Unlike beryllium copper, ToughMet is during processing (no beryllium oxide dust hazard) and safer in high-temperature service.
ToughMet solves this by being "anti-galling." Because it is copper-based, it has a natural lubricity. When steel rubs against ToughMet under high pressure, the ToughMet doesn’t weld; it simply polishes. It can handle the crushing load of steel without the catastrophic failure mode. It allows drill bits to run longer, hotter, and with less maintenance, effectively saving millions of dollars in downtime. toughmet
Developed by Materion Corporation, ToughMet is the rebellious outlier of the alloy world. Technically known as a high-performance copper-nickel-tin spinodal alloy, it is a material that essentially cheats the laws of material science. It takes the best characteristics of copper—friction reduction, corrosion resistance, and machinability—and fuses them with the brute strength of steel. Unlike beryllium copper, ToughMet is during processing (no
In the world of metallurgy, there is a fundamental trade-off that has plagued engineers for centuries. If you want a material that is hard and strong, you usually have to accept that it is heavy, brittle, and difficult to machine—think of steel or titanium. If you want a material that is easy to shape, conducts electricity beautifully, and fights corrosion, you usually get something soft—think of copper or aluminum. It can handle the crushing load of steel
Downhole drilling tools are subjected to immense pressures and crushing loads. Traditionally, engineers used steel bearings. But steel has a fatal flaw: if the lubrication fails, steel grinds against steel, generating heat, welding itself together, and seizing up—a process known as galling.