Motorola Plans to Use 3D-Printing to Make Smartphones

Inks deal with 3D Systems

Motorola's futuristic smartphones now have an equally futuristic manufacturing method: 3D printing.

Motorola announced today that it's inked a deal with 3D printing giant 3D Systems to put together its Project Ara smartphones, which the company announced last month.

Essentially a Lego take on hardware, Project Aura's modular design will give owners almost complete control over their phones' features, letting them swap out components without buying entirely new phones. That level of customization is perfect for 3D printing, which excels at letting companies manufacture custom items in small batches.