Time display with crystal-clear luminosity for decades
They always stand for something unique: watches with the “SWISS MADE” quality label. The chronometers made by the microtechnology company mb-microtec from Niederwangen near Berne have been glowing for over 20 years - without an external energy source and maintenance-free. To achieve this, the Swiss invented a sophisticated technology. The material basis for this pioneering achievement: thin special glass tubes from SCHOTT.
Background: A self-powered lighting technology
They are tiny glass tube sections, sometimes only about five times as thick as a hair, which illuminate the hands and hour indices. But unlike conventional luminescent substances that are applied directly to dials or hands, they do not need to be repeatedly recharged with light. Their own luminosity lasts for decades.The secret of this almost inexhaustible light is hidden inside: The hollow glass bodies are coated on the inside with phosphor zinc sulfide. They are then filled with tritium gas and hermetically sealed. The process that takes place inside is similar to that in the cathode ray tubes of outdated television screens. The tritium nuclei decay and release electrons, which hit the luminescent coating and produce light in any desired color, depending on the coating recipe. The half-life of this gradual decay is over twelve years, the luminescence period is estimated to be around twice as long.
SCHOTT glass tubes have been there from the start
The Swiss call their self-luminous technology trigalight and equip their own watch brand traser with it, as well as many other brands such as Luminox with its sports watches. The outdoor and adventure market is a grateful customer for the robust timepieces, which can be read perfectly at night or in complete darkness. The clientele also includes fire departments as well as the security and defense industries; trigalight also has potential for special applications such as instrument lighting in the aerospace industry. 90 percent of production goes abroad.The success story goes back to the founding of mb-microtec in 1969. trigalight light sources have been manufactured since then - always with special glass tubes from SCHOTT Tubing. “Their quality was convincing in all dimensions and variants. There were never any discussions about it, we always stuck with it,” says Serge Zihlmann, Project Manager Process Engineering at mb-microtec. The borosilicate glass selected from the diverse SCHOTT product range is gas-tight, chemically inert and has the necessary thermal resistance as well as other special advantages to meet the strict regulations for testing the finished light sources.
Under the sign of light
The P68 Pathfinder Solar outdoor watch from traser is literally all about light. The hour indices and hands shine thanks to trigalight self-luminous technology. The movement is solar-powered, runs for a whole day after two minutes in the sun and has a dark power reserve of eight months when fully charged. The watch also has a compass ring which - once adjusted - always allows the correct course to be determined. Let the adventure begin!
Color variety
trigalight self-illuminating technology is available in many colors, which can be used depending on the application and design of the watch.
High-tech production: Increasing quality, safety and luminosity
SCHOTT Tubing supplies the glass tubes. For rectangular trigalights, the round glass is first formed by suppliers. The redrawing into thin glass capillaries by heating then takes place at mb-microtec. This gives the watch lights outer diameters of 0.9 to the finest 0.3 millimeters. These “hairlights”, which are then coated on the inside, filled with tritium, hermetically sealed and divided into tiny sections, are the world's smallest tritium gas light sources.However, the inventors from Switzerland did not rest on their laurels and remained inventive. “Requirements are constantly increasing and we invest in new machine technology accordingly,” explains Serge Zihlmann. Over time, the entire production process in Niederwangen has been increasingly refined, automated and trimmed for quality, safety and efficiency. For example, a laser melting machine was developed in-house for the precise mechanical separation of the filled pipe sections. One of the latest achievements is a coating system in which the finished glass tubes are given a partial metallic coating in a vacuum, which acts as a reflector for the light produced and ensures a good 80 percent more luminosity with the same use of resources.
Variety of shapes
trigalights are manufactured in various shapes and sizes.
Safety
From the selection of materials (SCHOTT glass tube) and internal processing to trigalights, their installation in the watch, and the corresponding area of application: Safety is always mb-microtec's top priority.
Environmentally friendly despite tritium
Luminosity measurements, quality controls and tests for 100 percent leak-tightness in accordance with fixed standards are mandatory for every manufactured part. The many safety precautions prescribed in the factory also take into account the fact that tritium is slightly radioactive. However, the radiation is negligible: if all the trigalights in a watch were to break at the same time and the entire escaping gas were to be inhaled, this would correspond to a radiation dose of 0.004 millisieverts (mSv). By way of comparison, the average annual natural radiation exposure of a person living in Germany is 2.1 mSv.Conversely, the company attaches great importance to environmental friendliness and sustainability, says Serge Zihlmann: “In all our processes, we avoid the use of harmful chemicals and choose materials that facilitate the recycling of trigalight, including the safe recovery of tritium. All scrap from our production is completely recycled. Right from the product design stage, we make sure that users can easily remove and recycle all parts.” For an environmentally friendly revival of the “eternal light”.
The quality of SCHOTT Tubing's specialty glass tubes is impressive in all dimensions and variants. They are gas-tight, chemically inert, and offer the thermal stability required to meet the strict regulations for testing our finished light sources. There has never been any discussion about this; we have always stuck with them.
