Apple is testing the use of 3D printers to produce devices during major production shifts

(Bloomberg) — Apple Inc., according to people familiar with the matter. is testing the use of 3D printers to produce the steel casings of some upcoming smartwatches, heralding a major change in the way the company makes its products.

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This technique would avoid the need to cut large metal plates to shape the product. According to the people, who asked not to be named because the plan is private, it would shorten the time needed to build the devices while also helping the environment by using fewer materials.

The new approach could improve Apple’s supply chain and spark a broader change. If work on Apple Watches goes according to plan, the tech giant will want to expand the process to more products over the next few years, the people said. A spokeswoman for the Cupertino, California-based company declined to comment.

Until now, Apple has taken a more conventional approach to producing its stainless steel watches, which make up about 10% of the total units of its product line. A process called forging is used to form bricks of material into a smaller block of metal similar to the size of the device. A CNC machine, which is a computer numerically controlled machine, is then used to cut the metal and create the exact design and holes for the buttons.

The new technique uses a type of 3D printing called binder spraying to create the overall outline of the device close to its actual size, or what is known in manufacturing as “near net shape.” The print is made of a powdered substance, which is then subjected to a process called sintering. It uses heat and pressure to press the material into something that feels like traditional steel. The exact design and cutouts are then milled as in the previous process.

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This news gave a boost to 3D printing companies such as 3D Systems Corp. and Stratasys Ltd. Shares of 3D Systems rose as much as 10% and Stratasys rose 6.9%. The stock later pared those gains. As of 2:48 p.m. in New York, Apple was up 1.8% to $187.46.

Apple and its suppliers have been quietly developing this technique for at least three years. They have been testing this process for the past few months with steel cases designed for the Apple Watch Series 9, which is scheduled to launch on September 12. The smartwatch will gain greater performance and new housing colors, although its appearance will largely remain the same, according to Bloomberg.

There’s no guarantee that the first shipments of the new steel Apple Watches to consumers will be made using the improved manufacturing technique, but testing suggests the company is serious about this approach. Apple plans to apply this process to its titanium Watch Ultra, but such a change is not planned until 2024.

This approach is environmentally beneficial because it uses only the approximate amount of metal needed to make device enclosures. In another step toward sustainability, Apple plans to use new materials to replace leather in some of its new iPhone cases and other accessories, other people with knowledge of the matter say.

The 3D printing effort is led by Apple’s manufacturing design team, which is overseen by Rob York, the company’s vice president, and reports to Chief Operating Officer Sabih Khan. The switch to 3D-printed watch cases has been a costly endeavor for Apple and its suppliers, but it should simplify production and potentially reduce costs over time. For now, the cost of a watch case in the new process is the same as in the previous method.

The work is only in the initial phase and for now it will be reserved for smaller volume products. Most Apple Watch cases are made of aluminum, not stainless steel. The company has made no progress in mass producing 3D printed cases from the material, which is also used in Macs and iPads, as well as low-end iPhones. However, the company is considering introducing 3D-printable materials, such as steel and titanium, to more devices.

This initiative is one of the first uses of binder spraying for large-scale mass production of metal parts. Making the Apple Watch a test case for new technology is part of a pattern for the company. For example, Apple added steel bezels to the iPhone two years after they appeared on the original Apple Watch. And this year’s higher-end iPhones will use titanium, a year after the material debuted on the Apple Watch Ultra.

—With help from Debby Wu.

(Update on 3D printing company stocks in the sixth paragraph.)