
case, all sleeve bits with “full wrap” should be designed symmetrically. This eliminates
design and programming time that would otherwise be required to design multiple
sleeves of a given size and blade count due to asymmetrical bit designs.

This document remains the property of Halliburton DBS and must be returned upon request

Date: June 1, 2015 Initial By Assignee: ________