Polycrystalline diamond materials, for use in polycrystalline
diamond compact (PDC) bits, are one of the most important material
advances for oil drilling tools in recent years.
Fixed-head bits rotate as one piece and contain no separately
moving parts. When fixed-head bits use PDC cutters, they are
commonly called PDC bits.
Since their first production in 1976, the popularity of bits using
PDC cutters has grown steadily, and they are nearly as common as
roller-cone bits in many drilling applications.
