Apple's first foldable phone, the Duo, features a critical hinge designed and built using AI and 3D printing. This approach aims to address the common durability issues found in foldable devices, which typically suffer from more wear than traditional smartphones.
Chief Hardware Officer Johny Srouji explained that AI algorithms are used during manufacturing to match each hinge with its best-fit housing for perfect alignment. A confocal laser then scans the topology of every unit to 3D print up to 25 micro layers of a custom photopolymer to remove residual waviness.
The Duo also includes a custom nano-texture finish to reduce glare and reflections, and a multi-layer lamination strategy to enhance the overall durability of the device.