Background
Demand for high-performance alloys in the watch industry is steadily growing. Titanium Grade 5 is one of the most sought-after materials: robust, lightweight, and visually refined – qualities that are increasingly valued in watchmaking.
For us, however, this material was uncharted territory. The question was: how could we transfer our proven principle – producing blanks as gently as possible so they remain nearly stress-free throughout and after the process – to an alloy that is significantly more challenging to machine than conventional materials?
The Challenge
Preliminary work on the raw material plays a decisive role: thermal treatments and precision
straightening processes create the foundation for clean milling. But the most delicate point in the entire process is the clamping technique.
Vacuum clamping combined with large quantities of cooling lubricant carries a high risk for process reliability – especially in the precision range. An incorrect setup means scrap, tolerance deviation, or uncontrollable residual stress in the component. This risk had to be brought under control before
reliable production could begin.
“Clamping technique is the most critical point. Vacuum clamping
combined with high volumes of cooling lubricant poses a significant risk to process reliability – especially in precision machining.”
The Solution
The risk was minimised through in-house effort. Through targeted modifications and optimisations
to the clamping setup, we developed a stable, reproducible process that works reliably even with
demanding materials such as Titanium Grade 5.
Purpose-designed tooling enables production in a single clamping operation – with or without
precision bores. This reduces potential sources of error, saves time, and ensures consistent quality across every part in a series.
The result is a process that is fully under control from raw material preparation to the finished blank – and remains economically viable even in small batch sizes.
The Result
We produce titanium blanks for the watch industry in reproducible quality – process-reliable, low in
residual stress, and flexible in batch size.
Three key outcomes:
Titanium blanks in various formats
Industry: Watchmaking · Material: Titanium Grade 5 · Service: CNC Milling, Precision Bores, Small-Batch Production
What is usually considered special accessories is standard at HEDELIUS: All machining centres are equipped with a CNC full keyboard, colour monitor, spindle feed overdrive and original software as standard. State-of-the-art control technology from SIEMENS or HEIDENHAIN guarantees maximum operating convenience and unrestricted functionality. You decide which system you want to work with.
All machining centres are equipped with a CNC full keyboard, colour monitor, spindle feed overdrive and original software as standard.
Liquid-cooled motor spindles with precision cooler.
The new HEIDENHAIN TNC 7 control system focuses on intuitive, task-orientated and individual control. A customised user interface provides the user with optimum support in every situation. Familiar HEIDENHAIN programming functions are supplemented by smart functions. The control elements of the TNC keyboard are retained, providing a solid basis for the control of HEDELIUS machining centres.
The SIEMENS SINUMERIK ONE control system brings your ideas to life. SINUMERIK ONE is the future-oriented CNC system for highly productive HEDELIUS machining centres. For unimagined new possibilities, ideas and business models. For faster innovations thanks to the seamless interaction between the virtual and real worlds. And: SINUMERIK ONE is far more than just a powerful hardware innovation.
