The Swiss company DPRM (based in Arch, near Grenchen) is mainly focused on the bar turning of micro parts that make the working features of a watch.

The company has a total of 44 machine tools. These include specialised ones for blanking, burnishing and decorating, plus thermal and surface treatment. It also has a number of turning machines from Tornos (www.tornos.com) — seven EvoDeco machines, four Deltas and a SwissNano.

DPRM specialises in the production of arbors, pinions and wheels for high-end watches; it also undertakes gear cutting. Laurent Forster, DPRM’s managing director, said: “Meeting tolerances in the range of 4-6µm is part of
our daily routine for almost all of our parts.

Additionally, we have to consider the aesthetic aspects and high levels of surface finish. For instance, we can machine holes that are just 0.3mm in diameter and 7mm deep — that is more than 23-times diameter.

Moreover, on our Deco 10s, we can produce prismatic parts without any turning involved.

“In addition to machining, the company offers highly complex assembly services. For instance, we produce and assemble cannon pinions — including friction spring adjustment — third wheels, counter wheels, reversing wheels, second wheels — and much more.”

Responsiveness is the key to DPRM’s success, which is why the company has set up a manufacturing cell for prototype production. “This unit is a great success, and we deliberately separated it from the production area so as to have a dedicated machining capability.

"We installed two EvoDeco 10 machines, which give us outstanding flexibility. Thanks to its fully modular machining area, the EvoDeco 10 can be quickly converted to a milling centre; it can also be equipped with numerous high-frequency spindles — and can undertake gear cutting on main- and back-machining operations.”

Longines Conquest