Apple details its 3D-printed titanium Watch cases

Apple has shared a detailed look at how it now produces titanium cases for the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch Series 11 using full-scale 3D printing. The company outlined the process on its official website.

The cases are manufactured using additive 3D printing with recycled aerospace-grade titanium powder. Each printer uses six lasers working in parallel to build the chassis layer by layer, ultimately forming around 900 layers. According to Apple, producing components at this scale was previously considered impossible.

Before printing, titanium is converted into a fine powder with particles roughly 50 microns in size. Each printed layer measures about 60 microns, requiring a precise balance between speed and accuracy throughout the process.

The new method uses only half the raw material required by traditional machining. Apple estimates that the switch will save more than 400 tons of unprocessed titanium in 2025 alone.

Once the 20-hour printing cycle is complete, excess powder is removed using a vacuum system. An ultrasonic shaker then clears any remaining particles from hard-to-reach areas.

The finished case is separated using a thin electrified wire while being cooled with liquid. The final stage is an automated optical inspection that checks dimensions, surface quality and structural integrity.

According to Apple, 3D printing has also improved water resistance in the antenna module on cellular models. The same technique is now used to produce the titanium USB-C port housing for the new iPhone Air.