Monday, October 10, 2011

New and revised FullSkill course content 2011

We are proud to present a revised version of the Fullskill course content. 

The link to download the course outline can be found here.

Its currently hosted on a mediafire site but it will soon be moved to the school server.

The outline of the course can also be seen below :-


Structure and Course Content
Part 1 (12 months)
Introduction
Students will learn and master the following skills :-
·      Filing
·      Turning
·      Sawing
·      Thread cutting
·      Milling
·      Drilling
·      Grinding
·      Heat treatment operations
·      Fixtures
·      Boring
·      Lapping
·      Polishing
·      Electro – Plating
·      Sandblasting
In this part of the course, the student will be constructing their own tools. The skills and knowledge gained will equip the student to be able to manufacture parts and tools for their own school piece, and more importantly, creating practical tools for their future watchmaking career.
Skills Curriculum
Filing: This is mainly done by hand, and different techniques will be taught.
Turning: This will be taught with both smaller and bigger lathes, and also between centers.
Sawing: This is mainly done by hand with a piercing saw and/or larger hand saw, in addition students will be taught how to use a machine to saw larger pieces.
Thread cutting: This will be taught with the classical cutting methods. More importantly, we teach thread cutting with different techniques, such as in a drill press, milling machine and by hand.
Milling: Using different techniques with different machines and various materials and cutters, we teach how to mill pinions and wheels, levers and springs and even private tools. With the help of HM and HSS metals as materials for the cutters.
Drilling: Students will be taught drilling in the lathe (big and small holes), drilling with a drill press, drilling in the jig-borer and other associated drilling techniques and methods.
Grinding: Students will learn grinding techniques with different grinding materials such as Arkansas, India and Diamond wheels.
Heat treatment operations: Students will learn the operations by hand and by production methods, such as with the furnace.
Clamping: Different techniques will be taught. For example, with stress resistant glue, vices, shellac, and magnets.
Boring: Students will be taught boring using the milling machine and  lathe with a boring head.
Lapping: Students will know how to do lapping with different techniques and compounds such as Tetrabore and Orva.
Polishing: Students will be trained in this aspect by constructing tools  and polishing them by hand, machine, and with different techniques and compounds such as diamond paste and aluminum oxide.
Plating: Different plating methods such as spot plating and electroplating with Rhodium, gold, palladium, black rhodium and Nickel will be taught.
Sandblasting: Both manual hand methods and production methods will be taught.
Decorations: Different techniques will be studied during this course. For example spotting, beveling, black polishing, circular graining, straight graining etc.
Tools produced

·      Polishing tool
·      Steel gauge
·      Brass wheel truing guide
·      Pallet fork holder
·      Graver support
·      Balance wheel support
·      Balance bridge support
·      Square press fit
·      “Dufour” tool
·      Pivot gauges


Part 2 (12 months):
Introduction
In this second part of the course, students will finalize and complete the complete fullskill training program with various exams and visits to manufactories. Also, they will be producing their own school watch.
Students will also acquire the following knowledge and skills :-
·      Winding and setting mechanism
·      Gear trains
·      The Escapement
·      The Oscillator
·      Timing and precision timing
·      Calendar, and self-winding watches
·      Electronic watches
·      Encasing
·      Chronographs
·      Repairs
School watch
Students will have a choice of producing their own school watch from an established movement or from the school designed movement. Once completed and checked by Instructors, the watch become the student’s property.
The school watch is considered as a private project of the student.  There, the student will need to buy certain parts such as the dial and cases themselves. Nevertheless, it is not envisioned that the entire cost of the watch should exceed CHF 2000 in materials.
Factory Visits
There will be numerous visits to museums, manufacturers of watches, toolmakers. However, this will be made over the duration of the 24 months.
Skills Curriculum
Winding and setting mechanism:
Students will be taught the following skills : -
·      Troubleshooting
·      Calculation of the barrel and mainspring
·      Shortening an excessively long mainspring
·      Assembly and adjustments of the barrel of an automatic and hand wound watch including rectifying/making the bushings of the barrel drum and cover
·      Lubricating the winding and setting mechanism including the barrel
·      Installation of a new mainspring in a watch
·      Calculation of the motion-work
·      Making specialized tools for the winding and setting mechanism

Gear trains:
Students will be taught the following skills : -
·      Checking the correct functioning with the depthing tool
·      Making wheels flat and true in the center
·      Adjusting the correct end shake and side shake
·      Quality control of wheels, pinions, and bearings
·      Utilization of the Horia and Seitz tool
·      Quality control of pivots and jewels
·      Oiling the gear train of a watch
·      Making specialized tools for gear-train work

The Escapement:
Students will be engaged in finding the correct literature about different escapements with the help of their presiding Instructor. They will study the Swiss lever escapement, the Natural lift escapement, the Daniels escapement, Detent, Cylinder, Verge, and Duplex escapement in theory.
In addition, students will learn the correct functions and the adjustment of the Swiss lever escapement by the pallets and with minor interference inside the escapement (how to adjust banking pins and filing of the horns etc.). They will also learn re-shellacking.
A large proportion of time will be devoted to the teaching of efficiently servicing and repairing a modern Swiss lever escapement. Students will learn how to check the divisions, end shakes and side shakes. They also learn how to remove and fit broken balance staffs and how to statically poise and true the balance wheel. In the final stages, students will learn about quality control of components, cleaning and lubrication.
The Oscillator ( Balance with hairspring):
In this module, the student will learn to fit new hairsprings to watches which have damaged ones (C.G.S. system). Not only will students learn the fitting of new hairsprings in serial, they will also be engaged in calculations for a new hairspring replacement with the 2nd pinning point. Students will then be expected to be able to vibrate it to the correct frequency with precise adjustments to the trueness and flatness at the collet and under the balance bridge, including studding up. They will also learn how to make Breguet overcoil hairsprings in blue steel and/or Nivarox material.
Coefficient of thermal expansion of different materials such as Steel, silicium and silicium oxide will be studied.
If the student finds the time and the right motivation, he/she will also be able to learn the Grossmann internal terminal curve. The culmination of the knowledge will lead up to the student being able to rapidly and efficiently make corrections to hairsprings in an After-sales service environment.
Timing and precision timing:
For this module, the students will learn the proper way of timing a watch. They will learn how to dynamically poise and adjust rates in different positions and also different timing procedures and controls like the CTM system. They will also be taught how the Swiss rating institute C.O.S.C. controls movements.
Calendar, and self-winding watches:
It is an outcome of the course that the student will be able to service any simple calendar or self-winding watch. In addition, they will be taught the theory behind perpetual calendars.
Electronic watches:
Students will learn how to measure any electronic watch. They will also be taught how to troubleshoot, analyze the measurement data and servicing.
Encasing (T2):
It is envisioned that students will be trained inside any Swiss watchmaking factory where they will be performing encasing for about 4 weeks. They will learn to work with new products and materials, increase their speed and quality of working as well as getting their first encounter with the Swiss watchmaking industry.
Measurement:
This is a specialized module based on school work and practical experience. Students will be taught the processes of precise control and measurements in the quality control department with optical instruments as well as with physical measurements techniques.
Chronographs:
Students will be studying different chronograph systems, such as the classical column wheel system, cam system, modular systems, horizontal and vertical clutch systems with or without automatic device.
Development:
Plans have been made to introduce students to Quick/Rapid prototyping and quick modeling techniques.
Special Courses:
Depending on availability of external teachers, optional courses may be made available. These include subjects such as Enameling, stone setting or engraving.

Macro Photography :
A special module in basic Macro photography has been designed and created by a professional photographer. Students will learn the basics of camera operation and economical methods of achieving near-publishing grade photos for self promotion or for customers.
Marketing and Social Media :
This module aims to equip students with basic knowledge of marketing and consumer behavior. Students will learn various methods of online marketing with different mediums of social media such as blogs, website creation, online advertising and social media platforms. Some basic legal principles will also be taught with regards to basic contract , consumer and Intellectual Property law. It is envisioned that the students who have enrolled in the Fullskill course aims to become Independent Watchmakers after graduation. Therefore, it is necessary that they are empowered with not only watchmaking skills, but also skills to promote and sell their products.
Repairs:
The students may have the possibility to repair watches for real customers in the school for the factory or for collectors. Furthermore, depending on time constrains, students may undertake repair work for family and friends if he or she is motivated enough. 


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