INTERVIEW WITH BAM

BAM combines precision manufacturing, special-purpose machinery and digital services under one roof. This is the ideal combination for solutions that set new standards. BAM was founded in 2011 in town of Weiden, Germany. They started out as a classic contract manufacturer with eight employees. Today, the company is a dynamic, distinctive digital company that wants to shape and change the manufacturing industry for the long term. BAM is driven by an irrepressible will to always break new ground and to master challenges innovatively and sustainably. We spoke with Marco Bauer, B.Sc., Founder & CEO, BAM GmbH, for more information.

Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?

Marco Bauer: Our business areas are precision manufacturing, special purpose machinery and digital services. In precision manufacturing, we have more than 40 state of the art machines for the machining and erosive production of components, for 3D printing processes and for sheet metal processing. In the field of special purpose machinery, we are experts for automation solutions as well as for mechanical and mechatronic assemblies. Our Digital Services are solutions for the digitalization of the manufacturing industry – with our on-demand manufacturing platform mipart.com and the online shop for customized sheet metal cuts stahlnachmass.com.

E.E: What’s the news for 2020 about new products?

M.B: We don’t manufacture standard products in our precision manufacturing division: Every part we produce is an individual component according to the customer’s need. Thanks to our lean processes, we are able to produce cost-effectively even from quantity 1.

In our special purpose machinery division, we are currently developing a digital, efficient and flexible logistics automation solution for medium-sized manufacturing companies. We have planned the product launch for 2021.

E.E: What are the ranges of traded products?

M.B: As already mentioned, we manufacture – from prototypes to series production – metal and plastic components in industrial quality and with the tightest tolerances, both in the B2B and B2C environment. We produce laser cuts and manufacture by machining, erosive, additive and forming for many different industries.

In our special purpose machinery department, we produce a wide range of individual products, from simple mechanical assemblies to CE-certified automation solutions – including training, maintenance and servicing on request. We analyze and advise, draw up detailed functional and performance specifications, implement and offer full service. Regardless of whether it is handling during loading and unloading of machine tools, marking products with barcodes or finishing processes. We come in when manual processes reach their limits, especially in the handling and quality assurance sector.

With our Digital Services, we actively shape the digital future of the manufacturing industry. With mipart, the AI-based on demand manufacturing platform for the individual production of components, the time of cumbersome e-mail enquiries and long procurement times is over. With just a few mouse clicks, customers can upload their 3D model in the online shop, have the price calculated in real time and order the configured product online immediately. With stahlnachmass.com, we offer private and commercial customers individual made-to-measure production of sheets, tubes and profiles made of steel, aluminum, stainless steel, bright steel or brass. All parts can be easily and conveniently configured online. As we offer online shop and precision manufacturing from one source with mipart.com and stahlnachmass.com, we can always guarantee speed and quality.

E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?

M.B: The Corona crisis changes a lot of things, of course. At present, the demand behaviour of customers is changing, with different goods being demanded than before the crisis. All in all, I expect a deglobalization of the market.

E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?

M.B: Also, as a consequence of the corona situation, digitization will continue to increase because many people are currently learning that digital solutions work and are helpful. Furthermore, the possibilities of additive manufacturing will continue to grow.

E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?

M.B: Obviously the on-demand manufacturing platform mipart.com, which combines the infrastructure and know-how of BAM GmbH with a revolutionary simple and fast online ordering process. With mipart, we have made the path to individually manufactured metal or plastic components more convenient than ever before and set the next milestone in the digital revolution in the manufacturing sector. In doing so, we are a decisive step ahead of the competition: We are not a shop that accepts component enquiries and distributes them in the background to a large number of manufacturing companies. We manufacture all components ourselves. And that’s not the whole story: We think the entire manufacturing process digitally. From order processing and machine planning to shipping, we optimize interfaces and automate work steps. For the development of AI-based software solutions, we founded up2parts GmbH in 2019 as a sister company to BAM.

E.E: What estimations do you have for 2020?

M.B: Given the current corona pandemic, forecasts or estimates for 2020 are extremely difficult. We have decided to make the best of the situation. At the end of the day, however, almost all companies will be primarily concerned with damage limitation.