Horizontal Directional Drilling Tools
Reamers and Hole Openers
Fly cutters, barrel reamers, compaction reamers and roller-cutter hole openers that enlarge the pilot bore in one or more passes. The tool has to match the soil, not the diameter alone.
Features
- Fly cutters mix and remove soft cohesive soil efficiently and clog in sticky clay without adequate fluid.
- Barrel reamers add wall support and mixing in mixed ground, and help carry the bore open for the pull-back.
- Compaction reamers displace rather than remove material and suit granular ground where cuttings removal is difficult.
- Rock hole openers with roller cutters cut hard formations, and cutter selection follows rock strength as in any rotary tool.
- Multiple reaming passes with increasing diameter reduce torque and the risk of a stalled or collapsed bore.
Specifications
| Figure | Typical range | Unit | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reaming diameter | 150 - 1 200 | mm | Set as a margin above the product pipe outside diameter. |
| Reamer type | fly cutter / barrel / compaction / rock | Matched to ground; the wrong tool stalls the pass. |