Metal additive manufacturing offers significant advantages in design freedom and production agility. However, when it comes to precision components such as high-end watches, which require impeccable surface quality, mirror-like finishes, and strict tolerances, traditional approaches often face challenges in post-processing. How can we overcome these limitations to fully realize the potential of additive manufacturing in precision applications?
Metal 3D-Printed Watch Dial (Courtesy HBD)
CN PRECISION TECHNOLOGY, a specialist in high-end surface treatment for watches and jewelry, has partnered with HBD to establish South China’s first full-process metal additive manufacturing center. This collaboration tackles critical industry challenges by bridging the gap between high precision and high aesthetic demands in metal 3D printing. The center sets a new benchmark for precision component production, transforming innovative design possibilities into mass-produced end products with exceptional quality—signaling a breakthrough in the precision manufacturing value chain.
Strategic Cooperation Agreement Signing: Mr. Mai Jinping, General Manager of the Metals Division of CN PRECISION TECHNOLOGY (left), and Mr. Liu Jianye, Chairman of HBD (right) (Courtesy HBD)
Limitations of Conventional Manufacturing and the Additive Alternative
Traditional precision manufacturing techniques such as stamping and CNC machining present inherent constraints: stamping limits design freedom, CNC often results in high material waste, and extended mold development and machining cycles slow down iteration. HBD’s advanced metal additive manufacturing technology provides a systematic solution to these challenges:
- Integrated Design Breakthroughs: Topology optimization enables highly complex, organic, and internal structures—such as lattices and fluid dynamics surfaces—that are difficult or impossible to achieve with subtractive methods.
- Ultra-Lightweighting: Efficient use of high-performance materials like titanium alloy allows for thinner, lighter parts without compromising strength, corrosion resistance, or comfort.
- High-Mix Low-Volume Production: Additive manufacturing supports small to medium batch production without tooling, drastically shortening lead times. For example, developing a complex watch case can be reduced from six months to just 45 days.
- Improved Cost Efficiency: Near-net-shape production minimizes material waste, and powder recycling further enhances sustainability. The technology also reduces dependency on manual machining and multi-step processing.
HBD metal 3D printer workspace at CN Precision Technology (Courtesy CN PRECISION TECHNOLOGY)
However, as-printed metal parts often lack the surface quality required for high-precision applications. Achieving consistent, high-quality finishing—especially on complex internal structures and curved surfaces—has been a major obstacle. This is where comprehensive post-processing capability becomes essential.
Full-Process Integration: Overcoming Barriers and Adding Value
The core of the full-process approach lies in the seamless integration of prototyping, printing, heat treatment, precision machining, polishing, and coating. CN PRECISION TECHNOLOGY’s expertise in finishing and surface treatment complements HBD’s printing capabilities, enabling the transformation of printed parts into mirror-finish components that meet the stringent standards of the watchmaking industry.
This closed-loop process offers several key benefits:
- Superior surface quality and accuracy, even for complex geometries
- Efficient material usage and recycling, especially for costly metal powders
- Functional integration and lightweighting unattainable with conventional methods
- Shorter development cycles and lower overall manufacturing costs
Post-processing showcase at CN Precision Technology (Courtesy CN PRECISION TECHNOLOGY)
HBD and CN PRECISION TECHNOLOGY: Setting a New Standard in Post-Processing
The end-to-end, full-process solution developed by HBD and CN PRECISION TECHNOLOGY overcomes traditional limitations of metal additive manufacturing in high-appearance applications. By combining design freedom, material performance, reduced carbon footprint, and agile production with high-quality finishing, this partnership provides a powerful engine for innovation and sustainable transformation in high-end manufacturing—particularly in the watchmaking sector.
3D-printed luxury watch by CN Precision Technology (Courtesy CN PRECISION TECHNOLOGY)
HBD’s advanced 3D printing systems enable efficient and precise part fabrication, while CN PRECISION TECHNOLOGY’s finishing expertise ensures that those parts meet the highest standards of quality and aesthetics. Together, they offer manufacturers the capability to set new global standards in design, technology, and sustainability.
