How are these holes made?

[Janger]

This is a close up picture of my Macbook speaker grills. The holes are amazing 144 of them per square cm. I estimate they are about 0.2mm in diameter. There are about 7500 of them drilled into the case. Or are they? Could them have been EDM cut? Anybody know?

 

[Janger]

Well I guess I should have googled first. They are apparently laser drilled. Interesting pictures.

https://appleinsider.com/articles/08/10/14/apple_details_new_macbook_manufacturing_process

Funny how crappy looking the factory is. Interesting Jigs and such on the mill.

Could those holes have been made with an EDM wire?

 

[Janger]

in between the marketing propaganda you can see brief glimpses of the machining process. look at those lasers drill those holes.

 

[PeterT]

Its hard to imagine why they would go from round aluminum log to extruded flat sheet - inferring the operation at the same facility. Flat stock is kind of a standard I would think.

The holes - that's an interesting one, Lasers have defined kerf which is a function of material type & thickness. I seem to recall ~0.005" but maybe that's outdated or based on the project I had experience with. They also have an entry stop & start strategies & tiny holes would pose certain challenges over more conventional cutouts. Laser could be their process of choice but given all the CNC milling operations already happening, not inconceivable that it was just drilled. The case is a cool looking part when you see the final form.

 

[DPittman]

I think I want a Macbook, just cuz that is beautiful machining and precision.

 

[PeterT]

I read a book by Jony Ivy he is one of Apple design gurus from Steve Jobs days. Some of it is pretty artsy flakey but amazing the lengths they go through to have devices look & function a certai way. Engineering dream job or nightmare depending on how you look at it LOL

 

[CalgaryPT]

I think I want a Macbook, just cuz that is beautiful machining and precision.

I have done extensive accidental research on MacBooks.

They don't like coffee spilled on the keyboard.

 

[DPittman]

Ouch. While I haven't conducted that same research personally myself (although it's the sort of research I'd do) I could have surmised correctly at the end result and would have been happy to discuss with you only had you asked!

 

[CalgaryPT]

Let's not discuss over coffee. I'm still paying for my "research."