Carrolton, Texas,-based Varel International l a u n c h e d i t s Katana-series steel body polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) drill bits. Varel’s PDC Product Manager Cary Maurstad describes the line as a definitive enhancement for the company’s fixed cutter, PDC product line. Katana includes higher blade stand offs and greater open face volume, patent-pending hydraulic optimization, upwardlyangled troughs in the gauge pads, and a streamlined cutter pocket design. The platform includes SPOT-DN™ cutting structure design and force balancing software, and aerospace-grade CAD/ CAM modeling and manufacturing capabilities.
