Expansion of the Advanced Manufacturing Campus

Bavaria Makes: Bavaria's High-Tech Alliance for the Manufacturing of the Future

• Ecosystem for the industrialization of Additive Manufacturing from large industry, SMEs, research, and the state government
• Significant funding from the Bavarian State Government
• Expansion of the Advanced Manufacturing Hub Garching with co-location of industry and research
• Congress on "Next Generation Manufacturing" on October 23/24 in Garching

With Bavaria Makes e.V. (in formation), a strong ecosystem for the industrialization of Additive Manufacturing (AM) is being created in Bavaria in Germany. The association, consisting of large companies, medium-sized businesses, universities, research institutions, and the innovation agency of Bavaria with Bayern Innovativ, aims to make Bavaria a globally leading high-tech location for Additive Manufacturing within 10 years. In Additive Manufacturing, components are built up layer by layer and are not produced by material removal like in conventional processes. This enables great flexibility and design freedom, opening up unprecedented possibilities for research and industry. Currently, applications are being developed or already in use for numerous industries such as medical, energy, aerospace & defense, semiconductor, tool making, automotive, and railway industry.

The Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs has always paid close attention to Additive Manufacturing. Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger: "Bavaria is the prime address for high-tech companies and has very good conditions to also take the lead in 3D-printing. With 'Bavaria Makes' we are bringing together the best minds to support us on this path."

The Bavarian State Government is providing significant funding for the project. A new lighthouse for AM with focus on metallic materials is being created at the Advanced Manufacturing Campus of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) in Garching.

Currently, more than 30 professors at the TUM.Additive academic network at TUM are researching the future of Additive Manufacturing together with researchers.

Bavaria's Science Minister Markus Blume emphasizes: "Bavaria is a pioneer in 3D printing. We are excellently positioned in the field of Additive Manufacturing - and we want to get even better, because Additive Manufacturing is a rapidly growing market. Bavaria Makes bundles the know-how from production and research - an alliance of real champions. Following the principle of 'Support, Enhance, Empower', we are further developing the entire ecosystem of Additive Manufacturing in Bavaria and creating efficient structures. As a Ministry of Science, we are contributing five positions and special funds of one million euros to get it started."

These positions form the basis for the relevant subject areas and decisively drive research and industrial implementation in this field. An outstanding example of the close cooperation between science and industry is the TUM-Oerlikon Advanced Manufacturing Institute, which already combines academic and industrial research within the framework of the Industry-on-Campus concept.

Furthermore, the TUM Venture Labs are actively embedded into the campus ecosystem, supporting more than 100 start-ups and entrepreneurial researchers, so-called Sciencepreneuers, in the field of Additive Manufacturing. This joint initiative by TUM and UnternehmerTUM is also partly funded by the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts.

Bavaria Makes was founded by Bayern Innovativ GmbH, Colibrium Additive, EOS GmbH, MTU Aero Engines AG, Oerlikon AM Europe GmbH, Siemens AG, the Technical University of Munich, and toolcraft AG. The goal is to accelerate the transformation from research to industrial production.

"This unique combination of excellent research, targeted start-up support, and close industrial integration creates the perfect breeding ground for the settlement of further AM activities," says Prof. Peter Mayr, Chairman of the Board of Bavaria Makes. "The Advanced Manufacturing Campus will thus become a central hub for the future of Additive Manufacturing."

MTU Aero Engines already operates its own Center of Excellence for metallic additive manufacturing in Munich. An interdisciplinary team of around 40 employees develops and produces AM components for aerospace propulsion systems.

toolcraft AG, headquartered in Georgensgmünd, has been setting pioneering standards in AM technologies since 2011 and combines the entire process chain under one roof. "Bavaria Makes differs from classic cooperations in that internationally leading corporations, medium-sized companies, universities, and associations are working together here," says Christoph Hauck, Member of the Executive Board for Technology and Sales at toolcraft AG and Member of the Executive Board of Bavaria Makes. "The association serves as a catalyst for the Bavarian industry by utilizing knowledge transfer, collaboration, targeted R&D projects, and the support of the Free State of Bavaria."

Siemens AG is active in Bavaria both as a leading AM equipment supplier and as a producer and user of AM components for rail technology or medical technology. "We are contributing our know-how in software and automation to the association," says Dr. Karsten Heuser, Vice President Additive Manufacturing at Siemens AG and new member of the Executive Board of Bavaria Makes. "By bundling the forces of Bavarian global companies with universities and SMEs in focused hubs, our customers and we ourselves will become faster and better." Recently, technology experts from Siemens AG have also moved into the campus to advance research activities around hybrid manufacturing processes and production optimization in co-location with TUM.

"Collaborative innovation along the AM value chain is urgently needed to withstand the growing innovation pressure in Europe and unlock the full potential of the technology," adds Dr. Marcus Giglmaier, Managing Director of Oerlikon AM Europe GmbH.

Bavaria Makes also continues to rely on the successful work of the Coordination Office for Additive Manufacturing of Bayern Innovativ GmbH. The innovation agency bundles the Bavarian competence in manufacturing technology in a nationwide network of around 200 companies and links it with leading industries such as medical technology, automotive, security and defense, or the construction industry. Dr. Matthias Konrad, Member of the Management Board of Bayern Innovativ GmbH, says: "With this cross-industry networking, we have been successfully driving knowledge and technology transfer around additive manufacturing for years. With the combination of technology know-how and strong networks, we will also accompany and support the activities of Bavaria Makes in the future."

From October 23 to 24, 2025, Bayern Innovativ will offer an international platform with the "Next Gen Manufacturing" congress to showcase new application potentials of Additive Manufacturing and provide impulses for innovations.