BMW Group expands additive manufacturing toward WAAM series production

BMW Group outlines plans to scale additive manufacturing, expand automated production systems and introduce WAAM technology for series components starting in 2027.

BMW Group is moving to the next stage in the development of additive manufacturing, aiming to elevate the technology to a new level of industrial application. At the center of this strategy is the Additive Manufacturing Campus (AMC) in Oberschleißheim, a facility that combines research, production and employee training in one location.

Today additive manufacturing is embedded throughout the entire lifecycle of BMW Group vehicles. 3D-printed components are used from early development and prototype construction to series production and aftersales parts. Such components already appear in vehicles across all brands of the group — from MINI and BMW to Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad.

According to Timo Göbel, Head of Additive Manufacturing at BMW Group, the technology has significantly transformed development processes in recent years. Additive manufacturing allows engineers to create highly functional components more quickly and with greater flexibility than before, helping shorten development cycles. These capabilities are already being applied, for example, in the development of the upcoming Neue Klasse vehicles and in work on new generations of electric drive systems.

Beyond development, additive manufacturing is increasingly integrated into the production system itself. Equipment for 3D printing operates in BMW Group plants around the world, where it is used to produce manufacturing tools and auxiliary components. The ability to create such parts locally and quickly helps optimize production workflows and improves operational efficiency across the company’s global network.

The next phase of development focuses on scaling the technology and integrating it more deeply into industrial production. To achieve this, BMW Group is investing in automated and digitally connected process chains as well as in systems based on open material platforms and open interfaces that can be seamlessly integrated into existing production infrastructures.

Two major research initiatives have played an important role in preparing this expansion. The IDAM project established fully automated lines for metallic additive manufacturing of automotive components, while the POLYLINE project focused on creating automated production lines for polymer parts, marking an important step toward large-scale industrial additive manufacturing.

The next technological milestone involves the introduction of a new generation of metal printing equipment along with the development of Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM). This process uses metal wire that is melted by an electric arc and deposited layer by layer, allowing large metal components to be produced significantly faster. The method is particularly suited to structural elements and is being evaluated for applications in vehicle body structures, chassis components and drivetrain systems.

Within BMW Group, WAAM is seen as a promising technology for industrial additive production due to its high build rates and efficient use of material. After laboratory and test-bench validation, the company has already begun vehicle testing with such components, while the start of series production for the first parts manufactured with this technology is planned from 2027.

The Additive Manufacturing Campus, opened in 2020, serves as the central hub for these activities. The facility consolidates research, prototype production and preparation for series manufacturing of additive components. Since the campus began operations, more than 1.6 million components have been produced for projects across the BMW Group brands. In addition, more than 100,000 additive components are manufactured each year at production plants throughout the company’s global network.

The growing scale of additive manufacturing within BMW Group suggests that the technology is steadily moving beyond experimental use. The company increasingly views it as a key element of its future industrial architecture — one that can accelerate vehicle development, improve production flexibility and enable the creation of complex components that were previously difficult to manufacture.