Silicon Wafer Watch Springs for Research and Production

Watch Springs Made With Silicon Wafers

Silicon wafers are used as the base material watch springs. The substrate is first coated with a gold layer and then a thin layer of light-sensitive paint. The spring's shape is projected onto the the substrate and the paint is etched out.

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How is Silicon Used in Watches?

Silicon flysprings, also known as silicon hairsprings, are not commonly used in the watch industry. The primary material used for hairsprings in traditional mechanical watches is steel or an alloy such as Nivarox, which has a good balance of elasticity and stability.

However, in recent years, some companies have started experimenting with using silicon in hairsprings for high-end watches. Silicon has some advantages over traditional materials, including high corrosion resistance and low density, which can result in lighter and more flexible hairsprings. Silicon hairsprings can also be manufactured with high precision using techniques such as photolithography, which can lead to improved timekeeping accuracy.

However, despite these benefits, the use of silicon hairsprings is still limited in the watch industry, and traditional steel hairsprings remain the most widely used material for hairsprings. This is in part due to the relatively high cost of producing silicon hairsprings, as well as the fact that many watchmakers and consumers still prefer the traditional look and feel of a steel hairspring.

 

 

Silicon Wafer Watch Springs

A team of US researchers has developed silicon flysprings that could usher in a revival of the American watch industry. Silicon here to stay, "Ashton Tracy wrote in a recent post about silicon scales and springs for watchmakers. Rolex movements in recent years, with the introduction of a range of high-performance, low-cost silicon springs. [Sources: 0, 6]

According to In Compliance Magazine, Empa scientists have developed a next generation of watch springs that are scientifically powerful, tiny and extremely durable. The company has introduced watches with a range of high-performance, low-cost silicon scales and springs and continues to produce sophisticated new watches based on the latest designs. These silicon coil springs are likely to make Rolex one of the few companies to have developed silicon coil springs from scratch. [Sources: 2, 13, 18]

In 2006, Patek Philippe introduced its Spiromax C coil spring, and in the same year, Swatch Breguet launched its first silicon balance spring, the Bremen. In 2014 Rolex introduced its Syloxi silicon imbalances and springs, followed by the introduction of its new silicon coil springs in 2015 and a new version of the company's flagship watch. [Sources: 6, 12]

I expect that in the near future, the Nivarox will become a major player in the silicon balance spring market for high-quality wristwatches and other accessories, both in terms of price and performance. [Sources: 15]

Master Dynamic is not the only company in Switzerland to manufacture silicon spirals; Firehouse Horology also manufactures them and they must behave with a silicon dioxide coating to achieve a thermocompensating effect. The CSEM patent for silicon coil springs refers to 001 silicon wafers commonly used in the DRIE process. We can show that this mechanism can work on 110 mono-crystalline silicon wafers by using a silicon balance spring with the same thickness and rigidity as a single crystal wafer, in line with our current invention. Derived from the fact that the stiffness of the silicon hairs is coated with silicon - the stiffness of dioxide is obtained from a combination of two different materials: silicon and carbon nanotubes (CNT). [Sources: 2, 11]

However, the particular orientation of the 111 silicon wafers is also manufactured and therefore very different from that of a single crystal wafer, which has to be polished before manufacture. As with all materials used in silicon hair splay, each type of wading behaves with its strengths and weaknesses. The Young module varies from 130.2 to 187.5 GPa on a 110 crystalline silicone wafer and is anisotropic, whereas the stiffness of the Young module differs from the stiffness of the 110 crystal on a 100 crystalline silicone wafer. Therefore, cutting the silicon wafer at different angles results in different overall properties of each silicon part. [Sources: 2, 11]

To explain the crystalline orientation of silicon in more detail, it should be remembered that it is a classic half - metal - which has all the properties of metals and non-metals. [Sources: 4]

The starting material is used to make computer chips and solar cells, and the photolithographic process uses silicon wafers coated with a mask that contains the silhouette of the component produced. The photo above left, from the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), shows hundreds of silicon components before they were released. Turning semiconductor chips requires a complex manufacturing process that can take up to 14 weeks. [Sources: 0, 7, 17]

Like Parachrom, Rolex does not go into the manufacturing process here, but we know that the silicon spiral was made using an etching process specifically for the MEMS industry. The silicon wafers were etched onto the wafer using DRIE (deep reactive ion etching). [Sources: 5, 9]

The distance between the two silicon coils varies depending on the specific function of the spring, while the silicon spring is produced, resulting in a different shape for each spring. In order to keep the springs in particular efficient, the holes that affect them must be different in order to be able to be manufactured. Only wellreplica.com is necessary to manufacture silicone springs in various shapes. DRIE (deep reactive ion etching) Process for completing etched silicon wafers and for manufacturing silicon springs. The gap in the coil consisting of two silicon coils varies These silicon springs are manufactured in the same manufacturing process according to their specific functions. [Sources: 1, 14, 16]

Silicon, already used in Omega and Breguet watches, has proven itself as a material of the future for the upscale watch industry. With regard to spiral tips, there are two technologies for silicon wafers on the market: spiral springs and silicon spiral springs. [Sources: 8, 15]

This quality, combined with the excellent and resilient silicon coefficient, enables the improvement of flysprings etched on silicon wafers and improved chronometric performance. This means they cause less wear than previously used balance spring technology. Silicon is a much more durable material than traditional steel or steel - like materials that were previously used for balance suspension. The quality of these qualities, combined with excellent elastic silicon coefficients, allow a balance spring etched in silicon on wafers, which delivers improved chronometric performance. [Sources: 3, 10]

 

Sources:

[0]: https://quillandpad.com/2018/05/02/silicon-a-closer-look-at-the-material-that-unleashed-a-refreshing-range-of-haute-horlogerie-ideas/

[1]: https://masterhorologer.com/2010/02/03/breguet-tradition-7047-fusee-tourbillon-with-silicon-balance-spring-platinum-version-ref-7047pt-11-9zu/

[2]: https://watchesbysjx.com/2019/06/master-dynamic-silicon-hairspring-hong-kong.html

[3]: https://timetransformed.com/2016/05/27/mido-baroncelli-calibre-80-chronometer-si/

[4]: https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=6d9509bb-dd03-48ff-8d3b-88d85cbdafd3

[5]: https://www.luxuo.com/homepage-slider/sprung-up-a-deep-dive-into-watch-escapements-part-2.html

[6]: https://journal.hautehorlogerie.org/en/silicon-balance-springs-made-in-america/

[7]: https://roboticsandautomationnews.com/2019/11/28/bosch-poised-for-leap-in-e-mobility-with-new-silicon-carbide-semiconductors/27023/

[8]: http://www.jeccomposites.com/knowledge/international-composites-news/how-its-made-watch-ahead-its-time

[9]: https://www.murata.com/en-us/products/sensor/inclinometer/techguide/3dmems

[10]: https://www.luxuriousmagazine.com/the-omega-speedmaster-co-axial-chronograph-calibre-9300-moon-watch/

[11]: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20160238994A1/en

[12]: https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-blog/resources/watches-movement-hairspring-definition.html

[13]: https://www.electrochem.org/ecs-blog/better-than-cartier-the-latest-in-watches/

[14]: http://www.garden4you.hu/images/solymar2/index.html

[15]: https://www.ablogtowatch.com/inside-nivarox-the-heart-of-the-swiss-watch-industry/

[16]: http://www.raimapapers.cat/mails/ca/replica-hublot-Quality-replica-watches-websites.html

[17]: https://www.newswise.com/articles/next-generation-of-watch-springs-

[18]: https://www.3dcadworld.com/ulysse-nardin-uses-maple-to-lengthen-the-running-time-of-new-watches/

Wow to make balance springs for watches

The process of making balance springs for watches typically involves several steps:

1. Preparation of material: The material used for making balance springs is usually a high-quality steel or an alloy, such as Nivarox. The material is cut into long strips and then heat-treated to improve its mechanical properties.

2. Forming the spring: The strip of material is then shaped into a spring using a process called coiling. This involves winding the strip of material around a mandrel to create a coil. The coiling process can be done by hand or with a specialized machine.

3. Tempering: The coiled spring is then tempered, which involves heating it to a specific temperature and then cooling it rapidly. This process helps to improve the spring's mechanical properties and to reduce its internal stress.

4. Grinding and polishing: The tempering process may cause the spring to lose its shape slightly, so it needs to be ground and polished to restore its correct form. This process is done using specialized grinding machines and polishing tools.

5. Inspection and testing: The finished balance spring is then thoroughly inspected and tested to ensure that it meets the required specifications. This may include measuring its dimensions, checking its weight, and testing its elasticity and resilience.

6. Assembly: The balance spring is then installed in the watch movement, typically in a balance wheel. The balance wheel is an important component that regulates the rate at which the watch runs, so it's critical that the balance spring is installed correctly and with high precision.

These are the basic steps involved in making a balance spring for a watch, but the exact process can vary depending on the manufacturer and the type of balance spring being produced.