NFPA Launches Technology Roadmap Initiative for Fluid Power Industry

Dec. 10, 2008 - PRLog -- The National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) has helped create several mechanisms for shaping the technological advancement of the fluid power industry, not the least of which is the Engineering Research Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power. To better align these mechanisms around potential breakthrough technologies of the future, NFPA is embarking on a new initiative to:

1.  Identify industry-elevating technology advancements in hydraulics and pneumatics that will:
         A.  Meet the future needs of fluid power customers;
         B.  Expand fluid power into new customer markets; and
         C.  Attract the best and brightest young engineers to fluid power.

2.  Determine an action plan of research investments, capability developments, and skills acquisitions needed to achieve those advancements.

When completed, this “technology roadmap” will be used to guide the research agendas of the Engineering Research Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power and the NFPA Education and Technology Foundation. In addition to accelerating innovation in our industry, NFPA hopes to deepen fluid power’s attraction as an energy-saving and environmentally-friendly technology of choice for young engineers.

The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) will help NFPA facilitate the roadmapping process. The NCMS is a leader in developing collaborative partnerships to promote research & development and the advancement of manufacturing. They have worked successfully with companies and trade associations alike to develop technology roadmaps in a variety of industries. Their tested roadmapping process is designed to help industries:

•  Define key market segments and identify a prioritized list of customer drivers (the needs and applications most important to customers).
•  Link those customer/application drivers to a set of specific technologies, skills, and capabilities needed to meet them.
•  Develop an action plan for the industry to research, develop, or acquire the needed technologies, skills, and capabilities.

NFPA has assembled a Roadmapping Team of consisting of a cross section of NFPA members including:

•  Bimba Manufacturing
•  Bosch Rexroth
•  Caterpillar
•  Deltrol Fluid Products
•  Donaldson Company
•  Eaton Corporation
•  Enfield Technologies
•  Festo Corporation
•  Gates Corporation
•  HUSCO International
•  Lynch Fluid Controls
•  Moog
•  NORGREN
•  Pall Aeropower
•  Parker Hannifin
•  Poclain Hydraulics
•  Quality Control Corporation
•  ROSS Controls
•  Sauer-Danfoss
•  Sun Hydraulics
 
The role of the Roadmapping Team will be to develop the technology roadmap in a series of meetings facilitated by the NCMS over the first and second quarters of 2009. Individual team members were identified as people with the following characteristics:

•  Knowledge of their specific industry segment marketplace
•  Knowledge of the current product technology
•  Knowledge of future industry trends
•  Knowledge of the perceived needs for future product technologies
•  Knowledge of the perceived needs for future technologies in fluid power’s key customer markets
•  Responsibility for short and long range planning within their company
•  A broad vision beyond their day-to-day activities and their own company viewpoint
•  Ability to interact well with others and act in the interests of the industry as a whole
 
Watch for future updates on this exciting project. For more information regarding the technology roadmap initiative, please contact Eric Lanke at (414) 778-3351 or elanke@nfpa.com.

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The National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) is a forum where all fluid power channel partners—manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, customers and educators— work together to advance fluid power technology, strengthen the industry, and foster their success. Visit www.nfpa.com.