Rock drilling tools are essential tools used for drilling rocks in mining, road construction, hydroelectric projects, urban development, and other projects.  Based on the type of rock drilling machinery used or how these tools interact with the rocks, rock drilling machinery can be divided into three types: rotary, percussive, and rotary-percussive. Each drilling method has its corresponding drilling machinery and tools. Therefore, rock drilling tools can be divided into pneumatic rock drilling tools, hydraulic rock drilling tools, DTH drilling tools, tricone bits, diamond drilling tools, etc.

1. Pneumatic Rock Drilling Tools

In the 1940s, cemented carbide rock drilling tools were put into use, showing high-efficiency drilling effects. Alongside the increase of various military and infrastructure construction projects, pneumatic rock drills developed rapidly. The production and development of 19mm, 22mm and 25mm hexagonal integral drill rods, tapered drill rods,  chisels with cross and X-type tapered drill bits also received significant attention.

Since the 1950s, rock drilling tool companies abroad invested considerable effort in material selection, manufacturing processes, equipment, and drilling tests to significantly enhance the performance and lifespan of 22mm hex rods and bits.  From the early 1970s, as industrialized countries experienced rapid economic growth and increased demand for drilling projects, more efficient and energy-transferable hydraulic rock drills emerged and quickly became widespread. This led to a significant decline in the use of pneumatic rock drills, reducing market demand for 22 mm hex tools. By the mid-1980s, these lightweight drilling tools were no longer the primary products in rock drilling projects.

2. Hydraulic Rock Drilling Tools

From the mid-1970s, foreign rock drilling tool manufacturers shifted their main focus to developing drilling tools for hydraulic drilling rigs. By the early 1980s, a series of drilling tool products for hydraulic drilling rigs had basically been formed, including drill rods and button bits for hydraulic tunneling drill jumbos and hydraulic mining drill jumbos, extension rods for open-pit hydraulic drill jumbos, medium and large diameter button bits, and shank adapters for hydraulic rock drills. These products continually improved in quality, variety, and performance to meet the demands of that era’s hydraulic rock drills.

Since the mid-1980s, with industry development, hydraulic drills evolved towards higher impact power and greater torque to achieve faster drilling rates. In the mid-1990s, modern hydraulic drills significantly outperformed earlier models, leading to increased demands on compatible rock drilling tools. Major foreign rock drilling tool manufacturers conducted extensive research on steel materials, enhancing carbide button bits’ toughness, and improving thread connections to enhance impact energy transfer. Today, the focus of foreign rock drilling tool research is on high efficiency, low energy consumption, and longevity.

3. DTH Drilling Tools

In the mid-1950s, DTH drilling tools began to be applied to rock drilling projects. In the 1960s, the American company Hughes implemented tricone bit technology in producing DTH button bits. Meanwhile, medium and low-pressure DTH drilling technologies were substantially developed and widely used in surface operations, becoming the preferred choice for medium and large diameter drilling operations of that time. By the mid-1970s, as hydraulic drill rigs increasingly dominated the market, high-efficiency hydraulic rock drills overshadowed DTH drilling tools in performance.  Therefore, the development of DTH drilling tools was relatively slow during this period. Beginning in the 1980s, Atlas Copco and Ingersoll-Rand began to introduce high-pressure DTH hammers to the market. Compared with medium and low-pressure hammers, high-pressure DTH hammers have higher drilling efficiency. Recognized for their unique properties in surface rock drilling projects, high-pressure DTH drilling tools rapidly developed.

By the 1990s, with the advancement of high-pressure DTH drill rigs, DTH drilling tools began to show advantages, and their application fields expanded from surface mining to slope stabilization, anchor drilling, quarrying, and various underground projects. Into the 21st century, with technical advancements, DTH drilling tools have become simpler in internal structure, easier to maintain, and more efficient, gaining widespread attention in the rock drilling industry.

As a professional manufacturer of rock drilling tools, SINODRILLS produces a wide range of pneumatic, hydraulic, and DTH drilling tools. We maintain a strict quality control system and offer comprehensive after-sales service. Our products have been exported to over 110 countries and are widely used in mining, quarrying, ground support, mineral exploration, water well, and geothermal drilling projects.