A single-piece hollow percussive drill rod is specifically adapted for percussive drilling. The drill rod has a main body, a working end and a collar. The working end has a thread for receiving a percussive drill bit. The collar is positioned between the thread and the main body, the collar also being upset forged. A method of manufacturing a single-piece hollow drill rod specifically adapted for percussive drilling is also disclosed.

A single-piece hollow percussive drill rod is specifically adapted for percussive drilling. The drill rod has a main body, a working end and a collar. The working end has a thread for receiving a percussive drill bit. The collar is positioned between the thread and the main body, the collar also being upset forged. A method of manufacturing a single-piece hollow drill rod specifically adapted for percussive drilling is also disclosed.

A fatigue-resistant Nitinol instrument has a working portion in the deformed monoclinic martensitic state and an austenite finish temperature in the range of 40 to 60 C. Because the operating environment of the instrument is about 37 C., the working portion remains in the monoclinic martensitic state during its use. The relatively high austenite finish temperature and fatigue resistance is achieved by subjecting the nickel-titanium alloy to a final thermal heat treat in a temperature range of about 410 to 440 C. while the nickel-titanium alloy is under constant strain of about 3 to 15 kg. Further, the high austenite finish temperature is achieved without subjecting the alloy to thermal cycling to produce shape memory. Additionally, there are no intermediate processing steps occurring between obtaining a finished diameter of the wire or blank through cold working and the final thermal heat treat under constant strain.

A fatigue-resistant Nitinol instrument has a working portion in the deformed monoclinic martensitic state and an austenite finish temperature in the range of 40 to 60 C. Because the operating environment of the instrument is about 37 C., the working portion remains in the monoclinic martensitic state during its use. The relatively high austenite finish temperature and fatigue resistance is achieved by subjecting the nickel-titanium alloy to a final thermal heat treat in a temperature range of about 410 to 440 C. while the nickel-titanium alloy is under constant strain of about 3 to 15 kg. Further, the high austenite finish temperature is achieved without subjecting the alloy to thermal cycling to produce shape memory. Additionally, there are no intermediate processing steps occurring between obtaining a finished diameter of the wire or blank through cold working and the final thermal heat treat under constant strain.

An auger useable for creating an opening in the ground for a soil sensor housing wherein the sensor housing has a predetermined volume and a tapered outer surface, includes an auger made in accordance with the methods described and defined in this specification. The auger having a shaft having an outer surface of circular cross-section having an larger outer diameter at one end than the other end and a strip material having a helical shape with an inner wall having a larger inner diameter at one end than the other end of the helical shape wherein the helically shaped material is fixed over the outer diameter of the shaft to form a tapered auger with helical flighting. The volume of the opening created by an auger in the ground will provide a matching volume for a sensor housing of a predetermined volume such that substantially the full length of the tapered outer surface of the sensor is adjacent the ground along the full length/depth of the created opening.

The present invention discloses a process of manufacturing forged components using a combination of open die and closed die forging, and machining. The process involves the steps of cogging of the ingot, upsetting the cogged bloom in two steps to form a preform, closed forging the preform on a hammer, rough machining, heat treatment, semi-finishing, and finally finishing the component. The present invention is applicable to any forged components that are used in variety of industries, particularly those which are formed from large ingots. The invention is particularly useful for safety- and application-critical components such as a fluid end which is used in oil and gas industry. With the process of the present invention, 55 to 60% of the shape and size of the final component is achieved through forging and remaining 40 to 45% through machining. Incorporating the closed die forging stage in between open die forging and machining stages of the results in about 27% material reduction and over 60% reduction in machining time.

The present invention discloses a process of manufacturing forged components using a combination of open die and closed die forging, and machining. The process involves the steps of cogging of the ingot, upsetting the cogged bloom in two steps to form a preform, closed forging the preform on a hammer, rough machining, heat treatment, semi-finishing, and finally finishing the component. The present invention is applicable to any forged components that are used in variety of industries, particularly those which are formed from large ingots. The invention is particularly useful for safety- and application-critical components such as a fluid end which is used in oil and gas industry. With the process of the present invention, 55 to 60% of the shape and size of the final component is achieved through forging and remaining 40 to 45% through machining. Incorporating the closed die forging stage in between open die forging and machining stages of the results in about 27% material reduction and over 60% reduction in machining time.