TZ Tour at Ulysse Nardin page 2

2006 TimeZone Tour

Day 3 - Visit to Ulysse Nardin

Page 2

Our first stop was the parts manufacturing area. Here the company makes a huge number of different parts for their watches.

Many of these machines are very flexible and can be used to make a broad array of parts. The machine below can make almost any round part needed. It is interesting to note the size of the machine relative to the size of the parts it produces. The machine's output runs down the narrow spout - see the stream of oil running into catch receptacle on the right side. The parts are tiny!

This is a line erosion machine, used primarily for prototyping or tooling.

These machines are used to create movement plates.

Here we see Ulysse Nardin employees working on movement plates at various stages in the production process.

This woman is drilling holes in the edges of the plates. They are aligned precisely using a jig mounted to the machine, and are held in place by rubber bands in addition to pressure from her fingers.

This machine is used to cut teeth onto gears.

Here, tiny parts are finished and polished.

Rick Miller examines one of the parts produced and finished in this area.

From the mechanical area, we made our way to the quality control department.

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