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Comment by alanbernstein | Hacker News Reader

On the subject of Apple's hole-machining process, I recently noticed how tiny the light-grill holes are on the older wireless Apple keyboards: https://i.imgur.com/l9n9Cp2.jpg. Look at the ruler, marked in mm - the holes are less than .1mm in diameter. I was wondering how they did this, I guess a laser or plasma cutter is the only way?

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They found a company that built machines that could laser mill 20um holes and bought them out. It's unclear if they bought the capacity (i.e. all their stock) or if they actually acquired them. The reports vary.

https://blog.bolt.io/no-you-cant-manufacture-that-like-apple...

They’ve done both right? Gorilla glass was a capacity pickup?

Lasers. I think their technique is top-secret, because I don't see lights-through-metal on many other products.

https://venturebeat.com/2011/11/04/apple-laser-manufacturing...

Aren't lasers a standard method for cutting 2d work?

Perhaps they are using the same technique, but in a 3d setup.

Edit: found an interesting link: https://www.twi-global.com/technical-knowledge/faqs/faq-what...

> The 'aluminium cutting system' which most modern equipment uses is actually a way of protecting the laser rather than an innovative technique for cutting.

Cool, I figured someone must have reported on it, but couldn't find that.

They mill it from the back until it's quite thin and then blast some holes through with a laser.

Yes, they use lasers. The old MacBooks used to have the webcam light in screen bezel use this tech. It seems to be slowly disappearing (has disappeared?) from their products though.

https://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2011/02/apple-w...

"What happened when Apple wanted to CNC machine a million MacBook bodies a year? They bought 10k CNC machines to do it. How about when they wanted to laser drill holes in MacBook Pros for the sleep light but only one company made a machine that could drill those 20 µm holes in aluminum? It bought the company that made the machines and took all the inventory" [1] (2014)

[1] https://blog.bolt.io/no-you-cant-manufacture-that-like-apple...

It's an either super thinly machined or super finely laser perforated area (or both).

They used to do this on MacBook Pros as well, I'm not sure whether they still do it.

I would guess Electric Discharge Machining.

That photo is so dark and blurry that I can't see the holes.

Sorry, it was served as full resolution and quality on desktop for me, but significantly worse on mobile. Should have uploaded a closer crop I guess. Try "request desktop version" if your browser can do that.

It's as bright as it can be while still picking up the LED light.

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