Overview
- Apple says every Apple Watch Ultra 3 and titanium Apple Watch Series 11 case is produced via industrial 3D printing with 100% recycled aerospace‑grade titanium powder.
- The additive method uses about half the raw titanium of previous machining approaches, improving material efficiency without sacrificing finish or durability.
- The workflow atomizes titanium into powder, prints cases with six‑laser machines in roughly 900 layers, then removes excess powder and verifies dimensions with automated optical inspection.
- Apple reports better sealing for cellular antenna housings thanks to geometries that were not feasible with traditional forging.
- The same process created the iPhone Air’s 3D‑printed titanium USB‑C port enclosure, which Apple says is thinner, stronger, and uses 33% less material.