ctime 表态网论坛--2014参观朗格（转帖）

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2014-09-06 06:42

2014参观朗格（转帖）

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2014 A. Lange & Söhne Manufactory Visit

Date:
Sep 05, 2014,11:13 AM -
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Recently, A. Lange & Söhne invited a handful of press-members from SE Asia for a 3D2N trip to Dresden to visit the Manufacture. I was one of the fortunate people, and always looking forward to view a German manufacturer after seeing several Swiss Manufacturers.

Just a quick recount of the 3 days ... please join me ...

Day 1

Flew from Singapore on Sunday night and arrived in Dresden on Monday noon.
A kind greeting from A. Lange & Söhne Team upon reaching the hotel located at beautiful city centre, Neumarkt.

After checking in, we had lunch and then a guided city tour ...

The impressive Semperoper ...

The beautiful Zwinger ...

The awesome Dresden Fürstenzug, the world longest porcelain artwork (102m) featuring the 'Procession of Princes', made of about 23,000 Meissen porcelain pieces and mounted on the outer wall of the Stallhof of Dresden Castle.

At the end of the artwork, is the strategically located A. Lange & Söhne Dresden Boutique ...

In front of the Dresden Boutique checking out the displayed pieces ...

A quick visit inside the Boutique ...

Left and back to hotel ....

Since there's still some time before dinner, I visited the Dresden Frauenkirche.... went all the way up to the dome for the wonderful city view ...

Next, after dinner we returned to rest and ready to set off early to visit the A. Lange & Söhne factory.

Day 2

After an early breakfast, the transport arrived at our hotel at 8:45am to fetch us to the factory ...

Upon arrival at the front of the current A. Lange & Söhne factory. The new wing (at the background) is still being build.

Entering the building, a huge collage poster of the founder, Ferdinand Adolph Lange ...

Looking closely .... consists of people behind the manufactory ...

Check out the young Anthony de Hass

A huge metal-craftwork of the respected Günter Blümlein with the iconic Lange 1 dial ...

A suspended exploded large scale model of an A. Lange & Söhne movement, showcasing the traits of 'Quality made visible".

Walking to the reception ...

More illustratives ...

A large view of a page of the then 23-year-young Ferdinand A. Lange's journeyman book (around 1837)....

After getting our press passes, we proceed to the meeting room ...

Upon entering, greeted by many of the A. Lange & Söhne pieces ....

Some quick shots ....

Got a short time to chat with Anthony de Hass ....

Sat with Anthony de Hass for a short while.

From April 2014 this year, he is looking after the R&D of A. Lange & Söhne besides the Product Development & Management, while his long time good friend and close working partner, Tino Bobe, will be taking care of the production. Though both have different responsibilities, he consider both Tino and himself are technical directors. He is overseeing six groups of engineers (55 of them) from product design, movement design, product development to testing.

When asked if alternative new material would be used in future products, he replied the team keeps an open-mind though they have 'a duty to use materials which could be hand-workable' which ensuring any components (if stock is not available) in the far future could be still be fabricated and replaced. So far the brand only used new material for aesthetic, the case material, an example he mentioned is the 18K honey-gold, which is harder and more scratch-resistance.

As for how their approach in design and develop watches, the team listen to feedback from their sales and marketing, have a look at past designs and also what the industry is doing and then 'do it differently but in classical timeless way'. He gave an example of the current RICHARD LANGE PERPETUAL CALENDAR “Terraluna”, on the front is a regulator layout, so the moonphase has to go to the back. Fortunately, the movement designer is an avid astronomy hobbyist and it helps in designing the new movement. The power of collective knowledge of a team.

Also would like the hear his answer if the 'double assembly' has real value-added, he replied, after the first round of complete assembly, the movement is placed on the motion simulator to keep it running for about 2 weeks. By then the gears are set and then given the proper regulation then stripped apart for washing, final round of finishing and decorating then reassemble with fresh lubricants. That make sense, as the gears were 'run-in' and more stable before fine-tunning for precision time-keeping.

Trying to get him away from watches, asked what made him happy ... and he mentioned he was on a vacation with his family in Italy (and he was not wearing a watch) and he saw his hotel manager has a Lange 1 on him. He went over and remarked,' You've a nice watch" And the manager replied, ' You know the brand!', and happy manager then continued to share passionately with Anthony his Lange. To Anthony, this passion of Lange owner really cheered him. I wondered did he disclose his identity to the manager

Well, still unable to get him away watches, the last question was what he likes to do outside of work ... I never guessed it.... this gentleman was a drummer and has a band before. Wow! Wish I've more time with him.

Anne Schaal, Press & Public Relations Officer, was with us ...

After that we moved to the Blank parts production department. Pictures were not allowed ... so only captured what were permitted.

Samples of the blank making sequence by various computer numerical control (CNC) like milling, drilling, engraving and also precise wire-EDM.

Samples of the hallmark 3/4 untreated German silver plates, introduced by Ferdinand A Lange to ensure plates are resistance to distortion, and aesthetically pleasing when they take on a gold-coloured patina over time.

Samples of more precise parts fabricated by wire EDM systems ...

Besides the machining processes, we were shown how Quality Control and Assurance was carried out at the machine-floor, with comparators and more precise vision systems and coordinate measuring machine (CMM).

After viewing, we proceeded to the Finishing and Assembly sections ...

Change into a lab-coat ... before entering ...

The Finishing Department, where staff check, deburr, bevel and decorate all the parts by hands.

The circular graining /perlage station ...

A sample board ...

Examples illustrating the before and after perlage process ... which even being done at areas which could be seen (the underside of the plates).

Even on the thin strips on the sides,,, were perlage.

A great example of the Lange 1, both the platine and bridges. Top of the 3/4 plate is Glashutte ribbing.

A closer look at the perlage machine ...

Craftsman needs to have the experience and rhythm to space out the perlage ...

Next some samples of circular graining ...

Before and after ...

Each gear was carefully mounted and grained on both sides.
Craftsman also needs to monitor regularly the quality of the graining and also replacing the lapping film.

Next also visited the flat polishing station ...notice two different grades of lapping films ...

A piece of cork hold the piece to be polished. Regular inspecting while polishing ...

Next we reached the engraving department ...

Master engraver works under a microscope ...

Engraving a balance cock ...

This is perhaps the step which turns an A. Lange & Söhne watch into a unique and personal piece. A watch which you know who is craftsman behind your watch, a face, not just a brand.

Each of the six master engravers has their own identity when they decorate the balance-cock with the free-hand technique... like a signature, instead of with pen, a burin.

Live view on a monitor as he engraved a piece ...

Six balance cocks, six different signatures ...

Other engraving done on casebacks ...

Some examples of enamel work by apprentices.

Last stop, the assembly department ... where all the components are assembled into a calibre ...

In A. Lange & Söhne, there are various teams of expert watchmakers for different types of complication assembly. They have team for complications for out-size date, perpetual calender, chronograph with flyback, double-rattrapante and tourbillons. Now they have another group for repeaters

After the movement is completed assembled and given the 'breath of life' with a heart (escapement assembly), the movement is passed to another team of regleurs for accuracy regulation. This group will regulate the movement in 5 positions. It consists of a process laying the tiny screws and washers on the balance wheel. If the oscillation frequency needed to be fine-tuned, the regleur will mill even the smallest amount of metal off the screws to achieve the correct moment of inertia!

Once the timing for 5 positions are well adjusted, rationally, the movement should be encased and sent through final testing and out to the boutiques or retailers. Not the case for A. Lange & Söhne.

The movement is completely taken apart again, and all components are cleaned in ultrasonic tank. The 3/4 plate is decorated with Glashutte ribbing. The gold chatons are repolished and the plain screws are replaced with the thermally blued ones.

The movement is then reassembled , with different types of lubricants applied. Then it is adjusted again. With the dial and the hands mounted, the whole movement is ready to be encased. This is the end of the 'double assembly' process.

After encasing, the whole watch is sent to a series of tests which last about 4 to 6 weeks.

A final assembled chronograph movement ...

Functional testing of watches on motion-simulators...

The manufactory tour ended ...

Walking out, and a glance of the new upcoming manufactory ...

A short walk around the manufactory area and then went to another location, a watchmaking school of A. Lange & Söhne in Barenstein.

Arriving at the school for our afternoon session ....for a hands-on experience of engraving.

Upon arrival the table was set up with the tools and a drawing.

Our teacher is no other than one of the six master engravers, Simone Rauchfuss.

She demonstrated a technique called Tremblage
.

After that we are to draw what we wished to engrave onto the drawing paper supplied and then proceed to engrave.