Hardbanding

A process in which a wear-resistant alloy is applied to the tool joints of drill pipe or drill collars to prolong the life. The Hardband is applied where rotational and axial friction associated with drilling and tripping create excessive abrasive wear between drillstring and casing, or between drillstring and the open hole wall. Hard alloy overlays are applied to the points of greatest contact, typically using advanced welding techniques.