New Macbook Pro: What's the Eco-Impact of Building a MacBook from a Single Piece of Aluminum?
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.14.08
Photo via Gizmodo
Apple MacBook "Brick" Rumor Confirmed
Last week we speculated about the Apple Brick rumors circulating, and took a stab at what it would mean if Apple were actually creating a MacBook from a single brick of aluminum.
Turns out, those rumors were true. Apple has designed a way to make a MacBook from a 2.5 pound piece of aluminum. Their process is now fair game for some eco-impact analysis.
Figuring out the impact can only come with details, and those are still emerging. You'll be going down the analysis path with us as we learn more.
What We Know So Far:
The unibody enclosure is made from one piece of aluminum, and pieces of the aluminum are removed to create the structure.
It seems that this process allows the MacBook Pro to use 50% fewer parts.
In the manufacturing stage, they start with a 2.5 pound piece of aluminum. The end structure is only 0.5 pounds (for the MacBook Air). That means that 2 pounds of aluminum is cut away.
Apple feels the new products are pretty dang eco-friendly. The new MacBooks are arsenic free glass, BFR free, mercury free, PVC free, is Energy Star compliant, the screen is LED and uses 30% less energy, they use 37% smaller packaging, and have earned an EPEAT Gold rating.
There are definitely some real pros to the new process, but what happens to all that aluminum that is cut away?
Photo via Gizmodo
Apple apparently is savvy about needing to treat that aluminum carefully. They report that through each stage we're cleaning, collecting, and recycling the material. While recycled aluminum uses up about 5% of the energy it takes to make something out of new aluminum (counting all the effort it takes from the mine to the manufacturing plant), reprocessing all that aluminum is very energy intensive. Just how much energy is put into taking that 2 pounds of aluminum, remelting it, reforming it, and recarving it for another MacBook? All that can add up and we're interested in learning more.
On the other hand, recycling plants love aluminum since it is easy to recycle. Less plastic parts mixed with metal parts could mean a much easier recycling process for used MacBooks.
This all sounds great so far, but we'll be taking a closer look as more information surfaces.
UPDATE: Engadget is live at the Apple event today and, according to a mini-documentary shown to the crowd, seems to feel the process isn't wasteful. We'll see if we can get our hands on the video to show you soon.
UPDATE:
Sounds as if the aluminum goes through some extensive milling steps, 13 in all. That means quite a lot of energy, and quite a lot of clean up is involved in the making of a single MacBook Pro.
We love it when companies come up with innovative ways to make their products, and strive for the greenest possible ways to produce something. It looks like this process, despite flaws, has some real improvements for the notebook in the big picture of its lifetime and total footprint.
More on Apple's MacBook "Brick"Process:
Apple's Mac Brick Rumors and the Environmental Impact
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Well, I apologize for my previous ASSumptions.
I have to say, it looks like a pretty cool laptop.
you peoplea are smoking crack if you think this is innovation.
innovation is die casting these parts in one shot... what you're seeing here is designers trying to engineer products and factory people cleaning up the mess the best they can, followed by overpaid marketers doing their best to paint so much incredible waste as a positive thing.
holy crap, I can't believe I actually had to type such an obvious statement.
50% fewer parts? So instead of 4 parts, there is now 2? Trying to tout anything off here as environmentally friendly is a waste, but machined aluminum like this is really a beautiful thing. As for aluminum recycling I've worked on a aluminum CNC milling machine and 99.9% of the waste is going to be recycled. It all depends on containment of the shavings. This isn't any different then the waste produced by stamping, just shavings instead of chunks.
aluminum from machining cannot be recycled. it's too small to take the heat. it burns up. i feel the same effect could have been achieved with a casting and machining combined process while lessening the waste. though this would be more expensive. when will we start treating waste as a resource?
As some of you may not know, most cast aluminum parts are not as strong / stiff as parts milled from plate aluminum.
Is it the greatest solution, no, but it is better. Also, having a stiffer / stronger unibody frame will result in less material per item, which is good.
All in all a positive change I think, as the other option is a whole lot of pressing / bending / welding, which is also pretty energy intensive.
"innovation is die casting these parts in one shot... "
That's incorrect Joe. Aluminum die casting uses more energy than machining.
"aluminum from machining cannot be recycled. it's too small to take the heat. "
That is functionally incorrect Ian.
Yes, if you just try to recyc the shavings, the smaller bits will vaporise, that's why you put all of the machined shavings into a press, form it into what is known as a puck (a cylinder roughly the size of a hamburger bun), and then recyc that.
"We love it when companies come up with innovative ways to make their products, and strive for the greenest possible ways to produce something. It looks like this process, despite flaws, has some real improvements for the notebook in the big picture of its lifetime and total footprint."
- Innovation? Ha. Because it's pretty and glossy looking? I bet if this was an HP or Dell, you'd it wouldn't be so important. Other companies strive to be green, and I guess they're not as "innovative" are they?
Footprint over the Macbook's lifespan = 460 kg CO2.
No idea how long they consider the 'lifespan' to be.
http://images.apple.com/environment/resources/pdf/MacBook-Environmental-Report.pdf
Machines or dye cast, why does it have to be metal?
Why can't it be injection molded plastic? No one else uses aluminum, all it is is fashion. Making this computer out of recyclable plastic would make 30x more sense.
Dear Qulkboy:
Treehugger has heaped a lot of praise on Apple, and called the iphone the last phone you'd ever need (when it was obvious the 3G was already developed when they released the original)... but to say they're not innovative is the dumbest thing you could say.
If you were a bit quicker, you might pick up on the fact that everyone calls Apple innovative umm... because they are. Way more so than any other computer company. Or cell phone company. Or MP3 manufacturer. It's just the truth. Even if you don't like all the Apple fanboys, trying to argue that Apple isn't innovative is like trying to say Bill Gates isn't rich.
Wouldn't it be fantastic if Apple guaranteed to support the unit for a decade - keep the unit renew the screen, renew the inards - not the whole unit...
Plastic has two problems. First is strength. They can't make it strong enough to really take a beating. Other computer manufacturers get around this by making their computers basically disposable. You buy one, it breaks, you buy a new one. Apple in general and Steve Jobs in particular are known for wanting to make computers that will last for a very long time. I've got a Mac Classic in my basement that's still 100% functional. You can't say the same about most PCs that are 18 years old.
The other problem is that plastic doesn't conduct heat very well. The aluminum enclosure on MacBook Pros is integral to its heat dissipation.
So if they're going to choose a material to build a laptop, a single block of aluminum makes a lot more sense than a lot of plastic with hunks of aluminum that can be very difficult to recycle.
And, to be honest, I would think that a lot of commenters on Treehugger would only be happy if Apple and other companies went out of business altogether. Think of how green that would be! We'd all build our own abacuses out of twigs and nuts we find in our backyard!
Looks good to me, though I'd like to know if that thin aluminum casing will get hot like the plastic ones do when on for extended periods of time. I'm also curious as to how well the glass screen will hold up AND what the cost of repair would be. I'm sure quite pricey. I'd still like to buy one!
davidm
Footprint over the Macbook's lifespan = 460 kg CO2.
No idea how long they consider the 'lifespan' to be.
if even this bothers you maybe you should stop typing on your computer and don't a computer all together???
i think this is a positive step by apple. and it can only go greener from here..
the greenest thing is not to use computer and all electronics . but can you really live in this modern society if you dont..
not all of us can become eco gardners to make a living.
This is all well and good, but what makes Apple so un-ecological is the fact that they rely on fashion to sell 'upgrades' that people don't really require. Apple will sell the same thing over and over again in a slightly re-vamped package to convince us it's 'the latest thing' and that it's something we 'need'.
If you want green computing, stick a GNU/Linux - FOSS combination on an 'end-of-use' laptop and Bob's yer very eco-friendly uncle.
Check out James Wallbank's 'Zero Dollar Laptop Manifesto' for more details (www.greenjacker.org/zero.html) And if you want to know what one of the world's top advertising CEOs thinks of Apple, read this - http://www.off-grid.net/2008/07/30/end-of-consumerism
Eliminating plastic parts has the potential to reduce the amount of toxic material that users and the disposal chain will be exposed to. That said, Apple has been freely defining it's own version of terms like 'non-toxic' to meet the realities of the production process and supplier networks.
Apple claims these new machines are both bromine and chlorine free. However the fine print shows that they define the absence of these elements as 'less than 900 parts per million' - or basically one part per thousand. That is actually a high level of contamination - find a toy with lead levels that high and you'd be holding a poisonous object.
No chlorine and bromine are not 'fixed' and harmless in circuits and plastics. Brominated Flame Retardants are mixed in plastic, not chemically bound. As the materials age, accelerated by heat cycles unavoidable with device use, or disposal, they are released.
The machines are a nice improvement. But the 'Green' label is demonstrable hype.
We're looking at a company who is aware of the visual footprint on the market and how important a new attitude to building their computers in an industry where conscientious buying is become the norm. Energy star ratings and so on for example.
They have actively searched out a method, ensured many substances are removed and produced a sturdy product. I bet you they've saved a lot of expense for themselves too.
I'm yet to see any IKEA punch out kit outlast the bespoke cabinet I had carpenter friend make for me. Sure it took at least twice the machining, but that was six years ago and it's rock solid, looks stylish and I don't expect to be rid of it anytime, well ..ever.
Conscientious design, build quality and form will always add, not subtract from the green formula. If Apple has honestly aimed for that methodology, I think this is a great step in the right direction.
Be happy that at least one major manufacturer is walking up the right path. If you believe you can do better, get out there and build something. A majority of the biggest success stories lately were garage projects.
We need more people to get off their butt and initiate such efforts in this direction. As for the armchair critics? I find they tend always sit these things out and heckle from the sidelines.
This company is moving to take responsibility for their products and processes, what about you?
~ Seb.
Like others, I believe that these computer cases should last a lot longer than previous generations. That means that if a new macbook comes out in 3 years making this one obsolete, your computer will be no worse for the wear, but the internal components will be outdated. IF Apple really wanted to be green, they'd allow the user to just buy the newest Motherboard, etc and just swap it out. That would be the computer for me. Upgrade only what needs upgrading. That said, Apple has been reluctant to make any of their machines truly upgradeable, outside of the insanely expensive MacPro. The new books will allow hard-drive swaps, but that's only a small step.
TB,
Your analysis is far too simplistic. In fact you contradict yourself. Compare the energy to recycle the chips to the energy to die-cast.. it's a wash. So that leaves us with an amazingly wasteful manufacturing process to analyse. So, ask youself this.. why machine it? The best answer I can come up with is that they can't figure out a manufactuing process that can produce their design. So, that means their design is flawed.
I design products. When you start specifying ass-backward manufacturing methods, or solving problems with specialized materials and processes, it's a stong indicator that your design is flawed.
This design is flawed.
True innovation in this situation would allow for all of the benefits that they currently have, in a package that can be made using a sensible manufacturing method.
-joe
Posted by TB
"innovation is die casting these parts in one shot... "
"That's incorrect Joe. Aluminum die casting uses more energy than machining.
"aluminum from machining cannot be recycled. it's too small to take the heat. "
That is functionally incorrect Ian.
Yes, if you just try to recyc the shavings, the smaller bits will vaporise, that's why you put all of the machined shavings into a press, form it into what is known as a puck (a cylinder roughly the size of a hamburger bun), and then recyc that.
"
I'm sorry, but did I miss something? Is this a step backwords? Apple has very little responsibility to try and shape its products in an environmentally friendly way. No company really does, unless it has a little morality on its board. We all know, that most companies don't. To knock any company for trying to work towards a more sustainable solution is flawed. You simply cannot expect a bottom to top reworking of an entire company, and manufacturing process, in one turn of the wand. You can't even expect that from a single person. In capitalism, if this thing fails, apple realizes that environment isn't that important to its consumer, and goes back to the cheapest method possible. If it works, they are encouraged to do more.
My current MacBook is plastic and it's disintegrating. It's chipped on the edges, warped....and it has never run right. I have the three year, super gazillion dollar service plan but I've still had to replace the hard drive, the battery, and need to replace several other things, like the optical drive and fan - both need to be replaced according to the Mac Genius guys -but who has time to leave your laptop with them for two weeks when you're a writer who makes your living off of it? No loaner. No replacement. I'm more concerned about whether the stuff INSIDE that machined aluminum will WORK, rather than worried about how green or pretty or strong it is. An aluminum Mac that won't work is just another pretty, but useless brick.
Has anyone tested the guts of this thing?
I'm just wondering why it seems that no one but me is wondering how in the world you can open it up if you need to (obviously I mean open up to the inside of the computer, not opening the screen). If a part break inside or something, will the new MacBook turn into a real brick? Am I missing something here?