TUM Boring: Munich team crawls its way to victory in the tunnel competition!

TUM Boring: Munich team crawls its way to victory in the tunnel competition!

The TUM Boring team from the Technical University of Munich achieved remarkable success at the international “Not-a-Boring Competition” in the USA. On April 7, 2025, it was announced that the team had won the competition for the third consecutive year. The competition took place in Bastrop, Texas over a seven-day period and TUM Boring set a new record with a drilling length of 22.5 meters. This achievement is particularly impressive as a total of seven international teams competed to reach the 30 meter mark.

To take part in the challenge, the team first had to select a suitable location for the drilling and dig the starting shaft themselves. The construction and anchoring of their innovative drilling rig was completed by the third day. The team also underwent critical reviews by the Boring Company, the competition organizer, and ensured successful participation through careful optimization.

The path to record performance

The crucial tests took place on Day 5, when the team made final adjustments to all systems. The first drill test was conducted on Day 6, laying the foundation for the eventual record. This competition is part of a large-scale initiative inspired by Elon Musk and his Boring Company, founded in 2016, aimed at solving traffic problems through advanced tunneling techniques. TUM Boring has established itself as one of the most important players in this area and is among the top 3% of participants among over 400 teams worldwide.

The team members, consisting of over 60 students, have increased enormously since July 2020. 20-year-old computer science student Haokun Zheng, a dedicated member of the team, highlighted the commitment and dedication of his colleagues, who worked over 60 to 80 hours a week to achieve their goals. Their efforts were also impacted by the challenges during the pandemic, which left the team facing difficulties in securing funding and sponsors.

Innovative tunnel technologies

TUM Boring has designed, manufactured and assembled a 12 meter long, 22 tonne tunnel boring machine capable of bringing speed, automation and sustainability to the fore. When developing their solutions, the team used Fusion 360, software that is accessible to students and particularly suitable for cloud-based collaboration. This form of collaboration was crucial during the pandemic as it allowed the team to continuously work on their project despite the restrictions imposed by social distancing measures.

The competition, in which TUM Boring triumphed, is not only a platform for the latest technological developments, but also offers participants practical experiences and improved teamwork that build on academic training and prepare them for future careers.

In summary, TUM Boring's third victory in the “Not-a-Boring Competition” demonstrates the innovative strength and commitment of a new generation of engineers. Looking to the future, the team continues to strive to achieve similar things and make a significant contribution to modern tunnel technology. For further information on the background and developments of the competition, those interested can contact the message from TUM and the detailed article by Autodesk read.