Click here for Educator Member benefits and how to join
The following schools and universities are members of NFPA:
Brigham Young University - Idaho Rexburge, ID - The Mechanical Engineering Department at BYU - Idaho is developing an elective course in Fluid Power to be offered once per year beginning Fall semester 2007. The course will utilize the text by Anthony Esposito titled "Fluid Power with Applications." Two thirds of the course will teach hydraulics and one third will teach pneumatics. Member since .
Centennial College Toronto, ON - Centennial College--located in the Toronto area--is Ontario's first community college, established in 1966. The school offers 95 diploma and certificate programs. The School of Transportation focuses on the motive power trades and offers fluid power courses in those diploma programs. Approximately, 150-200 students per year attend these courses. Member since .
Center for Compact & Efficient Fluid Power (CCEFP) Minneapolis, MN - The Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power (CCEFP) is a network of researchers, educators, students and industry working together to transform the fluid power industry – how it is researched, applied and studied. Center research is creating hydraulic and pneumatic technology that is compact, efficient, and effective. The CCEFP education and outreach program is designed to transfer this knowledge to diverse audiences – students of all ages, users of fluid power and the general public. The CCEFP is a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center, established in June 2006 with the help of the National Fluid Power Association and its members. In addition to its grant from NSF, the Center is supported by its seven participating universities and 59 industrial partners. Member since .
Central Community College Columbus, NE - Central Community College's (CCC) industrial technology program provides the fundamental knowledge necessary to install, maintain and repair the latest equipment in a variety of manufacturing and industrial facilities. This program provides a combination of technical as well as scientific knowledge needed to work in industrial processing and maintenance. The study of motion control through fluid power is emphasized through training in pneumatics, hydraulic and our Mechatronics program. Member since .
Cerritos College Norwalk, CA - Cerritos College is a public, comprehensive community college serving southeastern Los Angeles County. They have an extensive list of Advanced Manufacturing courses and more than 1200 students complete courses annually. 60% of these students are minorities. They are also initiating a Project Lead the Way course with local high school students and have a Pathways department to promote high school students to enroll in technical-related programs. Member since .
Chattanooga State Community College Chattanooga, TN - Chattanooga State Community College was founded in 1965 and is focused on supplying the technical workforce of the region, particularly in engineering technology and computer science. The College now boasts the largest postsecondary enrollment in the Tri-State area and the largest training facilities in East Tennessee. Through their Technology Center’s Industrial Maintenance Program, a new course focusing on fluid power will be developed. The course curriculum will be developed with the National Center for Construction Education and Research. Member since .
Clemson University-ME Department Clemson, SC - Clemson University, based in Clemson, SC, is ranked as the 25th best public university and is one of the country's top-tier research universities. At Clemson University, the Department of Mechanical Engineering offers a number of courses relevant to motion control through fluid power. These courses combine classroom lectures and hands-on laboratory activities. Member since .
Cleveland Community College Shelby, NC - Cleveland Community College is a two-year institution located between Charlotte and Asheville, North Carolina. Programs in motion control and fluid power are provided by the Vocational/Engineering Department. Cleveland Community College is also developing advanced online training aides in support of distance learning for industrial training and retraining. These online training aides will allow actual real-world online experimentation in the field of fluid power. Member since .
Durham College Whitby, ON - Durham College offers more than 100 different full-time programs focused on employer demand and developed in conjunction with advisory committees that include business and industry experts who bring a real-life perspective to the academic experience. Their Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship program offers an array of Manufacturing Technician courses including 4 levels of hydraulics training. Several other basic pneumatic and hydraulic courses are offered in Industrial Maintenance programs. Member since .
Fördervereinigung Fluidtechnik e.V., Aachen D-52074 Aachen, - The aim and task of this association is the support of the scientific research and development in the field of hydraulic and pneumatic transmission and control. Member since .
Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, GA - Georgia Institute of Technology (GA TECH) is a university with approximately 14,000 students, about 60% in engineering. The faculty and graduate students at GA TECH are heavily engaged in research, sponsored by industry & government. The School of Mechanical Engineering is particularly committed to education and research in fluid power. Research in this department includes modeling and advanced techniques for motion control. Member since .
Hennepin Technical College Brooklyn Park, MN - . Hennepin Technical College with campuses in Brooklyn Park and Eden Prairie, Minnesota is strategically positioned to meet the economic and workforce development needs of business and industry throughout Minnesota. Curriculum is industry validated and delivered in an environment that emulates the work setting. The HTC Fluid Power Engineering Technology program offers nine separate awards ranging from maintenance certificates to AAS degrees. Member since .
Hennepin Technical College Eden Prairie, MN - . Hennepin Technical College with campuses in Brooklyn Park and Eden Prairie, Minnesota is strategically positioned to meet the economic and workforce development needs of business and industry throughout Minnesota. Curriculum is industry validated and delivered in an environment that emulates the work setting. The HTC Fluid Power Engineering Technology program offers nine separate awards ranging from maintenance certificates to AAS degrees. Member since .
Houston Community College Houston, TX - Houston Community College Northeast Energy Institute (HCC-NEEI) provides training options for students to enter the energy sector and advancement opportunities for those already employed in related industries. HCC-NEEI also provides career and technical education related to planning and managing, scientific research and technical services for energy, manufacturing, medical processing, chemical, and related industries. HCC-NEEI has actively established dual credit outreach STEM programs to feeder schools within the surrounding community. Member since .
Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago, IL - Illinois Institute of Technology offers accredited undergraduate and graduate degrees in Fluid Mechanics and also in Controls. Member since .
Iowa State University Ames, IA - Iowa State University offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Systems Technology, Industrial Technology, and Mechanical Engineering all with fluid power courses. Iowa State University has research programs in application, control, modeling, simulation of fluid power and mechatronics for advanced machinery systems. Member since .
Kirkwood Community College Cedar Rapids, IA - Kirkwood Community College based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, provides education to nearly 25,000 students in college credit classes another 41,000 people in continuing education and training programs. Kirkwood’s Automation and Instrumentation Technologies program prepares students for a broad range of careers in industrial automation and process control. These programs feature industry-guided curriculum and hands-on labs. Member since .
Lawrence Technological University Southfield, MI - Lawrence Technological University is a private university founded in 1932. Four degree programs offer courses that include curriculum relevant to control through fluid power. Lawrence Technological University and its College of Engineering and also engaged in a number of outreach activities that focus awareness on STEM education and career opportunities. Member since .
Lower Columbia College Longview, WA - Lower Columbia College provides training for both mobile and industrial hydraulic technicians. Member since .
Marquette University Milwaukee, WI - Marquette University's Engineering Department has been training engineers for over 100 years. the college offers Biomedical, Civil, Computer, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering degrees. It also offers Construction Management and Engineering. Their Mechanical and Biomedical engineering programs offer Fluids and Advanced Fluids as part of the curricular offerings. Member since .
Massachusetts Institute of Technology--MIT Cambridge, MA - The MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering programs prepare students for a professional practice in an era of advancing technology. They combine engineering sciences with project-based lab and design experiences. The Department offers eight graduates degrees, one of which is a Master of Engineering in Manufacturing. This department teaches machine design and thermo-fluids that benefit from the application of fluid power technologies. A flagship course is 2.007-Design and Manufacturing. Member since .
Milwaukee School of Engineering Milwaukee, WI - MSOE offers undergraduate and graduate courses in fluid power and electrohydraulic motion control technology. MSOE also offers short courses, seminars and certificate programs in fluid power and electrohydraulic motion control technology. In addition, the Fluid Power Institute conducts contract research, product design and development, and testing of hydraulic and pneumatic components and systems. FPI's main research laboratory contains 400 and 600 hp hydraulic power supplies and a variety of other equipment and instrumentation for conducting performance, endurance and pressure fatigue tests on virtually any fluid power component. Member since .
Montana State University Bozeman, MT - Montana State University is further developing its fluid power curriculum beginning with Introduction to Fluid Power Technology (with lab), to follow with Fluid Power Controls and Advanced Fluid Power Design as well as continuing education courses in Troubleshooting and Maintenance of Hydraulic and Pneumatic Systems. Member since .
Montana State University-Northern Havre, MT - Montana State University is further developing its fluid power curriculum beginning with Introduction to Fluid Power Technology (with lab), to follow with Fluid Power Controls and Advanced Fluid Power Design as well as continuing education courses in Troubleshooting and Maintenance of Hydraulic and Pneumatic Systems. Member since .
North Carolina A&T State University Greensboro, NC - North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is a public, doctoral/research intensive, land grant university with approximately 11,000 students. The department of Industrial and Systems Engineering is actively involved in education and research in human factors in fluid power systems. Member since .
Oklahoma State University Stillwater, OK - Oklahoma State University offers a four-year Bachelor of Science in Technolog y Program. Member since .
Purdue University West Lafayette, IN - The School of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University conducts research concerning the control and online diagnostics of electrohydraulic systems. Current research thrust includes self-adapting controllers for electrohydraulics, online diagnostics and remaining life estimations of electrohydraulic systems, self-healing electrohydraulic systems and intelligent electrohydraulic systems via information technologies. Member since .
Purdue University School of Technology West Lafayette, IN - The School of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University conducts research concerning the control and online diagnostics of electrohydraulic systems. Current research thrust includes self-adapting controllers for electrohydraulics, online diagnostics and remaining life estimations of electrohydraulic systems, self-healing electrohydraulic systems and intelligent electrohydraulic systems via information technologies. Member since .
Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, NY - Rochester Institute of Technology is a major technical university located in Rochester, NY. RIT offers an extensive program of Manufacturing Engineering Technology that also includes Packaging Science. As part of these programs a broad range of fluid power courses are offered. RIT is known for its cooperative education program that began in 1912 and is the hallmark of an RIT education. Member since .
Southeast Community College Milford, NE - The Southeast Community College Manufacturing Engineering Technology program educates and prepares students to take on today’s engineering and manufacturing challenges. Students are trained to become part of an engineering team. The school offers a focus area that includes training for careers in the fluid power industry. Member since .
Texas A&M University College Station, TX - The Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University conducts research and offers undergraduate courses in fluid power. Current research projects focus primarily on sensors, control, monitoring and diagnostics of electrohydraulic and electropneumatic systems. Member since .
Texas State Technical College Waco, TX - TSTC's Industrial Maintenance & Engineering Technology offers an A.A.S. in Industrial Maintenance, an A.A.S. in Facilities Engineering Management, a Certificate as an Industrial Maintenance Mechanic, along with other certificates. The curriculum for the Certificate includes studies of pumps, compressors, mechanical drives, refrigeration principles, basic electrical theory, motor controls, basic hydraulics and more for total credits of 41. The A.A.S. degrees build on the certificate curriculum with the addition of Programmable Logic Controllers, Troubleshooting, Reliability and Maintainability, Pneumatics and more for a total of 71 credits. Member since .
UFSC/LASHIP - Laboratory of Hydraulic and Pneumatic Systems Florianopolis, Sc, - The Laboratory of Hydraulic and Pneumatic Systems (LASHIP) at UFSC offers undergraduate and graduate courses and technological research on hydraulics and pneumatics. The activities include: Integration with PLC and PC; Control theory applied to fluid power; Artificial Intelligence of Fluid Power Design; Computerized standard test and test bench development. Member since .
University of Bath Bath, - Department of Mechanical Engineering, Centre for Power Transmission and Motion Control. Member since .
University of Dayton Dayton, OH - The University of Dayton's Department of Engineering Technology maintains over 10,000 square feet of laboratory facilities including labs dedicated to automation and controls, computer integrated manufacturing, design and fabrication, electronic design, fluid power, industrial process and design, manufacturing processes and microprocessors. Member since .
University of Illinois at Chicago, Mechatronics Lab Chicago, IL - The University of Illinois at Chicago offers mechatronics in mechanical, industrial and electrical engineering curriculums. Member since .
University of Illinois, Urbana - Champaign Urbana, IL - The University of Illinois Departments of Agricultural and Mechanical Engineering conduct research and teach classes in fluid power. Current research projects focus primarily on control of electrohydraulic systems. Member since .
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Urbana, IL - The University of Illinois Departments of Agricultural and Mechanical Engineering conduct research and teach classes in fluid power. Current research projects focus primarily on control of electrohydraulic systems. Member since .
University of Minnesota Minneapolis, MN - The University of Minnesota Department of Mechanical Engineering conducts research and teaches fluid power. Current research focuses on modeling, control and teleoperation of electrohydraulic systems. Member since .
University of Missouri - Columbia Columbia, MO - The University of Missouri - Columbia offers BS, MS, and PhD degrees in the field of engineering. The Fluid Power Research Consortium performs provided advanced analysis and experimentation for Fluid Power applications. Member since .
University of Nebraska at Kearny Kearny, NE - University of Nebraska at Kearney has a 4-year degree program in Industrial Distribution with a focus and orientation on technical sales. Part of the technical training includes course and laboratory activities in Fluid Power. Member since .
University of Northern Iowa Waterloo, IA - This research organization uses vegetable oils to develop industrial lubricants (oils and greases). Member since .
University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA - The University of Pittsburgh, founded in 1787, is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in the U.S. Their fluid power curriculum includes these undergraduate courses: Mechanical Measurements II (MEMS 1042), and Mechatronics (MEMS 1049). Member since .
University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, SK - The University of Saskatchewan is located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, home of the Canadian Light Source. The Fluid Power Research group has a history of research in the area of fluid power and has courses at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Over 100 graduate students have graduated from the Fluid Power Group at the M.Sc and PhD levels. Member since .
University of Waterloo Waterloo, ON - The University of Waterloo's Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering has been involved in several research areas concerned with fluid power. Development of smart pneumatic valves, improvement of hydraulics systems used in forestry and development of hydraulic-based active suspension systems are some examples. Member since .
University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WI - The Fluid Power Research Laboratory is dedicated to investigating, designing, and developing components and systems utilizing fluid power. Member since .
Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN - Vanderbilt University conducts research and development in control of compressible fluid powered systems and novel high energy density power sources. Member since .
Wauwatosa School District Wauwatosa, WI - Wauwatosa School District is a K-12 program which promotes Project Lead The Way and Gateway to Technology classes in all of its middle and high schools. It also has a district wide PLTW Club which provides out-of-school STEM projects for the students. Member since .
Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI - Western Michigan University is one of the four Carnegie Research Extensive universities in Michigan with a student body of over 25,000. The College of Engineering and Applied Sciences of WMU has 2,100 students and is located in a 323,000-square-foot campus in a Business Technology and Research Park in Kalamazoo, MI. To advance education and research in fluid power and motion control, in collaboration with Parker Hannifin Corporation, WMU developed a new Motion and Control Laboratory in 2003. Beyond classes, this laboratory is also used by students for research and senior design projects. Most recent student projects in this lab include, control of inertial hydraulic load, online pneumatic system control, hydraulic bicycle, NSF REU projects, and several other innovative hydraulic application developments. Member since .
Youngstown State University Youngstown, OH - The College of Engineering & Technology at Youngstown State University has two independent programs that offer courses related to hydraulics and fluid power. They are the Mechanical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering Technology Programs. The college recently established the Center for Excellence in Hydraulics Research and Education. Research on hydraulics focuses on modeling, control, and micro systems. Dr. Shawn Kim serves as the Director of the Center. Member since .
NFPA schools and universities with significant research and/or teaching interests in fluid power may apply for membership.
The annual membership fee for educators is $50.
Application form (e-mail your completed form to Leslie Miller)
"With these memberships, our goal is to strengthen ties with the institutions that educate the young people we hope to recruit to the fluid power industry," said Gregory Willard of Quality Control Corporation, and Past Chairman of NFPA's Education Committee. "We also want to encourage university/industry partnerships that will foster research initiatives."
