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Phone Case Daily – Factory Floor Report
Phone Case Daily – Factory Floor Report
Issue #1 | November 12, 2025
A production line operator inspecting a fresh TPU bumper frame under LED magnification. The station averages 1,200 units per shift.
TODAY’S MAIN STORY: The iPhone 17 Spec Leak That Isn’t
A “verified” dimensional drawing circulated in three WeChat supplier groups this morning. Claims 9.8mm chassis thickness, up from 8.25mm on the iPhone 16 Pro. Our sourcing manager called the usual component contacts—none confirm. Verdict: Likely a fan render with fake measurement annotations. Still, we’ve prepped a provisional CAD file. Last year, we ignored a similar “leak” for the S25 and lost four days scrambling when the real specs dropped 0.3mm thicker than expected. Better to waste 6 hours now than 6 days later. Mold steel isn’t getting cheaper.
Mold opening design
Close-up of caliper measuring a TPU frame’s camera bezel. The reading shows 4.85mm—0.05mm over spec, triggering a scrap batch.
PRODUCTION SNAPSHOT: Line 3, Shift B
- Target: 3,500 units of MagSafe-compatible PC/TPU hybrid cases for a German retailer.
- Actual output: 3,120 units.
- Scrap rate: 11% (target was <4%).
- Root cause: Wireless charging coil alignment jig wore down after 18,000 cycles. Coils shifting 0.4mm left, causing efficiency loss >20% on QA tests.
- Fix: Maintenance swapped the jig at 14:30. First post-fix sample tested at 13% loss—within spec. We’ll burn the 330 defective units. Cost: ~$1,100 in material. Noted for next quarter’s maintenance budget review.
Operator quote: “The jig looked fine. It always looks fine until you measure it.”
MATERIAL WATCH: TPU Price Bump
Supplier pinged us at 09:00: 8% increase on BASF Elastollan 85A effective December 1. Reason: freight container shortage again. We’re burning through our last 2-ton roll. Options:
- Absorb the cost: Cuts margin from $0.94 to $0.72 per unit on existing POs.
- Switch to domestic TPU: Saves $0.18/unit but yellowing timeline drops from 10 months to 6. Already tested—client will notice.
- Negotiate minimum order: Up the next buy to 5 tons, get 4% discount back. But cash flow tight this month.
Decision: Absorbing on current PO. Switching to 5-ton MOQ for Q1 2025. Sent updated quote to clients this afternoon. Two accepted. One pushed back—expects us to eat the cost permanently. We’ll lose them.
BOTTOM LINE
Another day where nothing revolutionary happened. We adjusted a jig, absorbed a cost, widened a hole. The profit margin didn’t skyrocket. But tomorrow’s production will have 11% less scrap, and one fewer client complaint will land in our inbox. That’s the win.
Tomorrow’s watch: iPhone 17 spec confirmation (maybe), Line 2 switchover to Samsung A56 mold (30-minute downtime window), and a meeting about whether to stockpile TPU before Chinese New Year price spikes.
Mold opening for the latest model
The entire series of iPhone 17 has completed production and entered the inventory stage