The Machine to Build the Machines - NeXT
Why Hacker News recommends it
HN cites it as evidence of early lights-out manufacturing and of Steve Jobs's factory automation roots in threads on automation and US manufacturing.
What it is
A NeXT, Inc. promotional video showing its highly automated factory and the manufacturing of the NeXT Cube, including automated circuit board assembly.
Recommended by 0 HN commenters across 0 different months, 2016 to 2025.
What Hacker News said
Cites tpowell · 2016-07 · on “Apple Taps Bob Mansfield to Oversee Car Project”
I wouldn't underestimate them with their war chest and supply chain expertise, and don't forget their roots: [this video]
Cites foobiekr · 2020-07 · on “Playstation's secret weapon: a nearly all-automated factory”
Every discussion of highly-automated factories brings to mind this: [this video] Early lights out production. The problem became obvious a little later, for NeXT, which was that these things only make sense at very high scale for products that change infrequently.
Cites ChickeNES · 2020-09 · on “New Steve Jobs recordings from the '80s released”
At about 35 minutes in there was a video demonstrating their automated PCB assembly line, and luckily it's on YouTube: [this video]
Cites scrlk · 2025-04 · on “Apple Computers Used to Be Built in the U.S. It Was a Mess (2018)”
Steve invested heavily in automation for the Mac and NeXT factories. There are videos of these factories in action: We Are Manufacturing (Apple): [LINK] The Machine to Build the Machines (NeXT): [this video] Infamously, he caused a ton of issues for both factories when he demanded that the machinery be painted to colours of his liking. > When Jobs took a tour, he ordered that the machines be repainted in the bright colors he wanted. Carter objected; this was precision equipment, and repainting the machines could cause problems. He turned out to be right. One of the most expensive machines, which got painted bright blue, ended up not working properly and was dubbed “Steve’s Folly.” Finally Carter
Critical IBM · 2018-03 · on “Analysts argue that over-automation is to blame for Tesla problems”
>sounds like one of those sad stories where the engineers fell in love with the stack and forgot about the product. Sounds like Steve Jobs... in 1986. [this video]