Vuichard SAS: experts in ‘micro-micromechanics’!
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.
