Among the many changes Apple is set to make to its device range, such as the upcoming introduction of USB-C on the iPhone and the reported introduction of OLED panels on the iPad, something that the company might be doing in the background is 3D Printing some devices.
By way of Mark Gurman, it’s expected that Apple’s use of 3D printers in its designing process will mark a major manufacturing shift for the company. Reportedly, the process is currently being trialled with steel Apple Watch casings, with the hope that 3D printing could be more eco-friendly solution, with less materials required.
Just quickly, 3D printing is the process of essentially printing components, similar to printing documents with paper, but usually requiring much more sophisticated machines and materials to turn, for example, polylactic acid (one of the most common 3D printing materials) into a chess piece.
What Apple is reportedly investigating, however, could be a game-changer. Not only could it cut down on the required materials per device, by hopefully using all the materials made available on the production line instead of just device-shaped cutouts, it’s also expected to be a time saver for the company.
If testing goes well with the Apple Watches the company is experimenting with, then it’s expected that the 3D printing method, known as binder jetting, will be applied to other devices under the Apple umbrella. There’s obviously no guarantee that this will be the future of Apple’s production methods, but sources indicated to Gurman that the company is serious about it, and is considering similar trials with the 2024 Apple Watch Ultra, which is expected to be available in Titanium.
If Apple’s 3D-printed watches actually materialise, then, according to Gurman, it’ll mark one of the first times binder jetting has been used to produce a high-volume metal part.
This would be an extremely interesting development for Apple, and it’s fairly in line with the company’s environmental commitments. The company intends to be carbon neutral by 2030.