Photo offers rare glimpse into Apple's design studio

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 47
    eaieai Posts: 417member
    We've seen Apple simplify things for technicians a number of times. I can't think what off the top of my head, but it's certainly something they consider... After all, technician time costs Apple money, if they can make all their computers 10% faster to open and close, that's potentially a big cost saving.
  • Reply 22 of 47
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    Quote:



    That might be the one. Getting even closer:

    http://rcrfabrication.com/images/shop/cnc%20mill.jpg







    It looks like Fadal changed their color scheme lately, I think they were bought out.



    The colors, and the curve on the doors and the tool carousel all look right, the only difference I see is the chip removal system, which is optional on a lot of machines anyway.
  • Reply 23 of 47
    devdev Posts: 2member
    Actually, the CNCs behind Ive look more like the VMC 4525.







    More info on capabilities here:



    http://www.fadal.com/products/vertic.../vmc-4525.html
  • Reply 24 of 47
    nvidia2008nvidia2008 Posts: 9,262member
    IRON MAN! That is like Tony Stark's lab in Iron Man! (Well almost... it's certainly what I thought straight away...)



    Feels like Jonny Ive might just walk onto a platform, "suit up" and fly out through the roof, Aluminium MacBook Prototype in hand...!



    Steve Jobs might be the skinny version of the character Jeff Bridges played.

    (That comment possibly in bad taste, I know)
  • Reply 25 of 47
    kenckenc Posts: 195member
    All the CNC milling machines I've seen were German-made machine tools with PLCs (programmable logic controls) from Siemens. Japan was the other main source for machine tools. They're probably made in China now.
  • Reply 26 of 47
    Who cares what the machines are, it's a simple clean machine shop, and an empty one I might add, with little evidenve of any work being done.
  • Reply 27 of 47
    i386i386 Posts: 91member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JeffDM View Post




    It looks like Fadal changed their color scheme lately, I think they were bought out.



    The colors, and the curve on the doors and the tool carousel all look right, the only difference I see is the chip removal system, which is optional on a lot of machines anyway.



    Could be 'Fadal', if you look at the monitors, you can make out 'Fadal' on the screen.
  • Reply 28 of 47
    Jonathan Ive, working in his secret apple lab on the MacBook Wheel.



  • Reply 29 of 47
    No Oompa Loompa's! Well that's pretty damn disappointing.
  • Reply 30 of 47
    Happy?



  • Reply 31 of 47
    nvidia2008nvidia2008 Posts: 9,262member
    BEST THREAD this week...!
  • Reply 32 of 47
    This is NOT the Industrial Design studio, which is located on the main campus in the IL2 building (ie. Infinite Loop 2), which I've been in many times. This is from their model shop on Bandley Drive, just off the main Infinite Loop campus. Those are 3D printers, they don't have CNC machines.
  • Reply 33 of 47
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by worked4apple View Post


    This is NOT the Industrial Design studio, which is located on the main campus in the IL2 building (ie. Infinite Loop 2), which I've been in many times. This is from their model shop on Bandley Drive, just off the main Infinite Loop campus. Those are 3D printers, they don't have CNC machines.



    First, you need to convince me that you know what you're talking about with regards to machinery. If you say they don't have CNC machines, how do you explain the pictures? Those are clearly CNC vertical milling machines. 3D printers don't have tool changer carousels like those machines do.
  • Reply 34 of 47
    nvidia2008nvidia2008 Posts: 9,262member
    I just noticed the XFILES POSTER... Brilliant! Ha! Best thread this week! Can't make out the character or something which you put into the screen in the background though...



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Bulky Cranium View Post


    Jonathan Ive, working in his secret apple lab on the MacBook Wheel.







  • Reply 35 of 47
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JeffDM View Post


    It takes having a business to justify one, unless you're a hobbyist with some serious money and engineering & design skills. I want one of those things, I don't know at what point it would make sense. If I were offering it as a service, I wouldn't take one on unless I had at least a dozen solid customers asking for the service. The Dimension is the way to go, but even then, it's still slow and expensive. I don't know if Desktop Factory is good enough to use as a prototype service device.




    I'll be sticking with my X-acto and Dremel tools for a while...
  • Reply 36 of 47
    nvidia2008nvidia2008 Posts: 9,262member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Bergermeister View Post


    I'll be sticking with my X-acto and Dremel tools for a while...



    Heh. Dremel. I broke so many bits trying to cut various parts of a PowerMac G5 case with a Dremel... That case is hard stuff!
  • Reply 37 of 47
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nvidia2008 View Post


    I just noticed the XFILES POSTER... Brilliant! Ha! Best thread this week! Can't make out the character or something which you put into the screen in the background though...



    It's the screen for creating a character on World of Warcraft, on it is a Tauren Female selected, if you are still curious.
  • Reply 38 of 47
    dave k.dave k. Posts: 1,306member
    So do the computers that control these things run Windows??
  • Reply 39 of 47
    oweneck, you must be a gamer. Pretty precise answer.



    Just thought, some folks might not know what a Macbook Wheel is:



    http://www.theonion.com/content/vide..._revolutionary
  • Reply 40 of 47
    jowie74jowie74 Posts: 540member
    Am I the only one who is more interested in looking at Jony and his lovely arms than all that techy stuff behind him?
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