University of Strathclyde and An Ordain Limited KTP24_25 R4

A watchmaker in Scotland is building the digital and manufacturing tools to machine watch parts a few times the width of a human hair. This project, a Knowledge Transfer Partnership between the University of Strathclyde and An Ordain Limited, addresses a gap in precision manufacturing capability. Watch components—gears, pinions, balance wheels—require tolerances measured in micrometres. Producing them reliably at small scale demands more than a skilled machinist; it requires advanced metrology (the science of measurement), computer numerical control micromanufacturing, and digital twin simulations that mirror the physical production process in real time. If successful, the partnership will give the company the in-house ability to design and produce complex, high-precision parts without relying on external suppliers. This matters beyond horology. The same techniques—precision micromanufacturing, digital twinning, and advanced measurement—underpin everything from medical implants and microfluidic diagnostic chips to fibre-optic connectors and aerospace sensors. Strengthening these capabilities in a UK manufacturer helps keep critical supply chains for high-value, low-volume components within the country. The work is applied, not fundamental science: it aims to build a specific industrial capability, not to discover new physical principles.