Apple Inc. (AAPL, Financials), the consumer technology company behind the iPhone and Mac, acquired PlasmaSolve, a materials science business focused on software for designing and optimizing plasma-based manufacturing processes.
The European Commission disclosed the transaction Monday and said the acquisition was completed in April. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Plasma technology is used in several advanced manufacturing applications, including semiconductor production, surface treatment and materials processing. Its software could help Apple model complex processes, improve production efficiency or support future hardware development.
The purchase continues Apple's recent pattern of acquiring smaller companies with specialized technology. Apple also bought Rabbit 3 Times, SigScalr and Final Cut Pro plugin developer MotionVFX earlier this year.
The company reportedly paid about $2 billion for Israeli artificial intelligence startup Q.ai, which develops technology that interprets speech through facial movements. Apple has also explored potential acquisitions in artificial intelligence chips and held discussions with semiconductor startups, according to prior reports.
The latest deal appears modest compared with Apple's largest acquisitions, but it may strengthen the company's control over manufacturing technology and product development.