what is drill rod? A slender steel/carbide rod used to bore rock, enduring severe wear, corrosive fluids and 2,000–9,000 impacts/min (25–500 J), causing stress‑corrosion fatigue and very short life. what is drill rod in huge demand worldwide; China makes ~7,000 t carbide but domestic rods are far cheaper than exports, limiting quality growth. Specs: hex H19–H45 mm, round D32–D51 mm, length 0.4–6.4 m.