Every two years, AEM works in partnership with the National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) to complete a technology roadmapping effort designed, in part, to identify the technology needs of companies in markets represented by AEM members and serviced by NFPA members.
The project, the NFPA Technology Roadmap, lays out a research and development (R&D) agenda for fluid power technology so it can continue to meet, or better meet, market needs. Any AEM member that works with fluid power would benefit from participating in this effort is welcome to join the volunteer committee that will review market data and complete the project in the first half of 2023.
The 2021 NFPA Technology Roadmap: Improving the Design, Manufacture and Function of Fluid Power Components and Systems, the previous roadmapping document completed by an interassociation committee comprised of AEM and NFPA members, remains available for download. It identifies seven broad capability improvements for the fluid power industry to work toward better serving and expanding its customer markets. They are:
- Improve fluid power control systems (including through electrification)
- Monitor, gather and use data generated from working fluid power products to add value
- Improve fluid power’s reliability and durability
- Increase fluid power’s energy efficiency
- Increase fluid power’s power density
- Reduce the environmental impact of fluid power components and systems
- Reduce lead time for fluid power components and their control elements
For each of these capability improvements, the Roadmap also identifies a set of research targets that quantify or otherwise describe successful strategies for pursuing advancements in these areas.
Any AEM member with interest in participating in the 2023 roadmapping project should contact NFPA’s Eric Lanke at elanke@nfpa.com or AEM’s Sara Feuling at sfeuling@aem.org.
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