NFPA Team completes fluid power technology roadmap.
Press Release Summary:
Representatives from 19 member companies worked with NFPA and National Center for Manufacturing Sciences to complete Technology Roadmap for the Fluid Power Industry. Key R/D challenges include increasing energy efficiency, improving reliability, and reducing size of fluid power components and systems; building smart fluid power components and systems; reducing environmental impact; and improving energy storage, recovery, and redeployment capabilities of fluid power components and systems.
Original Press Release:
NFPA Roadmapping Team Completes Fluid Power Technology Roadmap
Research objectives, technology advances identified
Milwaukee, WI - August 5, 2009 - Representatives from 19 National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) member companies worked with the NFPA and the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) to complete the Technology Roadmap for the Fluid Power Industry.
Their work is part of an initiative being led by NFPA to develop a technology roadmap-an action plan of research objectives and the specific strategies to achieve them-to bring about industry-elevating technology advancements for hydraulics and pneumatics.
These advancements will help the industry:
o Meet the future needs of fluid power customers;
o Expand fluid power into new customer markets; and
o Attract the best and brightest young engineers to fluid power.
The group met initially in March 2009, where they identified key research and development challenges facing the fluid power industry. At their second meeting in May, specific research objectives and envisioned technology advancements were identified; each designed to address those challenges.
The six key R&D challenges identified are:
o Increasing the energy efficiency of fluid power components and systems.
o Improving the reliability of fluid power components and systems (e.g., increasing up-time, eliminating leaks, reducing maintenance requirements, making fluid power safe and easy to use).
o Reducing the size of fluid power components and systems while maintaining or increasing their power output.
o Building "smart" fluid power components and systems (i.e., ones that perform self diagnostics/prognostics and troubleshooting; integrate easily with "plug and play" functionality).
o Reducing the environmental impact of fluid power components and systems (e.g., lowering noise, eliminating leaks).
o Improving and applying the energy storage, recovery and redeployment capabilities of fluid power components and systems.
The Roadmap provides companies, universities, governments, and other research providers and funders with an industry-wide consensus regarding the research and development needs of the fluid power industry. Organizations that wish to pursue projects of importance to the fluid power industry should therefore consider seeking alignment with the Roadmap's identified challenges.
NFPA will also use the Roadmap to specifically guide the research agendas of the Engineering Research Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power (CCEFP) and the NFPA Education and Technology Foundation, and to guide future standardization work.
The complete Roadmap is available only to Official Company Representatives of NFPA member manufacturers, distributors and product suppliers. If you would like to learn more about the Roadmap, please contact NFPA executive director, Eric Lanke, at 414-778-3351 or elanke@nfpa.com.
The Roadmapping Team included representatives from Bimba Manufacturing, Bosch Rexroth, Caterpillar, Deltrol Fluid Products, Eaton Corporation, Enfield Technologies, Festo Corporation, Gates Corporation, HUSCO International, Lynch Fluid Controls, Moog, Pall Aeropower, Parker Hannifin, Poclain Hydraulics, Quality Control Corporation, ROSS Controls, Sauer-Danfoss, Schmalz, and Sun Hydraulics. The Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power was also represented.
NFPA provides a forum for the fluid power industry's channel partners-manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, customers and educators. Its 340+ U.S. and multinational members work cooperatively in advancing hydraulic and pneumatic technology through the association's many programs and initiatives.
