NeXT Manufacturing


To accomplish the NeXT vision they had to push the state of the art in many directions:
  • a new Operating System with simpler Administration tools
  • an entirely new Graphical User Interface (GUI),
  • new software development tools and methodologies (Object Oriented Programming, Interface Builder, etc.)
  • new computer hardware designs (NeXT Cube, NeXT Dimension, NeXTStations)
  • new manufacturing processes.
NeXT advanced the state of the art in Printed Circuit Board (PCB) manufacturing. While is is not so exciting today, some 23 years later, it was beyond anything seen in it's time. It is also worthy of note as another NeXT accomplishment.

The following is is an excerpt from their video "The Machine to Build Machines". If you have never seen a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) production line, you will learn a great deal of how it is done today from this 23 year old excerpt:

"In 1986, NeXT saw the possibility of fitting all the power and technology of the most advanced computer workstation into a one foot cube.

To accomplish this, they aggressively pursued Surface Mount Technology, a process which would allow them to build an entire system into one printed circuit board.

This set into motion a plan to build the most sophisticated manufacturing system ever employed for Surface Mount Technology.

The system was fully automated to fulfill NeXT's goals:
  • High quality
  • High consistency
  • High yield
  • Low cost"
A NeXT original VHS tape of the entire video "The Machine to Build Machines" is part of the collection.