Bernd Gombert, a graduate of the Giessen Friedberg University of Applied Sciences, has been awarded the Rudolf Diesel Medal in Gold. The graduate engineer, who completed his studies in precision engineering in Giessen in 1985, received the prestigious award for his developments in the fields of mechatronics and robotics.
The Rudolf Diesel Medal is awarded by the German Institute for Invention to individuals who have successfully translated innovative scientific or technical achievements into commercial applications. Alongside Gombert Prof. Dr. Theodor Hänsch, Nobel Laureate in Physics in 2005, was also honored in the Hall of Honor at the Deutsches Museum in Munich. The Diesel Medal has been awarded every two to three years since 1952. Previous recipients include Claudius Dornier, Wernher von Braun, and Felix Wankel. The award is not endowed.
After completing an apprenticeship as a precision mechanic, Bernd Gombert studied mechanical engineering with a focus on precision engineering in Giessen from 1982 to 1985. Today, the Marburg native, whom the laudatory speech calls "an equally creative engineer and driven entrepreneur," holds approximately 150 patents. He developed, for example, the gripper hand of the first space robot for the D2 mission. From the very beginning, the 46-year-old says, he has been interested in bringing inventions to market. He proved his ability to do so at a young age by founding several successful companies.
To develop the electronic wedge brake, he founded the company eStop in 2000. For a long time, no one was interested in the innovation until Siemens VDO acquired the company in 2005. Under the corporate umbrella, Gombert now heads the development of his invention for market launch, alongside the Chassis and Safety division.
The basic idea behind the electronic wedge brake is simple. It works like the brake on a horse-drawn carriage, where a wedge slows the wheel. The braking force is amplified solely through its geometry and the wheel's rotation, without requiring any additional energy. The wedge is guided to the brake disc by a sensor, which, through its rotation, pulls it between the disc and the caliper. An electronically controlled electric motor modulates the braking force. The wedge brake could soon replace the conventional hydraulic brake, as it requires less energy, no brake fluid, reduces the braking distance, and is more cost-effective.
The Giessen -Friedberg University of Applied Sciences has not forgotten Bernd Gombert. For the award ceremony, they invited Prof. Dr. Jörg Willhelm to Munich. Professor Willhelm had supervised him as a diploma student more than 20 years ago and, according to Gombert, taught him to understand things from the fundamental principles, moving beyond traditional textbook thinking.
Even during his studies, the future prize winner was not content with simply submitting theoretical findings. He was able to sell the results of his diploma thesis on the development of an optoelectronic alignment line testing device to a Wetzlar-based company in the optical industry for 2500 DM.