Varel International, manufacturer of drill bits and global supplier to the drilling industry, has signed a letter of intent to acquire the Rotary Percussion System (RPS) product line and assets of Renegade Drilling Tools LLC, a private drilling technology development enterprise based in Austin, Texas. The purchase of this product line is intended to complement the suite of tools Varel supplies to the mining and industrial drilling market.

Under development since 2005, the RPS system is designed to be used with traditional rotary drill bits in air, mist or foam fluid applications. The system imparts a low-force increment of axial impact to the drill bit to enhance rock drilling and increase the rate of penetration of the bit through the rock.

Varel International president and CEO Jim Nixon says that he looks forward to the integration of the technology into Varel and the added value it will provide to the company’s customers: “We are pleased to have reached an agreement with the innovative developers at Renegade Tools for this technology. In evaluation field-testing with the RPS system, we have seen the potential for significant drilling efficiency improvements for our customers in blasthole mining applications.”

He adds, “The system is especially attractive on operations with lower air-flow rates or limited bit weight. We envision the potential for applications in other markets, including water well, construction and air drilling for oil and gas. The RPS system will complement Varel’s market-leading mining roller-cone drill bits, and fit in well with our global distribution and service network.”