CARBIDE TOOLS FOR THE MOST DEMANDING APPLICATIONS
By: Evan Lucyk
The selection of carbide-tipped cutting bits is crucial in the underground mining industry, especially during mechanical excavation using continuous miners and roadheaders. When you’re selecting carbides, it’s essential to consider the present ore conditions and their properties. It’s also important to keep in mind the compressive strength of the rock, the abrasive nature of it, and the equipment you’re working with, because they all play a big part in deciding what is best in a required bit.
In a nutshell: The right carbide tools will do the job faster (with more penetration and less dust), offer better wear resistance, and also experience less breakage.
Here at Bit Service, we have seen and tested out a number of carbide tools. You could say we have basically run the gamut, so when we choose a company to trust and whose products we stand by, you can rest assured that we have done the research and work to ensure they are the real deal—and that their products will deliver the results you’re looking for.
We frequently lean on the expertise of the talented engineers at our partners at Kennametal when complex conditions arise. Kennametal’s wide range of cutting conicals, crushers, flats and radials are a solid choice to improve your cost per ton. Why? With Kennametal's advanced Engineering and manufacturing processes, along with the advantages of a verticallly integrated process from raw materials all the way through packaging, they are able to fully control the quality of the end product, as well as the ability to fine tune the carbide tool to the needs of the cutting conditions.
This is concrete proof of a perfect combination, where materials engineering, decades of experience, and the goal to provide the best possible solutions all add up to benefit the mine operators, as well as increase the productivity of the mine.
MORE THAN JUST BUYING A BIT
We can’t stress enough how the process of finding the best carbide bit is far more complicated than just selecting a random bit from a catalogue of offerings. There are so many factors you need to consider to find the right fit. For instance, it´s important that you are able to fine-tune your selection with the right carbide insert and grade. You also need to take into account the forged body profile, heat treatment, and protective hard surfacing application. Maximum cutting performance and efficiency, as well as extending the wear life of the bit, both depend upon these elements, and their importance cannot be underestimated.
CAREFUL EXAMINATION REQUIRED
Careful examination of the mine conditions (ore grades, etc.) is key. Investigating the wear and tear occurring and taking into account mine operators’ feedback will also serve you well, and should heavily factor into your selection of carbide tools.
For instance, after an examination or an issue perhaps a mine operator has alerted you to, you should check if the mining machine has both the power and mass to overcome the service life of a typical conical bit. Remember that a thorough examination will be needed to address the issue and find a fix. This is where we at Bit Service come in. We can examine the wear patterns on both the used bits and the cutting face, and make a determination on the best course of action, since a larger carbide insert is not always the best upgrade—especially if the increased wear is accompanied by steel wash in the bit body.
From selecting the proper tools and equipment to advising you in operation methods, our decades of experience enable us to assist you in these matters, ensuring that you are getting the maximum return on investment in your mining endeavors. It’s also crucial to mention the subject of safety, which Bit Service considers a top priority. We can help educate you so you can keep your employees safe while at work.
If you are looking for professionals to come in and assist you in taking your operations to the next level, Bit Service is here for you. Contact us today.