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For Mincon, innovation isn’t just about introducing new products – it’s about listening to customer feedback and an engineering ethos of continuous improvement, which helps to deliver solutions that solve real-world drilling challenges. For our DTH product range, innovation and evolution aren’t just limited to the hammer design: our drill bits designs also benefit from extensive R&D.
The MC shank is a design innovation by Mincon that enhances the performance and durability of DTH (down-the-hole) hammers and drill bits. This advancement addresses limitations found in traditional drill bit shanks by improving energy transfer, reducing wear, and simplifying maintenance.
What Is a DTH Drill Bit Shank?
The shank connects the DTH drill bit to the hammer and is essential for effective energy transmission. Traditional designs often rely on footvalves and complex geometries, which can lead to wear, part failure, and reduced productivity, especially in demanding applications like geothermal drilling and hard rock mining.
The shank is the cylindrical splined section of a drill bit that attaches it to the DTH hammer and serves as the interface where impact energy is transferred from the hammer’s piston to the cutting surface of the bit. A shank design directly affects drilling efficiency: poor shank designs can result in energy losses, reduced penetration rates, and increased wear on both the hammer and bit. A well-engineered shank design maximises energy transfer while minimising the risk of mechanical failure, making it one of the most important factors in overall drilling performance.
Why the MC Shank Outperforms Conventional Designs
Mincon’s MC shank features a shorter, robust geometry that improves wear resistance and energy efficiency. It is specifically designed to eliminate common failure points, like the footvalve, which simplifies maintenance and increases operational uptime.
MC Shank Benefits for DTH Hammer Efficiency
The MC shank offers benefits in both drill bit as well as hammer design.
- Improved energy transfer from the hammer to the bit
- Reduced component wear for longer operational life
- Faster assembly and easier maintenance in the field
- Full compatibility with Mincon’s MP-series DTH hammers, including the MP40-MC
Eliminating the Footvalve: A Reliability Breakthrough
In traditional DTH hammer systems, footvalves are a known weak point that can lead to breakdowns and lost drilling time. By eliminating the footvalve, the MC shank design significantly increases reliability and reduces maintenance frequency.
Proven Results: The MP40-MC and Beyond
The MC shank is at the core of Mincon’s MP40-MC DTH hammer, designed specifically for geothermal drilling. In the field, the MP40-MC has demonstrated improved penetration rates, lower maintenance demands, and consistent performance in high-temperature, high-pressure environments.
The success of the MC shank innovation is evident in its adoption across Mincon’s DTH hammer range. Currently, Mincon offers MC shanks in eight different sizes, which are used in 10 of our MP-series hammers: MP40-MC, MP56-MC, MP58-MC, MP60-MC, MP65-MC, MP70-MC, MP80-MC, MP100-MC, MP120-MC, and MP150-MC.
This innovation represents Mincon’s commitment to designing and manufacturing drilling solutions that help our customers lower their costs and improve profit margins. As drilling challenges continue to evolve – from deeper geothermal installations to more demanding mining applications – we will continue innovating to deliver the performance, reliability, and efficiency that our customers demand.
Mincon’s MC shank delivers tangible benefits for both geothermal and mining operations.
Want to learn more?
Get in touch with our team or learn more about Mincon’s latest advancement in down-the-hole hammer technology, the MP40-MC.
