Ken Pillonel, a robotics graduate from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), is pushing back against Apple’s planned obsolescence by creating 3D-printed, open-source USB-C protective cases for AirPods. Through his YouTube channel Exploring the Simulation, Pillonel’s design allows users to upgrade their AirPods to USB-C without purchasing new models. Utilizing selective laser sintering (SLS) technology, the cases are easy to install and demonstrate the potential of additive manufacturing to extend the lifespan of consumer electronics, directly addressing the issues of e-waste and the right to repair.
Apple’s recent push to standardize USB-C across its devices sparked frustration among users who were expected to replace perfectly functional AirPods just to access the new port. Pillonel’s innovation provides an alternative. By using 3D printing technology, he has developed cases that fit existing AirPods models and offer the desired USB-C functionality, without requiring consumers to discard their current hardware. The use of Formlabs Fuse SLS technology enables the precise production of these cases without the need for expensive molds, making them accessible for small-scale manufacturing.
What makes Exploring the Simulation approach particularly noteworthy is its open-source nature. By making the design files freely available, he invites the wider maker community to replicate, modify, and share these solutions, fostering a collaborative spirit in the community, challenging Apple’s restrictive repair ecosystem. The growing right-to-repair movement, which pushes for legal frameworks that empower consumers to fix their electronics, finds direct support in this design.
Open-Source Approach Encourages Broader Repairability
The CREDIT project is working to develop an AI-powered remanufacturing platform to promote circular supply chains. Backed by €5.6 million from the EU’s Horizon Europe program, this project aims to enhance the remanufacturing processes in industries such as home appliances and automotive, directly supporting the EU’s Right to Repair legislation. This law mandates manufacturers to provide spare parts for up to ten years, reinforcing the EU’s goal of creating a circular economy by 2050.
In Brazil, a partnership between French AM startup Spare Parts 3D and SENAI CIMATEC focuses on digitizing spare parts inventories to streamline local production using 3D printing. By enabling on-demand manufacturing, this partnership is helping industries reduce long delays in part replacement while improving overall production efficiency. This effort aligns with Brazil’s Industry 4.0 strategy, further demonstrating how additive manufacturing technology can play a pivotal role in advancing the right to repair. By reducing downtime and transportation delays, this initiative supports Brazil’s push toward Industry 4.0.
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Featured images show 3D-printed USB-C cases upgrading Apple’s AirPods and AirPods Pro Max for extended use and the signing of a partnership between SENAI CIMATEC and SPARE PARTS 3D. Photos via Exploring the Simulation and Spare Parts 3D.
