What Does
Tungsten Bit Mean?
When tungsten carbide, a chemical compound containing equal parts carbon and tungsten, is used to coat the teeth of a drill bit, it is called a tungsten bit.
Tungsten bits are available in any bit configuration. This means that a tungsten bit can be used to drill through any material, from soft sand to hard rock. This does not mean that a tungsten bit can be used in any drilling situation. The bit configuration must be appropriate for the use intended.
Trenchlesspedia Explains Tungsten Bit
According to the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) Code, rock bits are classified by four numbers. These numbers are engraved on the bit's central shaft. If the first number is 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8, the bit is a tungsten bit.
The second digit on tungsten can be "1" through "4." This number identifies the type of formation the bit is designed for, with 1 being the softest and 4 the hardest. The third digit is the bit's type of bearing and seal. The fourth digit, indicated by the letters A through Y, identifies additional bit features.
A bit marked, "447Y" is a tungsten bit (signified by the first digit, 4) for drilling through very hard materials (signified by the second digit, 4), with a standard roller bearing set (signified by the third digit, 7), with a center jet (signified by the fourth digit, Y) to introduce the drilling mud, to the bore.