In horizontal directional drill construction, horizontal directional drill pipe breakage is a common problem affecting project progress and safety. As the core force-transmitting component, drill pipe breakage not only causes work stoppages but also increases equipment maintenance costs and construction risks. In-depth analysis of the causes of breakage and targeted preventive measures can effectively reduce the probability of horizontal directional drill pipe breakage.

Cause 1: Material Fatigue Accumulation, Fracture Due to Long-Term Stress

Horizontal directional drill pipes, under cyclic loads of repeated torque and thrust, are prone to micro-cracks that gradually expand if the material's fatigue resistance is insufficient, eventually leading to breakage. Ordinary drill pipes made of low-strength steel are more likely to have such problems during long-term construction in complex formations.

Prevention Measures: Use high-strength alloy steel to manufacture drill pipes, improve material fatigue resistance, and enhance drill pipe toughness through optimized heat treatment processes. This reduces fatigue damage under cyclic loads, lowering the risk of horizontal directional drill pipe breakage from the material source.

Cause 2: Thread Connection Wear, Unstable Force Transmission Causing Breakage

The threaded connection between drill pipes is a key stress-bearing part. If thread processing precision is insufficient or long-term wear occurs, it will lead to loose connections and uneven force transmission, which easily causes breakage at the thread during high-load construction. Sediment intrusion into thread gaps also accelerates wear, increasing the hidden danger of horizontal directional drill pipe breakage.

Prevention Measures: Adopt high-precision thread processing technology to increase thread surface hardness and wear resistance. Regularly clean threads and apply special grease during construction to reduce wear; use thread designs with anti-loosening structures to ensure stable connections, avoiding horizontal directional drill pipe breakage due to thread issues.

Cause 3: Overload Operation in Construction, Exceeding Drill Pipe Bearing Limit

In horizontal directional drill construction, if overloading推进 or back dragging is done blindly to pursue progress, the torque and thrust borne by the drill pipe will exceed the design limit. Especially in complex formations such as rock layers and gravel layers, overloading easily causes horizontal directional drill pipe breakage.

Prevention Measures: Equip with an intelligent load monitoring system to display the drill pipe stress status in real-time, avoiding overloading operations. Optimize the hydraulic system (such as the advanced hydraulic system of Hengwang HWF460 , which improves efficiency by 15%-20%) to achieve stable power output and reduce the impact of instantaneous overload on the drill pipe.

Cause 4: Insufficient Formation Adaptability, Local Stress Concentration Causing Breakage

In hard and complex formations such as rock and pebble layers, if drill pipes lack targeted design, they are prone to breakage due to local stress concentration (such as instantaneous impact force when encountering hard rock). Ordinary drill pipes with unreasonable rigidity-toughness matching are more difficult to adapt to such formations, increasing the probability of horizontal directional drill pipe breakage.

Prevention Measures: Select special high-strength drill pipes for complex formations, such as the φ83×3m standard drill pipes of Hengwang HWF460  (with optional φ89×3m). The high-performance alloy steel rack-and-pinion push-pull system ensures uniform force and improves formation adaptability.

Cause 5: Lack of Maintenance, Hidden Damage Not Handled Timely

If drill pipes are not cleaned and inspected in time after use, residual sediment will accelerate corrosion, and tiny cracks not repaired promptly will gradually expand, eventually leading to breakage. Neglecting maintenance is a "hidden killer" causing horizontal directional drill pipe breakage.

Prevention Measures: Establish a regular maintenance mechanism, clean the drill pipe surface and threads after construction, and check for cracks and deformation. Repair minor damage in time and replace severely worn drill pipes promptly. Standardized maintenance reduces the risk of horizontal directional drill pipe breakage.

Hengwang Group HWF460 Horizontal Directional Drill: Multiple Guarantees to Reduce Drill Pipe Breakage Risks

Aiming at the problem of horizontal directional drill pipe breakage, Hengwang HWF460 provides comprehensive solutions from design to configuration. Its standard φ83×3m drill pipes (optional φ89×3m) are made of high-performance alloy steel, featuring fatigue resistance and wear resistance, reducing breakage risks from the material aspect; The advanced hydraulic system achieves stable power output, combined with a wireless remote control walking system to improve operation accuracy and avoid overloading operations; High-precision thread connection design and semi-automatic robotic arm-assisted assembly and disassembly reduce thread wear. In addition, the 177kW Cummins engine provides stable power, and the rack-and-pinion push-pull system ensures uniform force, comprehensively reducing the probability of horizontal directional drill pipe breakage and providing reliable guarantee for construction in complex formations.