NFPA has been producing a series of Technology Roadmaps for the Fluid Power Industry since 2009. These documents – describing technology strategies being deployed in fluid power’s end markets and ways for fluid power to increase its inclusion in those strategies – have been heavily weighted towards the mobile side of the fluid power industry. As a result, we are now developing a new Technology Roadmap focused exclusively on industrial applications of fluid power.
A project plan is now in place, which is engaging the NFPA Industrial Technology Task Force in the development and publication of this new Roadmap. All NFPA members – suppliers, manufacturers, controls and data companies, and distributors – with interest and exposure to the industrial side of the fluid power industry are welcome and encouraged to appoint a representative to this Task Force. Ideally, it should be an engineer or other technical professional who understands the needs of your company’s customers and the ways in which your products help meet those needs. To volunteer for this effort, refer a colleague, or learn more, please contact me at elanke@nfpa.com.
The Task Force first met on March 14, 2025, to confirm the market drivers and technology strategies most prevalent in fluid power’s largest industrial markets. A copy of that report can be found here.
The Task Force next met on June 9, 2025, to review the results of two recent surveys conducted by NFPA to determine fluid power’s current ability to meet the customer needs described by the technology strategies and to assess the usefulness of certain Capability Improvements in helping fluid power meet them. One survey asked about hydraulic capabilities; the other about pneumatic capabilities. Together, the surveys received responses from 119 individuals across the fluid power supply chain, including a large percentage from the NFPA Industrial Technology Task Force.
After discussing and synthesizing the survey feedback, the Task Force identified the following fluid power capability improvements for use in the new NFPA Industrial Technology Roadmap:
Capability Improvements. In order to better meet the needs of our industrial customers, fluid power should seek to:
A full report of the survey results, which shows the detailed rankings and scores for these capability improvements for each of the technology strategies, both for hydraulics applications and for pneumatic applications, is included the Task Force’s official report on its meeting, which can be downloaded here. The results can provide excellent guidance to companies that sell into these industrial markets in helping them determine marketing and development objectives for their fluid power products.
NFPA is also planning a presentation and panel discussion on many of these technology trends, to be held at the August 11-13, 2025 NFPA Industry and Economic Outlook Conference in Oak Brook, IL. Click here to register for that event.
The NFPA Industrial Technology Roadmap will be a document that describes an industry-wide consensus regarding the pre-competitive research and development needs associated with improving the design, manufacture, and function of fluid power components and systems for industrial, or in-plant, applications. The identification of these capability improvements is the second step in the process that will produce this document. Next up will be identifying the areas of pre-competitive research that should be pursued in order to help bring these capability improvements about. Another survey on this topic will be launching soon, and the Task Force will be meeting in early September 2025 to discuss its results.