Apple tests using 3D printers to make devices in major manufacturing shift
Apple Inc. is testing the use of 3D printers to produce the steel chassis used by some of its upcoming smartwatches, according to people with knowledge of the matter, heralding a major change to how the company manufactures products.
The technique would obviate the need to cut large slabs of metal into the product’s shape.
That would reduce the time it takes to build devices while also helping the environment by using less material, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the plan is private.
The new approach has the potential to streamline Apple’s supply chain and kick off a broader shift. If the work with Apple Watches goes to plan, the tech giant will look to expand the process to more products over the next several years, the people said.
A spokeswoman for the Cupertino, California-based company declined to comment.
To date, Apple has used a more conventional manufacturing approach for its stainless-steel watches, which account for about 10% of the product line’s total units. A process called forging is used to form bricks of material into a smaller block of metal close to the size of the device.
A CNC, or computer numerical control, machine is then used to cut into the metal and create the exact design and button holes.
The new technique uses a type of 3D printing called binder jetting to create the device’s general outline at close to its actual size, or what is known in manufacturing as the “near net shape.” The print is made with a powdered substance, which afterward goes through a process called sintering. That uses heat and pressure to squeeze the material into what feels like traditional steel.
