Faster cleaning in Swiss watchmaking industry

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Dec 22, 2000

Two leading names in the Swiss watch industry have recently replaced their old cleaning processes, to adopt a faster and more efficient system featuring Novec Engineered Fluids, from 3M.

Two leading names in the Swiss watch industry have recently replaced their old cleaning processes, to adopt a faster and more efficient system featuring Novec Engineered Fluids, from 3M.

At luxury watchmaker, Audemars Piguet SA, various mixtures and alcohols had previously been used to clean its precious metal components, during manufacture and before final assembly, to remove fingerprints, dust, oils and oxides.

The Company sought a more efficient process which also addressed safety and environmental considerations.

It was attracted by Novec Fluid's performance characteristics and properties including non-flammability and low toxicity for safety, and the environmental benefit of zero ozone depletion potential.

The optimum balanced solution was achieved with a co-solvent process, using 3M Novec Engineered Fluid and Prochimac's Promoclean products for cleaning.

Following this, the Novec Fluid rinses and dries at once and its high wetting potential provides a spot-free finish.

Geneva based Polior SA, a large polisher of world-famous, luxury wristwatches, had previously been using an aqueous cleaning process for after-polish cleaning.

The Company required a more effective cleaning system for removing polish-paste, water, oils and common contaminates from metals including yellow and grey gold and stainless steel.

Once again the advanced properties and characteristics of Novec Engineered Fluid was a key element in producing the optimum solution, this time in a multi-tank co-solvent process with Prochimac Topklean product.

Both Companies now have simpler cleaning processes that deliver consistently superior cleaning performance, and are cost effective, safe and considerably faster than their old systems.

(Prochimac is a specialist in cleaning and drying applications and 3M's official distributor for Novec Fluids in Switzerland).

3M and Novec are trademarks of the 3M Company.