Support from the NFPA Education and Technology Foundation is helping break down barriers to fluid power education. Through a grant to the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE), designs for a low-cost pneumatic lab platform, along with supporting materials, is now available on the Fluid Power Curriculum page of the NFPA website for use by colleges and universities nationwide.
Developed with affordability and accessibility in mind, the platform includes a complete Bill of Materials, three hands-on lab activities, instructional videos, electrical diagrams, and instructions for CAD and 3D printing. The labs focus on key concepts such as pneumatic cylinder position control and pneumatic motor speed control, offering students practical experience in both fluid power and controls.
Funding from the NFPA Foundation also enabled undergraduate student researchers to participate in the project, giving them valuable experience with real-world fluid power applications. Insights from this work can be incorporated into MSOE’s engineering curriculum, helping ensure that course content stays relevant, engaging, and aligned with industry needs.
By making these materials available as a scalable, cost-effective package, the NFPA Education and Technology Foundation is helping other institutions deliver high-quality, hands-on pneumatic education—even with limited resources.
To learn more about giving opportunities through the NFPA Foundation, please visit the NFPA website.