Apple plans to simplify the manufacture of the Apple Watch while making it more sustainable. New 3D printing processes are to be used, reports Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman in his weekend newsletter. The technology should no longer allow the residual amounts of metals that accumulate with the CNC milling processes currently used, which currently always have to be recycled.
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No more large sheets of material
According to Gurman, the iPhone manufacturer is explicitly testing the use of 3D printers for the production of device housings. This could be “one of the most significant changes in Apple’s supply chain in years,” he claims, citing those in the know. The system saves a “large percentage of metal”. Apple wants to bring stainless steel or titanium directly into the desired shape instead of crushing “huge slabs of material”.
According to the report, attempts should be made this year to produce at least parts of the steel version of the Series 9 expected in September in this way. In 2024, the process will then be extended to the Apple Watch Ultra made of titanium. “One day, the process could even be applied to iPhones and iPads,” Gurman continues.
powdering and sintering
The new process should also reduce the manufacturing times for Apple Watch cases. The 3D printing process is said to be faster than a CNC milling machine. So far, Apple has one for its stainless steel watches, which make up about 10 percent of the entire product line more conventional manufacturing approach chosen. In a forging process, blocks of material are first formed into smaller blocks that roughly correspond to the size of the housing. A CNC milling machine is then used.
The 3D printing process is said to be what is known as binder jetting, in which the housing is built almost entirely in one machine. A metal powder is sintered – i.e. subjected to heat and pressure. The end result should be an Apple Watch case that feels like traditional steel. Holes and other elements are then milled out, as is already the case with CNC processes. The process is faster and produces little material to be recycled.
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(bsc)