Overview
- Apple’s manufacturing and operations teams are developing ways to 3D‑print aluminum, initially for Apple Watch casings and potentially for iPhone bodies later, according to Bloomberg’s Power On.
- Apple has not announced a timeline or confirmed mass‑production plans for aluminum 3D printing.
- The company already uses 3D‑printed titanium in Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Series 11 and employed the process for the titanium USB‑C port in iPhone Air.
- Apple’s recently launched MacBook Neo uses a new forming approach that cuts aluminum consumption by about 50% versus traditional machining, demonstrating material‑efficiency gains.
- Reports note significant hurdles for aluminum printing, including high thermal conductivity and reflectivity, risks of warping or internal voids, and likely shifts away from Apple’s usual 6000‑series alloys.