The method

The Science of Precision: Our Testing Methodology

Instrumentation

Instead of relying on theoretical hammer efficiency, we measure the physical forces at play during active drilling.

The Sub-Rod: We insert a specialized, calibrated instrumented sub-rod directly into your drill string immediately below the anvil.
Sensor Array: This sub-rod is equipped with high-precision foil strain gauges and piezoresistive accelerometers.
Zero Interference: The setup is non-destructive, installs rapidly, and allows your crew to perform standard blow counts exactly as they normally would.

Data Acquisition

As the 140-pound hammer drops, the impact generates a stress wave that travels down the drill rod.

Signal Recording: Our primary field unit records the analog signals from the sensors at extreme high-speed sample rates.
Waveform Conversion: The strain gauges measure the compression force (F) of the impact, while the accelerometers measure the acceleration, which is instantly integrated to determine the particle velocity (V).
Real-Time Plotting: These force and velocity wave traces are plotted together in real-time, allowing us to immediately identify any equipment anomalies or energy loss on site.

Analytics & Practical Results

Our system processes the live force and velocity data to deliver clear, actionable results:

Transferred Energy: We measure the exact amount of impact energy delivered into the drill string during each drop, accounting for rod length, friction, and hammer wear.
Energy Transfer Ratio (ETR): We calculate your hammer system's true efficiency percentage by comparing actual delivered energy against the theoretical 350 ft-lb baseline.
Normalized N-Values (N₆₀): With certified efficiency data in hand, project engineers can easily adjust raw field blow counts to the standard 60% baseline—eliminating equipment variability from foundation designs and safety calculations.