Watch Case CNC Machining

The watch case is usually the shell part of the main body (head) of the watch. Its function is to contain and protect the internal parts of the watch (movement, dial, hands, etc.). The parts closely connected with the watch case are: mirror, bottom cover, Crown, pushers, etc.

The watch case is like the body of the human body. In addition to directly caring for the “internal organs” of the watch, it also largely determines the performance indexes of the watch, such as: water resistance, dust resistance, magnetic resistance, shock resistance… In addition, The case also controls the look of the main body of the watch.

The classification of watch cases is usually divided according to the material. The more common ones are: stainless steel case, tungsten steel case, ceramic case, titanium alloy case, aluminum case, copper case, zinc alloy case, plastic case Cases, etc.; in addition, less common ones are wooden cases, iron cases, fiber cases, sterling silver cases, pure gold or K gold cases, etc. If you want to classify according to the style of the case, there are: round case, square case, barrel case, oval case, … and these cases can be manufactured by CNC machining technology.

The process of CNC machining case:

• Oil machine (rough car bottom, ears and feet)
• NC machine (finishing the bottom surface of the car, ears and feet)
• CNC computer gong
• Drilling machine (drilling pipe position, nail position, pulling position, ear hole drilling)
• Grinding (surface polishing)
• picking, packing

Case polishing materials include: yellow wax, white wax, purple wax, wire wheel, nylon wheel, abrasive belt, grass wheel, sponge wheel, wind wheel and so on. After polishing, the case surface is very bright.

The case is the core component of the watch. It protects the dial and movement from dust and moisture, as well as damage from severe impacts. Most of the cases are manufactured in-house by CNC manufacturers following strict standards. The making of the case begins with a single piece of metal. Place a flat piece of metal into the CNC lathe equipment. Huge turning forces (typically 40-80 tons) cut the sheet metal into a blank case.After the stamping procedure, the case shape must be finished. A numerically controlled (CNC) machine equipped with a series of specialized tools is programmed to machine the case and shape it into the desired shape. The principle of operation of the CNC is very complex. It can grind two watch cases at the same time, and can also load or unload the workpiece through the robot arm. The programming of CNC machine tools is very complicated, and setting up programs is time-consuming and expensive.

After the case meets the required specifications, it will enter the polishing process. Like most other manufacturing processes, CNC machining uses automated polishing techniques. In rare cases, we will manually polish the complex shape of the case. The master watchmaker places the case close to the rotating buffer wheel, constantly adjusting its position to achieve the desired finish.