Digitimes is reporting that an upcoming HTC smartphone will feature a combined plastic and metal chassis made from Taiwan-based Chenming Mold Industrial. The company uses a technology called NanoMolding Technology (NMT) to combine plastic and metal in a way that reduces the thickness compared to other processes. Such a chassis would also be lighter and cause less interference for the device’s radio.
By first etching the surface, the NMT process allows plastic to be injected directly onto metal, eliminating the need for mounting points. Components can also be applied directly to the surface, again without requiring any other support.
While Chenming Mold Industrial Chairman Mu-ho Lin would not confirm that HTC had signed on as a customer, he did confirm that production would start in July using the new process after certification from “several first-tier handset vendors.”