CH714529A2 - Process for producing a functional element on a watch component - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a functional element (20) on a watch component (10) comprising the following steps: generating by a control unit at least one control instruction of a printing device ( 3) for reproducing a reference digital graphic representation relating to said functional element (20), and construction by the printing device (3) of at least one layer of at least one functional particle printed on the watch component (10). ) forming the functional element (20). Such a functional element may be for example a light-emitting, phosphorescent, photoluminescent, conductive, semiconductor, insulating, electroactive, magnetic, photochromic, electrochromic, thermochromic, ionochromic or mechanochromic element.

Description

Technical Field The present invention relates to a method for producing a functional element on a timepiece component and a system implementing such a method.

The invention also relates to a timepiece component comprising such a functional element as well as a timepiece provided with this component.

The present invention also relates to a computer program.

PRIOR ART [0004] In the state of the art, horological components such as dials or even watch hands can include functional elements such as, for example, phosphorescent elements which help to make the wearer visible in the dark. the watch, these hands or the indexes of these dials. Such phosphorescent elements comprise a layer of phosphorescent material intended to absorb light energy which will then be restored at night in the form of light radiation. These phosphorescent elements are conventionally mounted in these horological components in an artisanal manner according to processes using screen printing or pad printing techniques.

However, such methods are relatively complex to perform due to the large number of operations necessary for their implementation and the different types of tool they require. In addition, the techniques they use are difficult to implement as part of the process of automatically mounting these functional elements on these watch components.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is therefore to propose a method which allows the production of a functional element on a timepiece component quickly and simply and which also contributes to improving large-scale production. automatic and economical watch components provided with such functional elements.

In this design, the invention relates to a process for producing a functional element on a timepiece component comprising the following steps:

- generation by a control unit of at least one control instruction for a printing device intended to reproduce a reference digital graphic representation relating to said functional element, and

- construction by the printing device of at least one layer of at least one functional particle printed on the timepiece component forming the functional element.

[0008] Thus, thanks to these characteristics, the production method makes it possible to build a functional element on a timepiece component in a reduced number of operations which are quick and simple to implement.

In other embodiments:

the construction step comprises, for the layer of at least one printed functional particle, a sub-step of applying a layer of at least one functional particle on the timepiece component and a sub-step of processing said layer at least one functional particle;

- the application sub-step provides for execution by the control unit of said at least one control instruction comprising descriptive data of said reference digital graphic representation to be reproduced;

- the application sub-step provides for the deposition of at least one ink comprising said at least one functional particle;

- Said ink comprises a fluid transporting said at least one functional particle, the fluid being chosen from a solvent, a viscoelastic polymer, an oil, water and / or an aqueous solution;

- the sub-step of processing the layer of at least one functional particle comprises a phase of fixing said layer of at least one functional particle on the timepiece component;

the fixing phase provides for exposure of the layer of at least one functional particle to a flow of air, in particular hot / dry air and / or to light radiation, in particular to ultraviolet or even infrared radiation;

- when another particle forms said at least one layer built during the construction stage, this other particle is colored, pigmented, colorless, transparent or translucent, and

- Said at least one functional particle is included in a functional ink selected from the group consisting of an electroluminescent ink, a phosphorescent ink, photoluminescent ink, a conductive ink, a semiconductor ink, an electroactive ink, a magnetic ink, an ink photochromic, electrochromic ink, thermochrome ink, ionochrome ink and mechanochrome ink.

The invention also relates to a timepiece component comprising at least one functional element capable of being obtained from such a process.

CH 714 529 A2 Advantageously, the functional element is a constituent element of the timepiece component which is capable of reversibly changing state, this change of state making it possible to perform a display function of the piece of watchmaking or to constitute a stage in a process of operation of a movement of the timepiece aiming to accomplish a function of this timepiece.

The invention also relates to a timepiece comprising at least one such timepiece component.

The invention also relates to a system for producing a functional element on a timepiece component implementing such a method, the system comprising a printing device and a control unit, said printing device being connected to said control unit.

Advantageously, the control unit comprises hardware and software resources, said hardware resources comprising memory elements comprising at least one reference digital graphic representation relating to the functional element to be produced on the timepiece component and descriptive data. relating to said at least one digital reference graphic representation.

The invention also relates to a computer program comprising program code instructions for the execution of the steps of this process when said program is executed by a control unit.

Brief description of the figures [0016] Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear on reading several embodiments given solely by way of nonlimiting examples and made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

fig. 1 is a schematic representation relating to a system for producing a functional element on a timepiece component, according to an embodiment of the invention;

fig. 2 is a flow diagram relating to a method for producing a functional element on a timepiece component, according to the embodiment of the invention;

fig. 3 is a schematic representation of a timepiece comprising a timepiece component provided with at least one functional element, according to the embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of a system printing device, according to the embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of the invention With reference to FIG. 1, the system 1 for producing a functional element 20 on a timepiece component 10 of a timepiece 30 comprises a control unit 2 and a printing device 3.

By functional element 20 is meant a component of this timepiece component 10 and therefore of the timepiece 30 which is capable of reversibly changing state. This change of state of this functional element 20 makes it possible to perform a function of displaying the timepiece 30 and / or to constitute a step in a process of operation of the movement aimed at accomplishing a function of the timepiece 30. This change in state can be a change in color or in physical or chemical properties of this functional element 20. Such a change is preferably based on a change in the electronic state of the molecules constituting this functional element 20, change which is induced by an external stimulus which can alter the electronic density of the substances involved.

In this context, such a functional element can be non-limiting and non-exhaustive: an electroluminescent element, a phosphorescent element, a photoluminescent element, a conductive element, a semiconductor element, an insulating element, an electroactive element , a magnetic element, a photochromic element, an electrochromic element, a thermochrome element, an ionochrome element and a mechanochrome element.

In the timepiece 30, the timepiece component 10 on which the functional element 20 is defined, may be non-limiting and non-exhaustive: a bezel, a needle, a flange, a case, a background of case, an oscillating weight, a disc, a crystal, a bracelet or even a component of the movement. It will be noted that this timepiece component 10 can also be a substrate intended to form such a component 10.

In this system 1, the control unit 2 is connected to the printing device 3 in particular to ensure the control of this device 3. The control unit 2 can be a computer or a microcontroller comprising hardware and software resources, in particular at least one processor 4 cooperating with memory elements 5. This control unit 2 is capable of executing instructions for the implementation of a computer program.

In this control unit 2, the memory elements 5 comprise in addition to the computer program, data relating to at least one digital reference graphic representation 9a capable of being reproduced by the functional element 20 and which will be built on the timepiece component 10, as well as relative descriptive data 9b

CH 714 529 A2 to said at least one digital graphical representation of reference 9a. A reference digital graphic representation 9a comprises for example a reference 3D three-dimensional graphic representation or a reference 2D two-dimensional graphic representation. It will be noted that the reference digital graphic representation 9a is generated by a system design module 1 which is connected to the control unit 2, which may include a three-dimensional and / or two-dimensional digitizing device, or even by a software tool executed by the control unit 2 allowing virtual 2D / 3D modeling from photographs or images, or even making it possible to design a three-dimensional virtual digital object (for example computer-aided design software better known by the acronym CAD) ).

In Figs. 1 and 4, such a printing device 3 comprises a printing member 6, a fixing member 7 and a drive member 8. The printing member 6 comprises several printing entities in particular cartridges of inkjet printing each cartridge comprising a print head and at least one reservoir 12a to 12d. In the present embodiment, each cartridge comprises at least one print head and at least one ink jet reservoir 12a to 12d. In these cartridges, the ink comprises at least one particle which can be included in a fluid. Such a fluid is provided to transport this so-called at least one particle on the support on which it is to be deposited here the timepiece component 10, during its ejection from the entity. Such a fluid can be any body capable of ensuring this transport and / or which is also capable of participating in the bonding of at least one particle with a support comprising the timepiece component 10 or else a layer of at least one particle already present on this component 10. This fluid can be chosen in a non-limiting and non-exhaustive manner from a solvent, a viscoelastic polymer, an oil, water and an aqueous solution. By way of example, when it is a viscoelastic polymer, this fluid is a viscoelastic polymer fluid in the non-polymerized liquid phase which is preferably photopolymerizable. It will be noted that in a variant, said at least one particle can be deposited on this support without requiring such a fluid to ensure its transport. In this printing member 6, at least one cartridge necessarily comprises a functional ink 14a comprising at least one functional particle. Such an ink can for example be an electroluminescent ink, a phosphorescent ink, photoluminescent ink, a conductive ink, a semiconductor ink, an electroactive ink, a magnetic ink, a photochromic ink, electrochromic ink, thermochromic ink, an ionochrome ink and mechanochromic ink.

The other cartridges of this printing member 6 may include other types of ink such as for example:

- a colored ink 14b comprising at least one pigmented or colored particle, or

- a colorless or transparent or translucent ink 14c, such as a lacquer, comprising at least one colorless or transparent or translucent particle.

A layer made up of at least one functional particle and at least one colored or pigmented particle, and / or at least one colorless or transparent or translucent particle, may present in a non-exhaustive and non-limiting manner:

- a white color only;

- a white color with a matt or shiny finish by the presence of at least one colorless or transparent or translucent particle;

- a black color only;

- a black color with a matt or shiny finish by the presence of at least one colorless or transparent or translucent particle;

- a colorless lacquer

- a colorless lacquer with a matt or shiny finish by the presence of at least one colorless or transparent or translucent particle

- a wide range of colors thanks to the four-color technique using the basic colors such as cyan, magenta, yellow and black (called CMYK system) allowing this wide range of colors to be reproduced from three colors elementary, a blue-green called cyan, a red called magenta and a yellow to which we add the color black.

In addition, such a printing device 3 is also able to participate in the production of a functional element 20 on the timepiece component 10 with a low resolution or with a high resolution which may be greater than or equal to 2400 dpi (pixels per inch).

In this printing device 3, the drive member 8 is capable of causing the displacement of the printing member 6 in different directions relative to a support element of the system 1 on which is likely to the horological component 10 is disposed. This support element which is able to make the horological component 10 pass in front of the printheads 12a to 12d, may include a detachable connecting element of the horological component 10 such as for example an adhesive element. As regards the fixing member 7, it is provided to ensure the fixing of a layer of at least one particle on the support here the timepiece component or a first layer or initial layer already present on this timepiece component 10. This fastening member 7 comprises a module capable of emitting UV and / or infrared ultraviolet radiation and / or a flow of air, in particular a flow of hot air. This module is capable of generating radiation or an air flow especially or part of a zone for mounting a surface of the timepiece component 10 on which is susceptible

CH 714 529 A2 to be built the functional element 20. It will be noted that when the various inks mentioned above comprise a viscoelastic polymer fluid, the module is a photopolymerization module provided with a source of ultraviolet UV radiation and which is therefore capable of generating UV radiation over all or part of the mounting area of the surface of the timepiece component 10 on which the functional element 20 can be built.

Such a system 1 is capable of implementing a method for producing the functional element 20 on the timepiece component 10 shown in FIG. 2.

This method comprises a step 41 of generating at least one digital graphical representation of reference 9a. Such a digital reference graphic representation 9a corresponds to a notably structural definition of the functional element 20 which must be built on the timepiece component 10. During this step 41, this digital reference graphic representation 9a can be produced from a three-dimensional / two-dimensional digitization or even during the execution by the control unit 2 of virtual 2D / 3D modeling software or of design of a virtual three-dimensional digital object (for example a more well-known computer-aided design software under the acronym CAO). Once generated, this reference digital graphic representation 9a is archived in the format of a digital data file in the memory elements 5 of the control unit 2. In other words, such a file comprises relative information data to the digital reference graphic representation 9a.

The method then provides a step 42 for determining descriptive data 9b relating to said reference digital graphic representation 9a. Such a step 22 is implemented by the control unit 2 and therefore makes it possible to determine descriptive data 9b which in particular participate in selecting the type or types of inks necessary for the production of the functional element 20 on the timepiece component. 10 as well as the direction of movement of the printing member 6. During this step 42, a processing of this file and in particular of the information data relating to the reference digital graphic representation 9a, is then carried out. More precisely, during this processing, the control unit 2 determines the characteristic elements of the reference digital graphic representation 9a such as:

- at least one dimension of this digital graphical representation of reference 9a, it can be for example a thickness, length, width, surface, volume, etc .;

- visual / aesthetic / structural aspects, that is to say visual and / or aesthetic and / or structural aspects of the digital reference graphic representation 9a such as color and / or texture, etc.

- physical and / or chemical functional characteristics which the functional element 20 must have, such as for example:

• electrical conductivity, semiconductor or insulating nature;

• semiconductor • electroluminescence;

• photoluminescence (for example a reaction to ultraviolet radiation);

• phosphorescence, • "X-chromism" (photochromic, electrochromic, thermochrome, ionochrome, mechanochrome ...), • electroactivation, • magnetism, • etc.

Note that in a variant, this processing can provide for the implementation in particular of a digital division / cutting process of this graphic representation 9a in at least two layers in a transverse direction which can be horizontal, vertical or oblique , and / or a longitudinal direction which can be horizontal, vertical or oblique. In this case, the control unit 2 then determines the characteristic elements of each of these layers which will be reproduced for the construction of the functional element 20 on the timepiece component 10.

The characteristic elements constitute the descriptive data 9b relating to the reference digital graphic representation 9a which are archived in the memory elements 5 of the control unit 2.

The method for producing this functional element 20 also includes a step of arrangement 43 of the timepiece component 10 on the support element of the system 1. It also includes a step of selection 44 of the digital reference graphic representation 9a which must be reproduced on the timepiece component 10 in order to build the functional element 20 there. During this selection step 44, it is then possible to choose this digital graphic representation

CH 714 529 A2 reference 9a from a man-machine interface (HMI) connected to the control unit 2. It will be noted that this selection step 44 can equally be carried out before or after the step of layout 43.

This method further comprises a step of treatment 45 of the surface of the timepiece component 10 in particular of the mounting area of this surface on which the functional element 20 will be produced. This processing step 45 can equally be implemented before or after one or other of the generation 41, determination 42, arrangement 43 or even selection 44 steps. Such a processing step 45 can be carried out by using atmospheric plasma, low pressure plasma, flame treatment, CORONA electrical discharge, organic layer deposition, cleaning bath, galvanization, adhesion primer or a combination of one or the other or more of these technologies between them. Such a step 45 can be carried out or not under vacuum. In addition, it will be noted that this treatment step 45 contributes to ensuring good adhesion between the flat surface of the timepiece component 10 and the functional element 20 produced on the timepiece component 10 in particular between a first layer called the initial layer constituting this functional element 20 with this surface, in particular when this functional element 20 is constructed from at least two layers of at least one functional particle as will be seen later.

The method then provides a step of generation 46 by the control unit 2 of at least one control instruction for controlling the printing device 3, said at least one instruction aimed at reproducing the graphic representation digital reference 9a for the construction of the functional element 20 on the timepiece component 10. This step of generating 46 of said at least one control instruction is carried out from descriptive data 9b relating to the digital reference graphic representation 9a. Said at least one instruction comprises criteria for producing the functional element 20 on the timepiece component 10, in particular criteria for controlling the printing device 3 and in particular the printing member 6 and the member 7. These performance criteria include, without limitation and without limitation, data relating to:

a selection of the cartridges comprising the printheads 12a to 12d necessary for the reproduction of the digital reference graphic representation 9a and this, as a function of the ink that they contain, in particular for the reproduction of the functional characteristics and of the visual / aesthetic / structural aspects of the digital reference graphic representation 9a;

displacement of the print head 12a to 12d of each cartridge relative to the mounting area of the surface of the timepiece component 10 for reproduction of the functional characteristics and of the visual / aesthetic / structural aspects and / or of at least one dimension of the digital reference graphic representation 9a;

distance and / or positioning of the print head 12a to 12d of each cartridge relative to the mounting area of the surface of the timepiece component 10 for the reproduction of the functional characteristics and of the visual / aesthetic / structural aspects and / or of at least one dimension of the reference digital graphic representation 9a;

duration of positioning of the print head 12a to 12d of each cartridge relative to the mounting area of the surface of the timepiece component 10 for reproduction of the functional characteristics and of the visual / aesthetic / structural aspects and / or at least one dimension of the reference digital graphic representation 9a;

- ink flow ejected from the print heads 12a to 12d, in particular the number of drops ejected for reproduction of the functional characteristics and of the visual / aesthetic / structural aspects and / or of at least one dimension of the reference digital graphic representation 9a.

Thereafter the method comprises a step of construction 47 by the printing device 3 of at least one layer of at least one functional particle printed on the timepiece component 10 forming the functional element 20. Said at least a functional particle is included in the functional ink mentioned above. Note, in fact, that a layer can be formed solely from at least one functional printed particle or from this said at least one particle and other colored and / or colorless / transparent / translucent printed particles.

This construction step 47 comprises for each layer of at least one printed functional particle built on the timepiece component 10 two sub-steps 48, 49. The first sub-step is a sub-step of applying a layer of at least one functional particle on this timepiece component 10 in particular on the surface mounting area of this component 10. This application of the layer can be carried out continuously or selectively. As we mentioned above, said at least one particle is a functional particle. It is understood that this layer can comprise several other types of particles in addition to at least one functional particle, chosen from colored or colorless / translucent / transparent particles. In addition, this application sub-step 48 provides for execution by the control unit 2 of said at least one control instruction comprising descriptive data of said reference digital graphic representation 9a to be reproduced. The execution of said at least one instruction makes it possible to control, within the framework of the application of this layer, the deposition of at least one ink comprising said at least one functional particle and possibly other types of inks comprising at least minus a colored or colorless / translucent / transparent particle. The second sub-step is a sub-step for processing said layer of at least one functional particle directly following application sub-step 48, and which contributes to finalizing the printing of this layer on the timepiece component 10 in order to obtain a layer in which said at least one particle is printed on this component 10. This sub-step of treatment 49 of the layer of at least one functional particle comprises a phase of fixing said layer of at least one functional particle

CH 714 529 A2 on the timepiece component 10. This fixing phase provides for the exposure of the layer of at least one functional particle to a flow of air, in particular hot air and / or to light radiation in particular to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. or even infrared. This fixing phase thus aims to transform, fix or bind (such as a particle in a matrix) the layer of at least one functional particle which is the pasty or liquid state into a layer of at least one printed functional particle which is solid, rigid, elastic, dry, crosslinked and / or infusible. It should be noted that such a transformation has the advantage of being carried out very quickly in general in less than a second.

In an example in which the functional particle is included in a viscoelastic polymer ink, that is to say an ink comprising a viscoelastic polymer fluid capable of transporting said so-called at least one functional particle, the construction step 47 provides an application sub-step 48 in which the control unit 2 executes said at least one control instruction comprising descriptive data 9b of said reference digital graphic representation 9a to be reproduced. Subsequently, the printing device 3 applies a layer of at least one functional particle directly on the surface mounting area provided for this purpose on the timepiece component 10 as a function of said at least one piloting instruction executed. This layer comprises a functional ink comprising said at least one functional particle transported by a viscoelastic polymer fluid, this ink is also called in this context functional viscoelastic polymer ink. This layer of functional viscoelastic polymer ink is otherwise called the initial layer or first layer. This first layer and therefore the particle or particles which constitute it, then undergoes polymerization during the processing sub-step 49 of this layer. In fact, this sub-step 49 includes a phase of fixing this layer on the mounting area. During this phase, said layer is photo-polymerized by being exposed to light radiation in particular to UV ultraviolet radiation emitted by the fixing member 7 and which aims to transform it into a layer of functional acrylate polymer ink also called a layer. polymerized functional viscoelastic polymer ink also called a printed functional viscoelastic polymer ink layer. It will be noted that this polymerized / printed viscoelastic polymer ink can also be called photocrosslinked polymer ink or else a photopolymerized polymer ink. Subsequently, the printing device 3 can apply a second layer of at least one functional and / or colored and / or colorless / translucent / transparent particle on the first layer of at least one viscoelastic polymerized polymeric fluid already present on the timepiece component 10 and this, as a function of said at least one control instruction executed. This second layer may comprise a functional ink and / or a colored ink and / or a colorless / translucent / transparent ink comprising said at least one corresponding particle transported by a viscoelastic polymer fluid, these inks are also called in this context functional viscoelastic polymer ink , colored viscoelastic polymer ink and colorless / translucent / transparent viscoelastic polymer ink. This second layer and therefore the particle or particles which constitute it, also undergoes polymerization during the processing sub-step 49. These first and second layers are arranged on the timepiece component 10 while being substantially superimposed or superimposed. In fact, the second layer may in a variant be applied both to the first layer and directly to the mounting area of the surface of the timepiece component 10. Under these conditions, this polymerization makes it possible to fix the first layer to the surface of the timepiece component 10 and the second layer at the first layer or even at this first layer and also at the mounting area of the surface of the timepiece component 10 according to the corresponding variants.

Thereafter, this method comprises a step 50 of removing the timepiece component 10 from the support element of the system 1 before being conditioned until the design of a timepiece 30.

It will be noted that the functional element 20 on this timepiece component 10 can be in color, multicolor, monochrome, transparent or translucent and include or be understood for example in a decorative element or a pattern which may have a relief.

As a note, the term “layer of at least one particle” therefore means a layer which is deposited on the mounting zone of the surface of the timepiece component 10 provided for this purpose, selectively or continuously and which is capable of undergo a fixing phase by exposure to light radiation or to an air flow. A layer, in the context of the invention, can have a constant thickness at any point or an irregular thickness which is obtained by depositing a variable number of drops of at least one ink by at least one printhead 12a to 12d with ink jet as a function of the position of this head 12a to 12d relative to the timepiece component 10, and this by at least one passage of this so-called at least one print head 12a to 12d above of the surface mounting area of the timepiece component 10 where the functional element 20 is to be built. Note that each drop includes at least one particle.

The invention also relates to a computer program comprising program code instructions for the execution of steps 41 to 50 of this method when said program is executed by the control unit 2.

claims

Claims (15)

1. Method for producing a functional element (20) on a timepiece component (10) comprising the following steps: - generation (46) by a control unit of at least one control instruction for a printing device (3) aiming to reproduce a reference digital graphic representation (9a) relating to said functional element (20), and - Construction (47) by the printing device (3) of at least one layer of at least one functional particle printed on the timepiece component (10) forming the functional element (20). CH 714 529 A2 2. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the construction step (47) comprises for the layer of at least one printed functional particle an application sub-step (48) of a layer of at least a functional particle on the timepiece component (10) and a processing sub-step (49) of said layer of at least one functional particle. 3. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the application sub-step (48) provides for execution by the control unit (2) of said at least one control instruction comprising descriptive data of said graphic representation digital reference (9a) to be reproduced. 4. Method according to one of claims 2 and 3, characterized in that the application substep (48) provides for the deposition of at least one ink comprising said at least one functional particle. 5. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said ink comprises a fluid transporting said at least one functional particle, the fluid being chosen from a solvent, a viscoelastic polymer, an oil, water and / or an aqueous solution . 6. Method according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the sub-step of treatment (49) of the layer of at least one functional particle comprises a phase of fixing said layer of at least one functional particle on the timepiece component (10). 7. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the fixing phase provides for an exposure of the layer of at least one functional particle to a flow of air in particular hot / dry and / or to light radiation in particular to radiation ultraviolet (UV) or even infrared. 8. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that when another particle forms said at least one layer built during the construction step (47), this other particle is colored, pigmented, colorless , transparent or translucent. 9. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 8s, characterized in that said at least one functional particle is included in a functional ink (14a) selected from the group consisting of an electroluminescent ink, a phosphorescent ink, photoluminescent ink, a conductive ink, a semiconductor ink, an electroactive ink, a magnetic ink, a photochromic ink, electrochromic ink, thermochrome ink, an ionochrome ink and a mechanochrome ink. 10. Watch component (10) comprising at least one functional element (20) capable of being obtained from the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9. 11. Watch component (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the functional element (20) is a constituent element of the watch component (10) which is capable of reversibly changing state, this change of state making it possible to perform a display function of the timepiece (30) or to constitute a step in a process of operating a movement of the timepiece (30) aimed at accomplishing a function of this timepiece watchmaking. 12. Timepiece (30) comprising at least one timepiece component (10) according to any one of claims 10 and 11. 13. System for producing (1) a functional element (20) on a timepiece component (10) implementing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the system (1) comprising a printing device (3) and a control unit (2), said printing device (3) being connected to said control unit (2). 14. System (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the control unit (2) comprises hardware and software resources, said hardware resources comprising memory elements (5) comprising at least one digital reference graphic representation (9a) relating to the functional element (20) to be produced on the timepiece component (10) and descriptive data (9b) relating to said at least one digital reference graphic representation (9a). 15. Computer program comprising program code instructions for executing the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9 when said program is executed by a control unit (2).