Since it was formed in 1953, the National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) has worked to foster cooperation among users and manufacturers by developing recommended standards and practices.
Standards benefit the fluid power industry as a whole. Standards benefit users because they:
- Simplify the use of fluid power
- Help educate users on how to correctly size and apply products
- Determine product performance and how it is measured, allowing comparison
- Communicate needs in a commonly understood language
- Are written with input from users
Standards benefit manufacturers because they:
- Provide uniform methods for testing products and advertising their ratings
- Help to assure system integrity and safety in the application of fluid power
- Help to improve efficiency of fluid power products and systems
- Simplify the variety of products and sizes in the marketplace
- Encourage new product development
- Help avoid confusion in communicating with customers