Watchmaking

Laser MicroJet Benefits

Synova’s advanced Laser MicroJet (LMJ) systems with 3 or 5 axes are ideally suited for cutting watch movement components and decorative parts with high precision and quality as needed for the watch industry.

 

watch hands 1 cropped

The water jet guided laser technology can be used to improve the cutting process presently in place in the watch industry. Typical methods are dry laser, EDM, stamping or micro-machining. But all these technologies have their particular limitations in terms of heat damages, process time, flexibility or variety of shapes.

The LMJ technology combines the advantages of the high energy pulsed laser with a hair-thin water jet. While the laser is used for material ablation, the water jet is used for guiding the laser light, cooling the edges and preventing the sample from particle contamination.

The LMJ therefore provides a suitable technique for the cutting of thin metals such as brass, stainless steel, Durnico® or copper alloys such as CuBe that are extremely susceptible to thermal effects. It enables excellent cutting quality free of mechanical stress, heat damages and chipping. The water jet prevents contamination and burrs especially at the backside of the cut thus reducing the time for post-processing of fragile components and increased parts’ yield.

Generally to achieve a high-level of quality, pieces are cut in one pass with a cutting speed ranging from 0.1 mm/ s to few mm/ s depending on the thickness. The LMJ cuts in any direction and thus any contour is possible even very sharp angles.

LMJ machines are a valuable addition to traditional machining solutions especially for the manufacture of watch prototypes, small and medium-sized series of high-end watches. They can also be automatized for a continuous production. The efficient and precise LMJ systems enable very low running costs as there is no tool wear.

 

Performance capabilities
Performance capabilities
  • Excellent cutting quality with smooth surfaces and sharp edges

  • Parallel kerf walls due to cylindrical laser beam

  • Narrow kerf widths of 25 µm to 60 µm, depending on nozzle size

  • Thickness from 0.05 mm to 4 mm (up to 10 mm)

  • Low roughness of the cutting wall from 0.15 µm to 0.7 µm, depending on the laser source 

  • Optional laser for thickness from 0.05 mm to 0.3 mm with a roughness <0.2 µm

  • No or very limited heat affected zone (HAZ), no burrs due to water cooling and cleaning capabilities

  • Very flexible, new designs quickly prepared under CAD control

  • No focusing or distance control required

  • High aspect ratio of up to 1:100 for regular cuts 

Main Applications

  1. Cutting of functional parts (Watch movement components)

 

2. Cutting of decorative parts (External watch components)

 

Optional automatization LMJ machines

  • Automatic band feed
  • Pick and place robot

 

Customer Sample Request Form

If you are interested in seeing how the Laser MicroJet® can improve your manufacturing processes, please send us a short description of your application (material, thickness, process, requirements).

Therefore please use the electronic form CSRF available in English, German or French:

docEnglish Request Form

docGerman Request Form

docFrench Request Form

 

Testimonial

"Your technology and its potential to manufacture watch components is the most beautiful thing I saw during that exhibition."

 

(Gillèron, Switzerland)

 

Are you interested in a demo or feasibility test?

Call now +41 21 55 22 600

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Case Studies

Read how Watch manufacturers are using Synova machines to obtain best quality and higher ROI:

Proposed Machines

The following machines are ideal for these types of applications:

Industrial Applications

Download brochure HERE