Aegis™ 3D-printed armor comprises individual strips applied to the blade face of steel-bodied bits, replacing traditional hardfacing and providing a shield against erosion caused by drilling fluid jetted from nozzles in the bit.

Superior blade face and cutting element protection delivers not only more strength for aggressive bit designs—which improves overall bit performance on its own—but also better erosion resistance. This enables angling the bit nozzles toward the blades and cutting elements for more efficient cuttings evacuation enforced by drilling fluid flow. And that means faster ROP, more footage, and increased bit durability for longer runs.

Advanced manufacturing for superior results

Aegis armor extends the life of our steel-bodied bit designs because each strip is laser forged using electron beam melting. Constituent materials are heated to yield an alloy that provides an advanced armor cladding 400% more erosion resistant than traditional hardfacing and 40% stronger than matrix bit materials.