International Bachelor Program in Mechanical Engineering

6
Carl Benz - Passion for Engineering
Tradition in Engineering
"The things I have aspired
to and created all have
roots which lead back to
this institution."
- Carl Benz, looking
back on his studies
in Karlsrhe
Fig. 3: Carl Benz - Pioneer in Mechanical
Engineering
Technology Expertise
Mechanical Engineering
Benz’ Education
Carl Benz was born in 1844 in Karlsruhe,
Baden, Germany. Despite the limited means of
his family, his mother insisted upon providing
him with a good technical education. Being
a diligent student, Benz passed the entrance
exam to study mechanical engineering at the
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, formerly
University of Karlsruhe, formerly Polytechnic
College. At the tender age of fifteen he came
under the instruction of Ferdinand Redtenbacher
and graduated on 9 July 1864, with a
degree in Mechanical Engineering. During his
years at the university he had already started
to envision concepts for a vehicle that would
eventually become the horseless carriage.
Benz and his first Inventions
In 1871, at the age of 27, Carl Benz joined
a mechanical workshop in Mannheim. Early
business misfortunes did not prevent Carl
Benz from developing new types of engines
and from patenting key engine components.
These patents, among them the patent for the
first internal combustion engine (granted in
1879), soon led to substantial revenue increases
and helped to subsidize the workshop
business. Carl Benz’ true genius became obvious
thanks to his successive inventions, registered
whilst designing what would become
the production standard for his two-stroke
engine. During this time he patented the
speed regulation system, the ignition using
sparks with a battery, the spark plug, the
carburetor, the clutch, the gear shift, and the
water radiator.
Benz and the Motorwagen
In 1887, after years of testing and modifications,
Benz created the first definitive commercial
vehicle, the Model 3, an automobile
with a four-stroke engine of his own design
between the rear wheels. It was gasoline
powered, the power being transmitted by
means of two roller chains to the rear axle
with wooden wheels. This became the first
Fig. 4: Classic Mercedes-Benz
production automobile. The model 3 was
introduced at the 1889 World’s Fair in Paris
with the result that it was rapidly promoted
on a wider international scale.
Expansion
In 1896, Carl Benz was granted a patent
for his design of the first boxer engine with
horizontally opposed pistons. His design created
an engine in which the corresponding
pistons reach top dead centre simultaneously,
thus balancing each other with respect to
momentum. Flat engines with four or fewer
cylinders are most commonly boxer engines.
This continues to be the design principle for
high performance racing car engines such as
those used by Porsche. The great demand for
internal combustion engines increased the size
of, and indeed, completely transformed the
Benz & Cie. automobile company. By 1899
it had become the largest of its kind in the
world, increasing employment from 50 (1890)
to 430 (1899) workers and producing 572
automobiles per year.
Simultaneous Developments
While Benz was designing his boxer engine,
Gottlieb Daimler and his lifelong partner Wilhelm
Maybach, two gifted inventors in Stuttgart,
were dreaming of creating small, high
speed engines to be mounted in any kind of
self-propelled vehicle. In 1885 they patented a
precursor of the modern petrol engine, which
they subsequently fitted to a two-wheeler
considered to be the first motorcycle and, in
the next year, to a stagecoach and a boat.
Later, in 1890, they founded Daimler Motors
(DMG). The first automobile originating from
their design was sold in 1892. Although Gottlieb
Daimler died in 1900 — and there is no
evidence that Carl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler
knew each other, nor that they knew about
each other‘s early achievements — eventually,
competition with Daimler Motors (DMG) in
Stuttgart began to challenge the leadership of
Benz & Cie. in Mannheim.
After World War I, the years of depression
led to an economic crisis and it became
desirable for both companies to pool their
resources. In 1926, Benz & Cie. and the
Daimler-Motor-Company merged to become
the Daimler-Benz company, later to be renamed
as Daimler-Benz, which is now part of
the Daimler AG. After the merger in 1926, all
new automobiles were called Mercedes-Benz
in honor of the most important model of the
DMG automobiles, the Mercedes 35hp.