SINN - GERMAN TECHNOLOGY INC.

Five Sinn Watches Being Tested on Simulated Round-road Track

Posted by admin on March 5th, 2011

To demonstrate how our watches react to shocks, Sinn contacted the Fraunhofer-Institut LBF in Darmstadt. They were to subject the watches to endurance tests carried out on the steering wheel of a test chassis on a simulated rough-road track. The renowned and internationally recognised institute has over 70 years of experience in conducting endurance tests. These provide the scientific basis for all safety-relevant designs such as automobile structures, aircraft wings or rolling stock. Their core competence still lies primarily in system reliability and adaptronics. The research work of the Fraunhofer LBF feeds into the approval conditions for development work carried out by the German, European and American automotive and aircraft industries and their suppliers. For the endurance tests we deliberately chose not just rally chronographs but also classic watches such as the Frankfurt Finance watch (model 6000). After all – all SINN watches need to be robust and suitable for everyday use!

The planned tests on the full vehicle test rig at the Fraunhofer LBF in Darmstadt were a first: it is normally cars which are subjected to rigorous tests here under the watchful eye of Dipl.-Ing. Marc Wallmichrath. The 757 DIAPAL, 900 FLIEGER, U1000, Frankfurt Finance Watches 6000 and 91 models were fastened to the steering wheel of the test chassis for the endurance tests. Drivers’ hands intuitively compensate any jolts, and so the watches were mounted on plastic rings to simulate this damping action.

The first endurance test got under way. How well would the five SINN watches perform? They were facing an extreme endurance test, after all. The test chassis was gradually subjected to ever stronger movements, shaken by powerful jolts and vibrations as if driving along a road full of pot-holes. The steering wheel with the watches had been secured with belts beforehand, as there was no driver in the test vehicle. As a consequence of the simulated jolts, the steering wheel made small but violent movements to the right and left, punctuated by short, relatively motionless phases. The test was designed so that any acceleration to the wrist could be measured, too. After two rough test runs – for 30 minutes and 13 hours (equivalent to 300 km) respectively – all eyes turned to the unerring electronic timing machine. This indicated how well the watches had passed the unusual test by taking measurements and making comparisons. “During their 13 hours on the test rig, the watches have experienced 300 km under the most severe rough-road conditions – an ordeal which no test driver could be expected to endure,” said Dipl.-Ing. Marc Wallmichrath. Would the watches’ accuracy be compromised, for instance? No, in both tests, the watches performed admirably – test passed with flying colours. Read the report on the next page for more detailed results.

From the test, we can see this, despite the enormous stress levels to which our watches were subjected, they all passed both tests with flying colours. This proved their robustness and suitability for everyday use – even when exposed to severe vibration and jolts. As we see, SINN watches are very difficult to shock! The test conducted by the Fraunhofer LBFin Darmstadt demonstrates impressively just how perfectly SINN watches function – even when subjected to extreme conditions. You can always rely on mechanical watches – especially those protected by innovative SINN technologies. Nevertheless, all types of stress leave their mark and so your should keep it to a minimum by ensuring that you never expose your watch to unnecessary wear and tear.