South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-02-11
FOREIGN STUDENTS
FIND INTEREST IN
WATCHING EXPERTS
Notre Dame Men Visit South
Bend Watch Co. Plant IN
CITY Tour.

Fifty ryotre Dame students from
II foreign countries visited the
south Bend Watch factory Thursday
afternoon under the guidance OF the
local Chamber Of Commerce. and
saw in detail the making Of parts
and the assembling Of the time
pieces The party was divided into
four groups. each OF which was
shown through the factory by OFF,
Gals OF the company.
After seeing the cases punched
from strips OF metal and afterwards
plated. the students were taken 70
the dial department. where the discs
we're first enameled, then printed
and finally sprinkled with q powder
and baked IN ovens heated TO tenn
perature OF 400 degrees Fahren-
heit.
Much interest was shown by the
students IN the mechanical depart
ment where the hearts OF the
watches were made with such ac-
curscy that a variance OF more than
one-thouandth Of an inch IS not
permitted in the shaping OF the
parts. Tiny screws. scarcely visible
70 the naked eye. and teeth In
wheels of similar proportions. caused
barage OF questions to be directed
at the guides.
See War Machinery.
Complicated mechanisms fed BIZ a
plain piece Of wire were shown
turning out balance screws and other
essential parts OF a watch. In one
part OF the factory were several ma
chimes used d"ring the war in the
manufacturing OF various kinds Of
ammunition. AS a side line. one de-
partment was said to be engaged in
the making Of metal parts for the
Conn Instrument Co. OF Elkhart
One would think that a scientific
laboratory was being inspected as
the party was led between rows of
employees wearing magnifying eyes
ard fishing in liquids and powders
for parts being treated. What APP
peared to be one of the most diff
cult OF processes was the imbedding
OF Jewels IN their easements. The
most delicate work was performed
BY machines. operated by employees
wearing magnifying lens.
After being shown through the
factory the students were assembled
in a room and many processes which
had escaped their observation were
explained by an official Of the COM
pany with the use Of blue prints
One scale was said 70 be capable Of
weighing one-milIionth Of a pound.
As an illustration. the speaker in
sisted that he could sign his name
on paper and by use Of the scales
determine how much it weighed.
Operates Full Force.
Testing the watches for position
and temperature was said to play an
important part in the accuracy of
the tmepieces. In making watches
min, manufacturers sacrificed sturd-
mess. according to officials of the
South Bend Watch Co. This state
nsnt was explained by telling of the
amount OF surface necessary for a
spring and that by making the watch
thin the spring must necessarily be
made longer and thinner, which
mould detracts from it's reliability.
The South Bend factory was said to
have an output Of $50 watches each
day and during times Of industrial
depression continues at full force
and stores the watches until better
days
The visit 20 the watch factory was
the third trip IN a series of 10
through local industries arranged
for by the South Bend Chamber Of
Commerce for the Notre Dame stu
dents from foreign countries. An
other will be taken next week.