On November 18, Apple announced that this year’s Apple Watch Ultra 3 and the titanium Apple Watch Series 11 are all manufactured using 3D-printed enclosures made from 100% recycled, aerospace-grade titanium powder.
“We know that 3D-printing technology has huge potential when it comes to material efficiency, and that’s essential to achieving Apple’s 2030 vision,” said Sarah Chandler, Apple’s Vice President of Environment and Supply Chain Innovation. The company’s 2030 goal aims to reach carbon neutrality across every part of its operations—from the manufacturing supply chain to the entire product lifecycle.
Apple said that by producing these components with 3D-printing technology, the company has saved more than 400 tons of titanium raw material. Chandler explained, “Using 3D printing cuts the amount of raw material needed by 50% compared to the previous generation. That’s a huge achievement — it means we can make two watches with the same amount of material it used to take to make one. Over the long run, the benefit to the planet is enormous.”
The technology also enables design improvements, such as enhanced water resistance for the antenna housing on cellular models. Inside the cellular version, there’s a plastic-filled compartment that supports the antenna’s functionality. By using 3D printing to create specific textures on the inner surface of the metal, Apple has achieved stronger adhesion between the plastic and the metal.
In an official statement, Apple said that rows of 3D printers “run around the clock,” producing the enclosures for the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Series 11. According to the company, each machine is equipped with six built-in lasers that operate simultaneously, stacking the material layer by layer—more than 900 layers in total—before a single watch case is completed.
The titanium powder used in the process has a particle size of 50 microns, and each printed layer is 60 microns thick. After printing, the excess powder is removed during the depowdering stage: first, a vacuum system extracts most of the loose powder from the build platform, and then an ultrasonic vibrator clears any remaining powder from the gaps in the enclosure. Following substrate separation and other steps, the parts undergo automated optical inspection, where the system analyzes and tags each component for final quality checks, confirming dimensions, shape, and specifications.
Apple said that adopting additive manufacturing for its watch enclosures has been a years-long process, beginning with a series of demos and proof-of-concept trials to refine the formula. Everything—from the specific alloy composition to the printing process itself—was continually improved. The workflow had also been tested on a smaller scale in earlier product Llines.
“This wasn’t just an idea — it was an idea that wanted to become real,” said Kate Bergeron, Apple’s Vice President of Product Design. “Once we asked the question, we immediately began testing. We had to prove that this technology could meet our high quality standards through continuous prototyping, process refinement, and extensive data collection.”
“We’ve always tried to move step by step so we can reach the next milestone. And now, this gives us more design flexibility than ever before. We’ve achieved this breakthrough at scale, in a truly sustainable way, while still delivering the look and structural integrity we require — and the possibilities ahead are limitless.”
Sarah Chandler, Apple’s Vice President of Environment and Supply Chain Innovation, added: “We’re committed to systemic change. Nothing we do is a one-off — we work to make it the way the entire system operates. Our guiding principle has always been to design products that are better for people and for the planet. When we work together and innovate without compromise in design, manufacturing, and environmental goals, the benefits go far beyond what we could have imagined.”
