A lot of you people keep predicting the next version of MBP to be liquid metal, but nobody explains what it means. 
OUR TECHNOLOGY
Liquidmetal® alloys are a revolutionary class of materials that redefines performance and cost paradigms. The superior properties of Liquidmetal alloys are made possible by revolutionary scientific and technological innovations. Liquidmetal alloys represent the first enabling materials technology since the creation of thermoplastics and possess characteristics that make them superior in many ways to other commercially-viable materials. First, they have an "amorphous" atomic structure, which is unprecedented for structural metals. Second, they include a multi-component chemical composition, which can be optimized for various properties and processes. Finally, they lend themselves to process technology similar to that possessed by plastics.
Liquidmetal Alloy
The technology of Liquidmetal alloys provides for the optimization of properties for specific applications by tailoring the combination of process, chemistry and atomic structure. The technology of Liquidmetal alloys is proprietary and covered by numerous existing or pending patents.
Will it still be a CNC machined MBP made from a single piece of billet aluminum?
I'm thinking it would be a shame to quit making the Unibody.![]()
Will it still be a CNC machined MBP made from a single piece of billet aluminum?
I'm thinking it would be a shame to quit making the Unibody.![]()
I read all the links. They're describing it like it's similar to the the hot injection molded process used in the manufacture of plastic structures. Is this a new injection molded metal process?
does anyone know if liquidmetal comes in other colors? or is it just black?
does anyone know if liquidmetal comes in other colors? or is it just black?
I doubt it. Unless you just want the strength and don't care about scratch resistance, in which case you could easily powder coat it, or electroplate it with a thin layer of a different metal.
No.
It's a new alloy that when snap cooled gains very useful properties.
(An alloy, if you don't know, is a mixture of different metals, like iron + carbon = steel, or copper + tin = bronze, copper + zinc = brass, etc)
Liquid Metal (the alloy) can be injection moulded, but then has to be snap cooled.
The alloy could also be cast into blocks, rolled then snap frozen to get the properties, and then hot pressed into shape, while retaining said awesome properties.
It seems Liquid Metal is incredibly easy to work with, and you can do pretty much anything to it that you would do with normal aluminium or steel (minus the welding).
wait, liquidmetal is scratch resistant?
so lets say i get a key and scratch the back of a liquidmetal mbp, nothing would happen?
How is liquid metal formed into its final shape?
If it has to be cooled so fast, how do you have time to form it into the shape of a MacBook Pro?
When it's hot they inject it into the shape of the macbook and then cool it rapidly.
How is liquid metal formed into its final shape?
If it has to be cooled so fast, how do you have time to form it into the shape of a MacBook Pro?
What is the mold going to be made out of?
How do they manufacture the mold?
I think he was a character in Metal Gear Solid.
I thought they were referring to the T1000.
FWIW, iPhone SIM ejector tool is supposed to be made from liquid metal.
I really hope they upgrade to liquid metal. Aluminum is way too weak.