Apple continuing work on Liquidmetal casting techniques, patents show
While Apple has yet to release a major product made from Liquidmetal stock -- aside from a SIM ejector tool -- the company is still actively researching methods of producing large format amorphous alloy parts, suggesting the material could one day see use in a shipping device.
A pair of Apple patents published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Tuesday describe methods of melting bulk amorphous alloys and applying the material to casts, either by itself or in conjunction with another metal.
In U.S. Patent No. 9,103,009 for a "Method of using core shell pre-alloy structure to make alloys in a controlled manner," Apple notes much of today's metallic alloys are cast into a metal or ceramic mold where it cools and solidifies. Cooling rates for commonly used metals are easily managed as structural changes occur gradually in concert with reductions in temperature, but the same process can be detrimental to bulk-solidifying amorphous alloys.
Casting such alloys, also known as bulk metallic glasses, is an extremely sensitive procedure as unwanted crystals can form within the metal when cooling rates are not sufficiently high. Partial crystallization due to slow cooling or impurities in the raw material might result in the loss of all advantageous mechanical properties, Apple says.
Source: USPTO
Further, BMGs can be combined with other metals or metal alloys to improve material properties, but conventional casting techniques produce relatively thin alloys not suitable for use in consumer electronics. Apple proposes a method of creating a composite article from BMG and another metal or metal alloy that marries the best properties of each.
The patent offers three casting variations: BMG core with metal shell, metal core with BMG shell, and BMG/metal alloyed article. Each embodiment requires full control over heating and cooling to retain desirable amorphous alloy properties.
For example, a first method joins metal around a BMG core and heats the material to a temperature greater than the glass transition temperature, but lower than the amorphous alloy's melting temperature. Regulated cooling thus yields a composite article with a BMG core and metal shell.
Apple's second granted IP, U.S. Patent No. 9,101,977 for "Cold chamber die casting of amorphous alloys using cold crucible induction melting techniques," details methods of melting BMG feedstock using horizontal cold crucible induction melting (CCIM) systems.
In one embodiment, feedstock positioned above a cold chamber die caster is melted via induction coil and poured into the cast. Using a horizontal technique as opposed to vertical CCIM allows Apple to use a copper crucible for minimizing contamination, a key factor in producing non-crystalline alloys. In addition, the melting process is separate from the molding process, which accommodates material filtering prior to crucible insertion.
It is impossible to draw conclusions about Apple's plans from today's patents, but the company is obviously interested in implementing amorphous alloys into its product lineup either as a replacement for existing metal parts or as the basis of an entirely new product. Rumors claiming everything from Liquidmetal iPhones to MacBooks have circulated for years, but none have come to fruition.
Apple in June renewed its exclusive license to Liquidmetal technology, including patents, for a full year, extending a deal initially struck in 2010. With the next iPhone chassis rumored to be crafted from 7000 series aluminum, however, a BMG device might to be some ways off.
One possible Liquidmetal application is Apple Watch, which debuted in aluminum, stainless steel and solid gold. A report in March said Apple was looking into different casing materials for a second-generation version set for announcement this fall or early next year, though BMG was not specifically mentioned as a potential candidate.
Apple's core/shell BMG patent was filed for in July 2012 and credits Christopher D. Prest, Joseph C. Poole, Matthew S. Scott and Dermot J. Stratton as its inventors. The CCIM patent was first filed for in July 2014 and credits the same inventors as well as Theodore A. Waniuk, Joseph Stevick and Sean O'Keeffe.
A pair of Apple patents published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Tuesday describe methods of melting bulk amorphous alloys and applying the material to casts, either by itself or in conjunction with another metal.
In U.S. Patent No. 9,103,009 for a "Method of using core shell pre-alloy structure to make alloys in a controlled manner," Apple notes much of today's metallic alloys are cast into a metal or ceramic mold where it cools and solidifies. Cooling rates for commonly used metals are easily managed as structural changes occur gradually in concert with reductions in temperature, but the same process can be detrimental to bulk-solidifying amorphous alloys.
Casting such alloys, also known as bulk metallic glasses, is an extremely sensitive procedure as unwanted crystals can form within the metal when cooling rates are not sufficiently high. Partial crystallization due to slow cooling or impurities in the raw material might result in the loss of all advantageous mechanical properties, Apple says.
Source: USPTO
Further, BMGs can be combined with other metals or metal alloys to improve material properties, but conventional casting techniques produce relatively thin alloys not suitable for use in consumer electronics. Apple proposes a method of creating a composite article from BMG and another metal or metal alloy that marries the best properties of each.
The patent offers three casting variations: BMG core with metal shell, metal core with BMG shell, and BMG/metal alloyed article. Each embodiment requires full control over heating and cooling to retain desirable amorphous alloy properties.
For example, a first method joins metal around a BMG core and heats the material to a temperature greater than the glass transition temperature, but lower than the amorphous alloy's melting temperature. Regulated cooling thus yields a composite article with a BMG core and metal shell.
Apple's second granted IP, U.S. Patent No. 9,101,977 for "Cold chamber die casting of amorphous alloys using cold crucible induction melting techniques," details methods of melting BMG feedstock using horizontal cold crucible induction melting (CCIM) systems.
In one embodiment, feedstock positioned above a cold chamber die caster is melted via induction coil and poured into the cast. Using a horizontal technique as opposed to vertical CCIM allows Apple to use a copper crucible for minimizing contamination, a key factor in producing non-crystalline alloys. In addition, the melting process is separate from the molding process, which accommodates material filtering prior to crucible insertion.
It is impossible to draw conclusions about Apple's plans from today's patents, but the company is obviously interested in implementing amorphous alloys into its product lineup either as a replacement for existing metal parts or as the basis of an entirely new product. Rumors claiming everything from Liquidmetal iPhones to MacBooks have circulated for years, but none have come to fruition.
Apple in June renewed its exclusive license to Liquidmetal technology, including patents, for a full year, extending a deal initially struck in 2010. With the next iPhone chassis rumored to be crafted from 7000 series aluminum, however, a BMG device might to be some ways off.
One possible Liquidmetal application is Apple Watch, which debuted in aluminum, stainless steel and solid gold. A report in March said Apple was looking into different casing materials for a second-generation version set for announcement this fall or early next year, though BMG was not specifically mentioned as a potential candidate.
Apple's core/shell BMG patent was filed for in July 2012 and credits Christopher D. Prest, Joseph C. Poole, Matthew S. Scott and Dermot J. Stratton as its inventors. The CCIM patent was first filed for in July 2014 and credits the same inventors as well as Theodore A. Waniuk, Joseph Stevick and Sean O'Keeffe.
Comments
(Sorry two times, doesn't make it less true though.)
Having a bit of die casting experience (zinc) and a lot of plastics experience you have to realize how the process works. The material gets injected into a die under high pressure, following channels in the die (sprues) which may or may not remain attached to the actual part as it is ejected from the die. If there are parts to be removed from a part it was common to knock those parts off in a trim press. If high accuracy was required the trim,press can act as a broaching machine.
In the end what has to be removed from a part depends upon the dies design. It is very possible in plastics casting to have net shape parts removed from the machine during each cycle requiring no post processing. This is ideal but you can also have parts ejected with gating and sprues attached. In some cases having everything exit the die at once is an advantage, the classic example here is plastic models where you have to cut out the models part from a mass of connected parts.
Assuming Apple can brings some of these techniques to mass production (this is not a given) then they will have accomplished something very significant. They will have perfected the ability to mass produce "Liquidmetal" parts. This could lead to cheaper but higher quality iPhones or Mac Books. The goal being to replace expensive CNC machining with a rapidly reproduced part.
How rapid is rapid, well we ran cycle times under six seconds back in the day casting zinc. That is total cycle time from one machine closure to the next. That is pretty fast but you need founder stand that each machine might be making anywhere from one to dozens of parts with each cycle. Watching these sorts of machines run can be a bit scary as they are pumping molten metal into those dies extremely fast. One little screw up an you pump metal all over the place, the effect is like holding your thumb over the end of a garden hose.
Liquidmetal Apple car.
Driven by a flying pig.
I've only seen the lower type. Is the upper one really from Apple?
Yes. I have several that came with my last iPhone and my iPad.
Driven by a flying pig.
Its a lot more probable than that.
A car shattering on impact surely is a great feature.
But seriously it has a lot going for it, extreme low weight and stiffness, scratch resistance and perfect dent protection.
I am thinking possibly for the iPhone 7(2016).
Crumple zones save lives. A hard shell with no crumbling might lead to greater loss of life. My wife and son recently survived a severe rear-end collision that may well have ended their lives if not for those intentionally designed weaknesses in the frame.
You must have been shaken. Glad to hear that everything worked as designed.
Crumple zones save lives. A hard shell with no crumbling might lead to greater loss of life. My wife and son recently survived a severe rear-end collision that may well have ended their lives if not for those intentionally designed weaknesses in the frame.
He I know, European car makers where the first to implement them.
The stiffness I referred to is ideal to make the car torsion free (which is perfect for staying on the road, in itself a nice safety feature).
Crumple zones can be created using beams and tweaking of the (liquid)metal properties, also before liquidmetal shatters (if it shatters) it absorbs a lot of energy.
You can't imagine until you taken the call.
Having family and having been in a car accident myself (alone), I can tell you that I do not want to ever be able to imagine it.
I hope there are no lasting effects from the accident, other than a more furious appreciation for the gifts of life.
Its a lot more probable than that.
A car shattering on impact surely is a great feature.
But seriously it has a lot going for it, extreme low weight and stiffness, scratch resistance and perfect dent protection.
liquidmetal is very expensive, far more so than mild steel or aluminium.
Then there is the processing. Spot the problem:
https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/202786/file-20168667-pdf/docs/liquidmetal_design_guide_rev_1.0_24january2013.pdf