If you're curious about how things are done, stick with this (tricky) term: CNC machine tools. It would be easy in English, where it's called CNC milling machine. Apple uses tens of thousands of these machines for production watering down all its products. It is not the only company to do it, but it does it with the level of demand, materialism and disability that escapes other deadly companies. Why copying and selling your products on a scale is impossible.
We mention them in passing when we talk about CES and prototypes. But now is the time to take a closer look at these machines.
What is a CNC machine and why does Apple need it?
In words Computer Computer Control Machine The dictionary "CNC machine" was born. These machines use a variety of tools to build something. And they do it following digital strategies developed with CAD software.
The choice of this type of equipment is dictated by Apple's requirements. The company wants its products made from certain materials, aluminum, which only mass production for this type of equipment. Aluminum is the most suitable alloy to achieve the accuracy, brightness, durability and durability that Apple enjoys in its products. Other metals do not respond in the same way.
In addition, the company operates at a tolerance level on most demanding items. The finish, the texture and the fruit are very high. In a sense, you can create a MacBook or iPhone using it cast, built or trampled and repairing machine imperfections. But the cost over time will be much higher.
And we've never talked about the scalability required for Apple's performance. The company doesn't need to make 1 iPhone or 1 MacBook, they need millions of them. When introducing a new generation of each product, manufacturing must provide millions of units of space in a short period of time. With the launch of the iPhone, Apple needs to have several million units ready in a few days, and to keep pace with the pace of several weeks.
This is the reason why the company uses this machine, because there is no other way to make that possible.
Some of the CNC machines used by Apple in its assembly lines
Fanucuc, Brother and DMG Mori Seiki are three well-known vendors of these typewriters. The first two they are Japanese, and the third is from Germany. They all have years of experience in producing these machines.
In this video we see Fanuc Robodrill. The type of cupboard where there is arm in equipment with a grinding machine at the end. In the top model, you can see how it has a rotating motion device depending on the needs and in the shortest amount of time.
CNC machine tools have a very large price range. Those for the home model can cost about $ 5,000, while those are used in the aeronautical field the unit is limited to millions. In the case of Apple, each person is likely to cost between $ 500,000-1,000,000.
Of course you do they are one of the machines used in a small fraction of the production of iPhone, Mac, Apple Watch or iPad. Or supported by Pro Display XDR. The complete process can be seen in the video above, where the CNC machine appears for a few seconds. The rest of the time there are some machines that complete the process.
Requirement level not to be copied
Apple has invested tens of billions of dollars to be at the manufacturing level, a process that has been growing over the past 20 years. Whether it has partners like Foxconn, Wistron or Pegatron to integrate their products, the company has an important piece of equipment there is a need. And among these are CNC machine tools.
Among the industry of manufacturers of this type of equipment, Apple is one of the most important customers. Ideally because you need to tens of thousands of units meet the quality level and the required value of your products. Requirement level that is not limited to milling and finishing, but extends to all hardware:
What happens when Apple wants to use CNC machines to make a case that is not connected to millions of MacBooks a year? You bought 10,000 CNC machine tools to do it. And when they wanted to make laser holes in the MacBook Pro so the light could be seen at rest, but was there only one company that could dig 20µm holes in aluminum? He bought a machinery company and kept all inventory. And that time they needed to put batteries in a small, fat case, but was there no manufacturer willing to make such good batteries? Apple makes its own battery cells. From the beginning
As we mentioned earlier, Apple is not the only company that uses this type of equipment. But he is the only one to do it quality level and scale that cannot be achieved other competitors. It is a position that can be created not only financially, but also requires years of experience.
Copying an iPhone and duplicating its hardware (bypassing its software) in one copy is easy. But do it with millions of units at a time it's only available through Apple.
