BMW first started the additive manufacturing of prototype parts back in 1991, for concept vehicles. By 2010, plastic-and metal-based processes were being rolled out, initially in smaller series, to produce items such as the additively manufactured water pump wheel in the DTM race cars. Further series production applications followed from 2012 on, with a range of components for the Rolls-Royce Phantom, BMW i8 Roadster (2017) and MINI John Cooper Works GP (2020), which contains no less than four 3D-printed components as standard.

Last year, the company produced about 300,000 parts by additive manufacturing. The Additive Manufacturing Campus currently employs up to 80 associates and operates about 50 industrial systems that work with metals and plastics. Another 50 systems are in operation at production sites around the world.

Access to the latest technologies is gained through long-standing partnerships with manufacturers and universities, and by successfully scouting for industry newcomers. Back in 2016, BMW i Ventures invested in the Silicon Valley-based company Carbon, whose Digital Light Synthesis technology achieved a breakthrough in planar processes, using a planar light projector to enable super-fast component production.

Further investments were made in 2017, when the company became involved with Desktop Metal, a start-up specialising in additive manufacturing of metal components and developing innovative, highly productive manufacturing procedures. Close collaborations with Desktop Metal continue. In the same year, BMW i Ventures invested in the US start-up Xometry, a platform for on-demand manufacturing.

The latest investment was in the German start-up ELISE, which allows engineers to produce component DNA containing all the technical requirements for the part, from load requirements and manufacturing restrictions to costs and potential optimisation parameters. ELISE then uses this DNA, along with established development tools, to automatically generate optimum components.

The pre-development unit of the Additive Manufacturing Campus optimises new technologies and materials for comprehensive use across the company. The main focus is on automating process chains that have previously required large amounts of manual work, to make 3D printing more economical and viable for use on an industrial scale over the longer term.

The Additive Manufacturing Campus is also making a contribution to series production of plastic parts. In the POLYLINE project, the focus is on aspects such as digitally linking process steps, and the development of a consistent quality assurance methodology for the entire process chain. The Additive Manufacturing Campus will provide the backdrop for the project’s consortium of 15 partners to develop and test a future-proof, fully linked, automated production line for plastic components. Findings from the project are expected to help reduce manufacturing costs by as much as 50 percent, making a vital contribution to series production. In addition, integrated quality assurance methods will increase the stability of technologies and make manufacturing more sustainable.

Along with component manufacturing, the team at the Campus provides personal consultations and training courses for BMW facilities around the world that all manufacture 3D-printing components already, be it for prototypes or production, or as country-specific parts for customers.

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The DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters) is a touring car series sanctioned by the German motorsports federation. The series is mostly based in Germany but has rounds elsewhere including Belgium and the Netherlands, Manufacturers taking part in the series include Audi and BMW while the vehicles used are based on mass-produced road cars.

The first natural fibre parts using bcomp’s flax fibre technologies have already been validated by BMW Motorsport and Audi Sport during the last DTM tests in Jerez (SPA) and Vallelunga (IT). As a result, the technologies are being introduced into mandatory parts and the technical regulations to enable a direct material changeover from carbon fibre to natural fibres on further applications.

With high exposure to contact, the DTM shoebox is a typical motorsport bodywork wear part which needs to be replaced or repaired after almost every race. With Bcomp’s natural fibre technologies the part can achieve the same weight as with carbon fibre while additionally taking advantage of the anti-splintering and environmental benefits.

Bcomp’s patented powerRibs reinforcement grid, has the same weight as carbon fibre parts, but significantly lower the eco-footprint, improving cost-efficiency, and eliminating the risk of sharp carbon fibre debris.

Further parts to showcase the potential to transfer the sustainable lightweighting solutions from race to road are already in development and will be introduced by the DTM and Bcomp through-out the season.

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Researchers at Fraunhofer ICT in Pfinztal have developed a camshaft module made of thermosetting composite materials. This lightweight camshaft module was realised in cooperation with the MAHLE Group and associated partners Daimler AG, SBHPP/Vyncolit NV and Georges Pernoud. The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) has been funding the project.

For this project, the research team opted for high-strength, fibre-reinforced thermoset polymers, as they are well able to withstand high temperatures and mechanical and chemical stresses such as those caused by synthetic motor oils and coolants, for instance. The camshaft module is located in the cylinder head, so normally in the upper installation space of the powertrain. Here, it makes particular sense to reduce weight, since doing so also contributes to lowering the vehicle’s centre of gravity.

Castings made from aluminium require extensive reworking, resulting in high costs. Fibre-reinforced thermoset polymers allow near-net-shape manufacturing, thus requiring comparatively little reworking and which again leads to reduced production cost. Also, at up to 500,000 units, the service life of thermoset polymer injection moulds is significantly higher than that of aluminium high-pressure die-cast moulds. Furthermore, plastics reinforced with a high fibre content have a much lower CO₂ footprint compared with aluminium, since this light metal is very energy-intensive to manufacture.

Another advantage of using these materials is the reduction in noise emissions. Rattling cars are not only annoying, but they are also a clear competitive disadvantage, so noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) characteristics are high up on the list of factors used to assess vehicle quality. Polymers have good damping characteristics.

The camshaft module features a monolithic design with integrated bearings – in other words, it is manufactured in one piece, thus reducing assembly time in the engine manufacturing plant. Car manufacturers receive a pre-assembled module from their supplier and can mount it on the engine with just a few simple mounting operations. This eliminates the need for separate, time-consuming installation of the camshaft. This innovative solution boasts an additional advantage: aluminium inserts in highly stressed areas of the camshaft bearings absorb the direct forces.

During initial tests on the engine, researchers observed positive operating performance, and weight savings were demonstrated compared with the aluminium reference part. They can produce camshaft modules made of thermoset polymer material much more easily than their counterparts made of light metal, and can even do it economically in an injection moulding process. Simulation calculations help engineers design and validate the prototype before the manufacturing process begins. Although the stiffness of the thermoset polymer is only a quarter of that of aluminium, design measures enable researchers to adhere to the maximum allowable deformation. After 600 hours of testing, the lightweight design element demonstrated flawless functionality in a state-of-the-art internal combustion engine. With the aid of the planned fuel injection tests, the project partners want to prove the functionality and the NVH characteristics taking the gas forces of the combustion process into account.

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Materials made of composites are suited for battery enclosures for different reasons: Besides their lightweight, which enhances the electric vehicle’s range, fibre-reinforced plastics offer high stiffness. In addition, they meet high requirements for water and gas tightness and feature excellent fire protection properties. Composite materials can also help to achieve improved structural stiffness of the underbody, e.g. to protect against penetration, as well as optimised thermal management. Carbon fibres are ideal for especially stressed structures or load-bearing elements, such as the underbody panels and side frames. For components subjected to less stress, such as battery box covers, glass fibres or a fibre mix may suffice.

In addition to the new application for the hybrid model battery enclosure, SGL Carbon will continue producing the usual components made of carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic for the BMW i3 and delivering materials for the Carbon Core body of the BMW 7 series and has been nominated as the supplier for all carbon materials – fibres, textiles, stacks – for the BMW iNEXT, set to be launched in 2021.

Over the years SGL has supplied a number of automotive manufacturers with carbon materials and composite components, from sports car parts to large-scale deliveries of leaf springs and structural components.

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With the launch of the BMW iNEXT in 2021, The Dingolfing plant will be capable of producing fully-electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and models with combustion engines to suit demand on a single assembly line. In August 2019, production was interrupted for four weeks to allow the vehicle plant to forge ahead with various construction and remodelling activities and prepare the location for new models like the BMW iNEXT.

The body shop at the heart of the plant was geared up for the BMW iNEXT several months ago. New production lines are currently being built for the body’s complex floor assembly. The plant benefits to a large extent from its years of expertise in composite and lightweight construction, as well as from structures created for the current generation of the BMW 7 Series. Production at the plant was already set up for handling an innovative mix of steel, aluminium and Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic for the iNext model.

SGL Carbon was selected to produce the carbon fibre components along with a number of composite components for the iNEXT. The carbon fibres will be manufactured at the company’s Moses Lake plant then shipped to their Wackersdorf site in Germany where the fabrics will be produced based on the fibres from Moses Lake. The SGL’s Moses Lake facility began as a joint venture between SGL Carbon and BMW. However, SGL Carbon bought out BMW’s 49 per cent stake in the facility back in 2017.

Plant Dingolfing is one of the BMW Group’s 31 production sites worldwide. Around 1,500 BMW 3 Series, 4 Series, 5 Series, 6 Series, 7 Series and 8 Series cars are produced daily at the Dingolfing automotive plant 02.40. In 2018, the plant produced a total of nearly 330,000 vehicles. Around 18,000 employees and 800 trainees currently work at the Dingolfing location.

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The German auto maker has invested heavily in carbon fibre production and, while its stronger and lighter than other traditional materials like aluminium and steel, it’s also vastly more expensive, which leaves the company with tough choices on how to remain profitable as it’s competition closes in.

One of the options being looked at is bonding carbon fibre with other lightweight steels to reduce weight without dramatically increasing the cost.

Oliver Zipse, BMW’s board member responsible for manufacturing said;

The main equation is how much cost do I spend for a kilogram reduction in weight. It is not about one material it is about the combination of materials.

Back in 2013 BMW announced the launch of two cars which heavily featured carbon fibre. The €45,000 i3 city car and the i8 hybrid which featured a passenger cell made entirely of carbon fibre. Sales of BMW’s i3 electric car failed to get going which, analysts say is in part down to the use of carbon fibre which has made the vehicle too expensive.

BMW faces stiff competition in the electric car market as Tesla, owned by its German rivals Daimler AG, plans to launch its new electric car models for around $35,000, and have already received up to 400,000 pre-orders.

The cost of carbon fibre is expected to reduce as the use of the material increases and BMW has strategically positioned itself in pole position by investing almost 2 billion euros in advanced lightweight composite technologies.

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The new racing wheelchair features modernised aerodynamic efficiencies, carbon fibre material, a complete chassis redesign and a personalised approach for customised athlete fit.

Brad Cracchiola, Associate Director, BMW Group DesignWorks said;

Working on this project has been a truly rewarding experience for my team and we’re proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish in the last year and half with these athletes and their coaches, from fittings and immersion sessions, to data analysis and real-time testing, we had the unique opportunity to build a fully customised racing device. We’re eager to complete the final product and look forward to watching Team USA compete.

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With the help of Team USA athletes, BMW will work over the next few months to continue to adjust and improve the wheelchair in the lead up to the Games. The final fleet of wheelchairs for use in the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games is slated to be delivered to the U.S. Paralympics track and field racers in the summer of 2016.

The company has been implementing its resources to advance the training and performance goals of Team USA since signing on as a sponsor in 2010. The BMW racing wheelchair is the company’s fourth technology transfer project, following the delivery of a two-man bobsled which helped Team USA overcome a 62-year medal drought at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games.

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The concept vehicle features 800 moving triangles, which are set into the instrument panel and fitted to the side panels on the outside. These triangles feature something BMW is calling Alive Geometry which would move to allow the car to communicate with the driver.

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BMW thinks that along with having driverless technology, us humans will still want the option to get behind the wheel and drive which is why the Vision next supports both in two modes called Boost and Ease.

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In boost mode the cars seat and steering wheel would change position while the central console would move to make it easier for various settings to be changed. The windscreen would be your heads up display and will project optimum driving lines, speed and other information.

In Ease mode the car would be in full driverless mode and the steering wheel and centre console would retract while the seats headrest would move aside to allow the driver to recline. The windscreen’s Head-Up Display would then offer the opportunity to browse the web and watch movies.

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The materials used in the design of the BMW Vision Next 100 are primarily used fabrics made from recycled or renewable materials. The visible and non-visible carbon fibre composite components, such as the side panels, are made from residues from normal carbon fibre production. In the future, the choice of materials will become even more important throughout the design and production process.

With time, other new materials will also be added into the mix, allowing different vehicle shapes to emerge. To save resources and support more sustainable manufacturing, less use will be made of wood and leather while innovative materials and the consequent new possibilities in design and production gradually come to the fore. This approach is already being exemplified by the use of high-quality textiles and easily recyclable mono-materials and the elimination of leather in the interior of the BMW VISION NEXT 100.

The BMW Group will be heading off on a world tour, where the company will unveil its vision for the future of MINI, Rolls Royce and BMW Motorrad – all brands owned by the German automaker.

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While BMW’s carbon-fibre beam frame will look much like a conventional aluminium chassis, according to MCN the patents reveal that internally its construction is quite different.

The frames creation starts with eight lengths of ‘pultruded’ carbon-fibre. The pultruded parts are only partially cured, so they remain malleable enough to be formed around a buck where they’re added to pre-made metal or carbon-fibre parts including a headstock and a pair of cross braces – one below the swingarm pivot, the other forming a top mount for the rear shock. The four longer pultruded sections form the main frame rails while two shorter ones run from the headstock back to where the engine’s cylinder head will be, becoming front engine mounts.

MCN goes on to say that the Carbon fibre sheets are then added to both the outside and inside walls of the frame, hiding the square-section tubes and creating the sort of familiar beam-frame shape we’re used to seeing, before the whole lot is baked under pressure in an autoclave to completely cure the resin and give the chassis its finished strength.

BMW has invested a lot of time and money into advanced carbon fibre production and are actively looking for new areas to apply this technology. After the i series the company recently launched its new 7 series with a host of carbon fibre enhancements.

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The three day course titled Advanced Manufacturing Composites will run from August 12–14th and is co-hosted by the Delaware Valley Industrial Resource Centre. On the 12–13th Stefan Kercher, head of the Materials and Process Technology Laboratory at BMW Group Munich, will present a two-day course, “Composites at BMW”, while the final day is devoted to hands-on laboratory experiences for students.

The composites at BMW course will detail BMW’s project i program and the background behind it including the theoretical background of the materials used in composites at BMW, coupon-level testing and crash concepts and energy absorption of composite structures.

Topics to be covered on the third day include chemical and mechanical materials characterisation, thermoforming of thermoplastics and liquid moulding processing. The event is open to UD students and current members of CCM’s Industrial Consortium.

Founded in 1974, CCM conducts basic and applied research, educates scientists and engineers, and develops and transitions technology. Since 1985, CCM has been designated a centre of excellence through seven programs.

The centre has some 250 affiliated personnel, more than $12 million in annual expenditures, and over 2,000 alumni worldwide. More than 3,500 companies have benefited from affiliation with CCM over the past three decades.

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