Niru Swiss is a subsidiary of Niru Diamonds Israel (Niru), a Tel Aviv-based company founded 40 years ago in India by Ranjeet Barmecha for the machining and finishing of rough diamonds. Niru established Niru Swiss in 2009, investing in a CNC machining workshop in Geneva to extend its expertise into other areas, namely the manufacture of highly complex watch and jewellery components.
Today, Niru Swiss has four employees and its customers are primarily premium Swiss watch brands. The majority of work is producing watch cases from all the established materials, such as aluminium, stainless steel, gold and titanium, typically in volumes of between 15 and 300 units. The team uses four CNC machine tools, three of which initially belonged to a company acquired by Niru. When it came to investing in a fourth, Niru Swiss consciously opted for the Bumotec s191V CNC vertical machining centre (VMC) from Swiss company Starrag.
As highlighted by Julien Ducommun, managing director of Niru Swiss, competition in the watch and jewellery industries is extremely fierce. “We make our mark by focusing on producing incredibly complex components for [watches and jewellery], and we use our Bumotec to produce these components to impressive standards of quality and precision,” he said. However, the workshop has not only allowed Niru to gain a foothold in the watch industry, but to also tap into new ones. “I now occasionally produce prototypes for medical technology,” added Ducommun. “Also, I machine not just metals but also plastics such as polycarbonates. Most of the prototypes are turned and cut in a single clamping operation.”
The Bumotec’s combination of linear motors, direct drives, nano interpolation and high measurement resolution of 1/100 µm supports exceptional contouring accuracy, for example, a roundness of 1.4 μm with a radius of 50 mm. Furthermore, it allows the Niru Swiss team to work across five axes simultaneously, and all components are machined using a single clamping operation.
Another significant benefit pointed out by Stéphane Violante, marketing project manager at Starrag Vuadens, is that when used in conjunction with an automation unit, the Bumotec can be operated without the need for human intervention. “All in all, the costs per part are therefore significantly lower than with other machining centres purporting to be more economical,” he concluded.
The investment has also paid off because of the excellent feed speed (50 m/min) and acceleration (1.2 g) as well as the ability to achieve an impressive spindle speed of 30,000 rpm in 1.5 seconds.
The type of components that Niru Swiss is dealing with can generally only be manufactured effectively if there is close collaboration with the customer in relation to CAD/CAM considerations. Ducommun usually receives a CAD file. He uses the GibbsCAM program to simulate the machining process on a computer; this optimises the subsequent process, including the traverse paths. The fine-tuning work is carried out on the Bumotec itself.
Niru Swiss uses digital inline measurement technology, but Ducommun also performs quality assurance checks on all components after the machining process using high-tech equipment. “Even though we produce simulations and carry out optimisation work beforehand, continuous monitoring is the only way to ensure that we comply with all the applicable parameters for the complex components we are machining,” he explained. “The perfection level of each component we produce must always be documented. That is simply the reality of producing complex, high-quality components in small runs.”
In the case of new orders, the team carries out small test runs that involve producing a small number of test components. If the results are good, larger orders can then be accepted.
Niru Swiss takes pride in the fact that it does not need to advertise, with word of its professionalism and efficiency having spread in the watchmaking industry. A major factor that has helped the company build a strong reputation is its collaborations with Urwerk, a Geneva-based avant-garde wristwatch manufacturer, and its founder and CEO Felix Baumgartner. The Bumotec is currently being used to produce the case of Urwerk’s new UR-111C wristwatch.
The UR-111C case is 15 mm high and 46 mm wide. There is no screw-mountable bottom plate. Instead, it is cut from a stainless steel blank and includes a 20 mm deep side compartment to accommodate the movement. The work is completed to an exceptionally high standard, with the Bumotec delivering repeated accuracy to the last micrometre from early in the morning until late at night.
Niru Swiss is expected to gain further recognition as a result of the UR-111C case. Ducommun is therefore looking for a new workshop that will provide more space for new staff and machines. Summing up the importance of the Bumotec in Niru Swiss’ everyday operations, he said: “For me, the most important requirements in this competitive field are the ability to deliver optimum productivity, precision and stability. That’s why I can say with certainty that our next CNC machine will also be a Bumotec.”
Niru Swiss
Starrag
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Image 1: The Urwerk UR-111C is a mechanical wristwatch with a linear time display.
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Image 2a and b: The case of Urwerk’s UR-111C wristwatch is 15 mm high and 46 mm wide and includes a 20 mm deep side compartment to accommodate the movement. It is cut from a stainless steel blank using the Bumotec s191V.
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Image 2a and b: The case of Urwerk’s UR-111C wristwatch is 15 mm high and 46 mm wide and includes a 20 mm deep side compartment to accommodate the movement. It is cut from a stainless steel blank using the Bumotec s191V.
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Image 3a and b: Julien Ducommun, managing director of Niru Swiss, examines the UR-111C wristwatch case (a). He must check the perfection level of each component (b).
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Image 3a and b: Julien Ducommun, managing director of Niru Swiss, examines the UR-111C wristwatch case (a). He must check the perfection level of each component (b).
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Image 4: Felix Baumgartner, founder and CEO of Urwerk, and Stéphane Violante, marketing project manager at Starrag Vuadens.