The Technical University of Munich (TUM ) is thus implementing the first milestone of its future strategy of the current Excellence Initiative, TUM Agenda 2030.

By using new raw materials, innovative materials and intelligent combinations, new process technologies based on digital 3D designs can be used to design a wide variety of components with maximally complex geometries in a load- and function-oriented manner and build them up layer by layer (additively). By saving energy and resources, additive manufacturing can make an important contribution to achieving climate targets. The highly digitizable processes of additive manufacturing also promise a shift of production capacities and thus highly qualified jobs back to Germany.

Additive manufacturing can be used to create new products and functionalities that are tailored to the individual needs of users. "This is entirely in line with the human-centered engineering approach as the guiding principle of TUM's strategic development. Additive manufacturing has the highest potential to fundamentally revolutionize the manufacturing industry sectors," says Thomas F. Hofmann, President of TUM, at the Munich Technology Conference on Additive Manufacturing (MTC3). The conference, which focuses on the industrial application of additive manufacturing, is currently taking place at TUM for the third time.

Interdisciplinary expertise from TUM

"The sustainable industrial use of additive manufacturing requires research and optimization of the entire process chain in the core areas of materials, process technologies and digitalization," explains Hofmann. With the TUM.Additive action agenda, TUM is now pooling its expertise from over 30 professorships in research, innovation and teaching in an interdisciplinary approach to materials research into solids, fluids and biomaterials through to their application in mechanical engineering, the automotive industry, aerospace, construction, medical technology and the food sector.

Potential for Bavaria as a business location

"The prerequisite for the industrialization of additive manufacturing processes is the integrative cooperation of powerful partners from industry and science," explains Hofmann. "This is the only way we can overcome technological hurdles and answer open questions about standardization." As an extension of its "Industry-on-Campus" strategy, TUM is therefore initiating the "Bavarian Additive Manufacturing Cluster" research association together with its founding partners Oerlikon, GE Additive and Linde. The aim is for Bavaria to develop into one of the leading economic regions in the field of additive manufacturing. "The starting conditions for this are ideal and the potential is huge. That's why we are expanding our collaboration with technology companies such as Airbus/Ariane Group, SAP, Clariant, Siemens and TÜV Süd," explains Hofmann.

Successful start-ups in the field of additive manufacturing

A new generation of specialists is to be trained for the future field of additive manufacturing through innovative offerings and a sustainable broad implementation of additive manufacturing technologies in the manufacturing industry is to be achieved. Numerous successful company spin-offs are proof of the quality of TUM's training programs: Voxeljet develops industrial printing systems for plastic and sand, Vectoflow uses 3D printing to produce individually designed flow probes and Kumovis develops 3D printers that are specially tailored to medical technology requirements and can produce skull plate or spinal implants, for example.

TUM aims to expand its range of activities in the field of additive manufacturing through international collaborations. For example, new impetus is expected to come from collaboration with the Franco-German Academy for the Industry of the Future, TUM's flagship partner Imperial College London and the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Moscow).