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Press articles about Vuichard S.A., a company based in Haute-Savoie that specializes in micro-machining and has been a pioneer in electrical discharge machining since 1967

Vuichard focuses on the infinitely small

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Micro-scale manufacturing and unconventional materials are the speciality of this SME based in Haute-Savoie, which possesses expertise that is unique in France.

At Vuichard SAS, in Dingy-en-Vuache, we love nothing more than working under a microscope. We use both a traditional optical microscope and a scanning electron microscope to inspect holes just one micron in diameter.“We must be the best-equipped company in France for this!”, smiles Philippe Vuichard.
The director, who took over the electrical discharge machining business founded by his father, Michel, 27 years ago, has, over the years, steered the company towards micro-machining, where there is less competition. Here, the nine employees know how to machine parts the size of a hair, barely visible to the naked eye. In micro-drilling, holes can be as small as one micron – the size of a bacterium. “We are the only ones to offer this in both France and Switzerland”, explains this engineer with a passion for technology.
Tucked away at the end of a cul-de-sac in the countryside, the SME boasts an extensive fleet of machines, the size of which is inversely proportional to that of the parts sent in by customers for detailed finishing. Five processes are used: micro-milling, micro-drilling, die-sinking EDM, wire EDM and micro-laser cutting. Its clients operate in the fields of watchmaking, medical technology, aerospace, defence, precision engineering, research and electronics… The aerospace and defence sectors account for 40 per cent of its turnover of one million euros (excluding purchases of

“Our expertise in die-sinking EDM remains unrivalled in France,” insists the director. “We are the only company in France capable of drilling holes one micron in size – the size of a bacterium – invisible to the naked eye, invisible under a magnifying glass and invisible under a microscope with a magnification of less than 500 times.”

ENHANCING LASER MICRO-CUTTING

The company is particularly renowned for its contract micro-laser cutting services. “We use a process that is unique in France, which produces a vertical cut that is burr-free and causes no heat build-up,” explains Philippe Vuichard. Two specialised machines already enabled the company to access niche markets in research and microelectronics. A third is currently being installed. An investment of 250,000 C (20 per cent of which is a regional grant) to “achieve even greater performance in cutting unusual materials”.
CarVuichard SAS has built a reputation in micro-machining and the machining of tungsten, molybdenum, rhenium, osmium, ruthenium, iridium, hafnium, Inconel, Hastelloy, chromium-cobalt, titanium, nitinol, tantalum, silicon carbide, titanium nitride, silicon and ceramics… A level of expertise whose uniqueness rivals that of the metals themselves. • “Our laser business is growing and we still have potential,”, he concludes.

A UNIQUE EXPERTISE

Winner of a ‘Micron d’Or’ at the 2018 Micronora trade fair, Vuichard SAS produces only small batches (up to 1,000 pieces) or one-off items, such as this cochlear implant electrode.
It has around a hundred clients a year, ranging from one-person businesses to multinationals, and is one of the few specialists to use 20-micron wire in wire electrical discharge machining (EDM) and to produce components weighing less than 0.001 grammes. L

Source: article taken from ECO Savoie Mont Blanc, 4 September 2026, by Sylvie Bollard

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Vuichard SAS is pushing the boundaries of the infinitely small

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Founded in 1967, Vuichard SAS continues to grow in the field of precision micro machining. Its most recent investment is a next-generation laser machine supported by the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region.

A pioneer in electrical discharge machining since 1968—one year after Michel Vuichard founded the company in the basement of his home—Vuichard SAS has never stopped innovating. Thanks to this process, no fewer than 2 million lighters from the luxury brand ST Dupont have passed through the company over the course of twenty-seven years. Over the years, the company has expanded twice, but has always remained based in the hills above Dingy-en-Vuache, near the family home. When Philippe Vuichard succeeded his father as head of the company in 1998, armed with a degree in mechanical engineering, he established a specialization in micro-drilling to complement the company’s expertise in precision micro-machining.
Today, as Philippe Vuichard points out, the company is one of the few to use 20-micron wire in wire EDM and to produce components weighing less than 0.001 grams.

« Our expertise in die-sinking EDM remains unmatched in France,” the executive emphasizes. “We are the only company in France capable of drilling holes one micron in size—the size of a bacterium—which are invisible to the naked eye, invisible under a magnifying glass, and invisible even under a microscope with a magnification of less than 500 times. »

Specializing in laser micro-cutting

In 2014, the SAS reached a new milestone with the acquisition of a micro-laser cutting machine to meet customer demands for micro-machining and high precision. In 2026, the laser division continued to evolve. Thanks to a grant from the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region awarded as part of the “Relocation Package” (40,000 euros), the company purchased a new laser machine (200,000 euros).

« We’re continuing to innovate with an investment in waterjet-guided laser technology,” Philippe Vuichard explains to Christophe Fournier, who was visiting the company’s offices on Thursday, May 7. “This allows us to achieve impeccable cutting quality. »

Philippe Vuichard ingénieur et dirigeant de Vuichard SAS.

The only company working on the infinitely small

In order to cope with the decline in business in the watchmaking sector—a trend that became evident in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic—the company now operates in a wide range of industries. These include jewelry, cosmetics, medical devices, aerospace, the automotive industry, defense, as well as specialty materials and the mechanical engineering industry. “We fulfill orders from about a hundred customers a year,” explains the CEO, noting that these are single-unit orders or small production runs. “The parts arrive here already machined. We focus on the details. We can achieve a much higher level of precision in cutting than our competitors,” attests Philippe Vuichard. “Up to ten times smaller,” he asserts.

Brilliant Inventor

Philippe Vuichard continues to put his engineering skills to work for his company by developing his own machines. He reveals that he also developed the concept of micro-turning using electrical discharge machining—a concept he invented in 2018. “This allows us to turn all electrically conductive materials.” This is a significant advantage.

Source: Article excerpted from *Le Messager*, Thursday, May 21, 2026, by Stéphane Grosjean.

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Vuichard SAS: experts in ‘micro-micromechanics’!

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Nano- and microtechnologies

Metals – Milling, turning, electrical discharge machining and laser cutting are processes commonly used in micromechanics; that’s no secret. What is perhaps less well known is the ability of the subcontractor Vuichard SAS to push the boundaries of these technologies into ever-smaller dimensions. See for yourself!

Micro-milling: machining with a ball-end mill 0.1 mm in diameter is no easy feat. Yet, in 2018, Vuichard SAS won an award at the Micronora trade fair for a milling operation using a tool 100 times smaller; in other words, the tip of the mill was less than 1 micron. The micro-structure milled onto the surface of a mould was not visible to the naked eye, nor under a magnifying glass, nor with a microscope magnifying less than 100 times.

Laser micro-cutting: The vast majority of cutting lasers have a power output of over 1,000 watts and tend to ‘burn through’ material at thicknesses of less than 0.4 mm. Vuichard SAS has invested €800,000 in a 12-watt laser, enabling it to take over from other subcontractors by cutting materials thicker than 5 microns, without heating, with absolutely no burrs and with perfect cutting concentricity.

Wire EDM: The smallest wire diameter used in EDM is 20 microns. This process allows micro-cuts to be made on parts thicker than those cut by laser, but the two processes are highly complementary, with kerf widths of around 30 microns.

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An innovative laser cutting process for the medical sector

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Renowned for its resources and expertise in micro-machining using electrical discharge machining, Vuichard is also equipped with a highly specialised Synova laser cutting machine, which enables it to meet the specific requirements of the medical sector.

Founded in 1967 by Michel Vuichard, a former employee of the Charmilles Technologies R&D centre (now GF Machining Solutions), the family-run company Vuichard is synonymous with electrical discharge machining. Its subcontracting business began with die-sinking EDM, on which it built its reputation, particularly for the machining of specialised parts. In 1988, the company expanded its expertise to wire EDM, which rapidly grew, then to 5-axis milling, and finally to laser cutting.

The company’s machinery enables it to stand out from the competition through its ability to machine very small parts. Based in Dingy-en-Vuache, between Annecy and Geneva, it caters to the watchmaking industry, but this specialism in micro-machining is also of interest to other sectors, including the medical sector, which accounts for around 15 per cent of its turnover (€1 million, with 9 employees). Examples include the machining of needle tips, gas mixers, shape-memory alloys, and specialised components made from stainless steel, chromium-cobalt, titanium, nitinol and platinum…

As for die-sinking EDM, Vuichard is able to produce electrodes that are almost invisible to the naked eye (7 µm), enabling it to create indentations just 15 µm wide. This makes it possible, in particular, to drill holes in a needle without any cutting effort and without burrs. “It is difficult to find such expertise in Europe,” emphasises Philippe Vuichard, the founder’s son, who has been running the company since 19.

Philippe Vuichard, DG de l'entreprise, recevant un Micron d'Or
Philippe Vuichard, DG de l’entreprise, recevant un Micron d’Or lors de la dernière édition du salon Micronora (photo Jack Varlet).

An investment of €600,000

As regards laser cutting, the company did not hesitate to invest €600,000 in acquiring state-of-the-art equipment from the Swiss firm Synova. This machine is based on patented Microjet technology, which utilises a laser beam that is focused and then guided through a water jet as fine as a hair (34 µm in diameter). Complementing electro-erosion, this process has opened up new horizons for Vuichard. It enables the micro-cutting of sheets between 5 and 300 µm thick, and soon up to 600 µm following a forthcoming investment of €230,000.

Microjet technology offers several advantages over conventional laser cutting. When the beam strikes the metal, it turns into a gaseous state and is carried away in the form of microbubbles within the water column. Consequently, there is no heating at the cut, no recondensation, and no liquid residue likely to stick to the material – meaning absolutely no burrs. This is a significant advantage in the medical sector, where the risk of detachable microparticles is strictly prohibited.

“We achieve surface finishes (Ra 0.2) comparable to those obtained using a cutting process based on a femtosecond laser,” explains Philippe Vuichard. And unlike the conventional process, which results in a tapered cut due to the focusing of the laser beam, the cut here is perfectly vertical, making it possible to calibrate cylindrical holes to within a few micrometres. Whilst most of the parts produced to date using this equipment are for the watchmaking sector, Philippe Vuichard is convinced that it can effectively meet the growing demand for miniaturisation in the medical sector, and hopes to see the number of projects in this field increase significantly. “Our company is the only one in France to offer subcontracting services using this type of laser,” he emphasises.

A monitoring tool that’s up to the job

In terms of inspection equipment, Vuichard has primarily acquired optical systems, including the Lynx EVO stereo microscope from Vision Engineering. With the purchase of the Synova laser cutting machine, the company has also invested in a bespoke Marcel Aubert microscope. Its distinctive feature is that it comprises standard equipment (magnification from 60x to 500x) combined with a second microscope offering a shallow depth of field (400x to 2000x). This setup ensures dimensional accuracy, including for mass-production laser cutting.

It is clear that the company’s strategic focus is based on the general trend – particularly in the medical sector – towards ‘ever smaller’ components. At the same time, Vuichard aims to strengthen its expertise in the machining of exotic materials, such as Nitinol – a specialist area for Nimesis Technology (see box) – as well as molybdenum, tantalum, tungsten, rhenium, iridium, niobium, osmium and conductive ceramics. Made from titanium nitride, these ceramics are likely to offer opportunities in the medical sector, provided their biocompatibility is proven.

Vuichard, Nimesis’s partner of choice

Nimesis Technology, a subcontractor based in Lorraine specialising in shape-memory alloys for niche markets, serves the medical sector in particular (20 to 25 per cent of its turnover) by developing innovative products, including pins, staples, surgical knives and highly specialised, bespoke stents. The company has also recently obtained ISO 13485:2016 certification.

Nimesis regularly calls on Vuichard’s services for certain projects, both medical and otherwise. “It’s a company that’s keen on innovative projects, responsive, capable of machining very specialised metals using high-performance tools, and offering excellent technical support,” explains Alain Hautcoeur, director of Nimesis. “When it comes to precision parts requiring a very high standard of cutting, it’s hard to find anyone better.”

Vuichard’s laser cutting process is particularly beneficial for Nimesis as it minimises thermal effects, which can be detrimental to materials such as nitinol.

Vuichard is considering investing in tribofinishing equipment – a process currently outsourced in Switzerland – from companies with expertise in processing small parts.

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MICRONORA PREVIEW – MATERIALS
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Vuichard Michel SA has 43 years’ experience in electrical discharge machining. For its micro-machining subcontracting work, it has a Matsuura centre with a ground bed, a 60,000 rpm spindle and 0.1μ travel for 5-axis micro-milling with cutters larger than 0.04 mm in diameter, six wire EDM machines for wire diameters greater than 0.03 mm, two Sarix machines for micro-drilling holes with a diameter of more than 0.025 mm, and finally ten die-sinking EDM machines for shapes larger than 0.02 mm.

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Five-axis continuous micro-milling, micro-drilling and electrical discharge machining
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In micro-milling, the company has opted for continuous 5-axis machining as it always allows work to be carried out using very short tools. For Vuichard Michel S.A., software such as Hyper Mill offers the possibility of optimising tool lengths and easily defining toolpaths in continuous 5-axis machining. According to the company, this approach is only viable with very high-precision machines such as the Matsuura LX-0, which features a linear motor and a torque motor, offering positional control to 0.01 μ and travel accuracy to 0.1 μ (0.0001 mm).

Micro-milling operations are carried out on ultra-adhesive materials such as platinum, as well as on hardened steels rated at 68 HRC, or on brittle materials such as crystal, silicon or nickel-phosphorus.

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0.1 mm end mills in 65 HRC? Vuichard is up for the challenge!

Hard milling to diameters of less than 0.4 mm is not something everyone can manage…

Vuichard Michel SA has just acquired a 5-axis Matsuura LXo to rise to the challenge.

Founded in 1967 in Jurens, near Valleiry (74 – close to Geneva), Vuichard Michel SA began operations with a major contract for electrical discharge machining (EDM) of ST Dupont luxury lighters, and nearly two million lighters passed through the company’s workshops over a period of 27 years.

The company built up an excellent reputation in the fields of die-sinking and wire EDM, before branching out into micro-drilling in 2000 with two Sarix machines and extensive optical inspection equipment.

Matsuura for direct hard milling.

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The ‘p’th powers of the difference
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In difficult times, a different strategy enables a company to stand out from the crowd. This oft-repeated maxim also holds true for small businesses. In the field of micromechanics, a subcontractor does not hesitate to invest in order to strengthen its highly specialised expertise.

Founded by Michel, the Vuichard company specialises in high-precision electrical discharge machining of very small components. Whether it’s micro-drilling on a Sarix machine, wire EDM using 0.03 mm wire on a Charmilles dual-wire machine, or die-sinking complex shapes using six machines of the same make, Vuichard is renowned for achieving the impossible with parts the size of a sugar cube – or even smaller.

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Vuichard SA: 50 years’ experience in EDM
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Micro-machining is a key activity for the company, which has extensive expertise in high-volume machining. Its clients come from the jewellery and watchmaking sectors, as well as from microelectronics and the medical sector. Examples include the drilling of needles or gas mixers, and the production of fibre-optic connectors. In the field of tooling, Vuichard produces moulds for the compaction of metal powders and thermoforming (plastic), as well as punching dies and cutting dies. Its main market sectors are microelectronics, domestic appliances and the automotive industry. (…)

With a current workforce of 14, Vuichard is likely the largest French EDM subcontractor. Its workshops are equipped with over 20 EDM machines, all from Charmilles, with the exception of two micro-drilling machines. Some of these machines are genuine prototypes, modified at will by an ingenious owner and a team that has mastered their craft to perfection. One of the company’s distinctive features is that it possesses a range of machines spanning the entire spectrum of Charmilles models. These range from the prototypes of the Dl and D 20, through the D4, D222 and D420 (from the now defunct Charmilles Gloucester in the UK), to the ROBOFORM and ROBOFIL models from the 100 and 1000 series, as well as three models from recent years: a ROBOFORM 30 and two ROBOFIL 4030TWs.

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Erosion: why not the series?
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Electrical discharge machining (EDM) has found its way into the world of machining via the toolmakers and mouldmakers. However, this technique offers further potential, particularly in batch production. A subcontractor in the Haute-Savoie region has understood this for a very long time.

With a substantial fleet of wire and die-sinking EDM machines, Philippe Vuichard can meet a wide range of requirements, from single-off parts to large production runs.

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