TransFormation bits drill a broader formation range by using a dual cutting structure design which adjusts cutter loading in response to changes in formation hardness. Because TransFormation bits are designed with two types of blades, they effectively “add blades” in harder formations.

Primary blades make a TransFormation bit very fast in soft formations. Cutters on primary blades remove approximately 80% of the rock so tracking cutters on secondary blades have less work to do and will not slow ROP like the extra cutters on other heavy-set PDC bits.

Secondary blades become more important when a TransFormation bit encounters harder formations. Cutters on the secondary blades remove additional rock, reduce the load on primary cutters, and improve bit stability. The result is longer bit life in harder formations.

Variable-angle spacing between tracking cutters on adjacent blades is what enables cutters on the primary blades to remove more rock than cutters on the secondary blades.

A TransFormation bit’s variable-angle spacing makes a cutter on the primary blade remove more rock than the cutter in the same track on the secondary blade. Conventional tracking bits are generally designed to share rock removal more equally.