Education program grants fund Iron Man

Donations from the National Fluid Power Association’s (NFPA) Education Committee and Foundation Board are not only preparing students for industrial futures; they could be producing a new generation of superheroes.

Students at the Automation Lab Project at Montana State University used NFPA funds to build three fluid-powered machines to give them a feel for hydraulics used in industrial settings.

While the pneumatic gripper with a position feedback control and the pick-and-place robot are interesting, it’s the third device that could eventually save the human race from alien invaders.

Dubbed the Iron Man, it is a servo arm that a person can wear to greatly increase that human’s strength.

Mechanical engineering professor Dr. Keith Fisher explains that the “student’s arm actuates the manual hydraulic servo valve that supplies the cylinder that lifts or lowers the arm extension – multiplying the user’s movement and arm strength. The arm is connected to a load-sense hydraulic power unit so that the flow rate can be easily changed, giving the students a feel for the effect of flow-rate change on a servo system’s response and stability. This lab setup was very popular and was effective in augmenting the understanding of servo hydraulics presented during lecture.”

Fisher does not have immediate plans to develop hydraulic-powered exoskeleton parts for legs, saying instead the lab plans to focus on tools that give students a hands-on feel for how machines work in industrial settings.

“As nice as it would be to develop a full hydraulic Iron Man suit for the students to play with, I doubt that money and time will allow for it.

The intent of the arm was to have a fun, hands-on application for the students to see how servo-hydraulics can be used to amplify force while providing precise motion control,” Fisher says.
 

Fluid power shipments rise in January

Fluid power products for January 2014 increased 9.8% compared to January 2013, and increased 25.6% compared to December 2013. Mobile hydraulic, industrial hydraulic, and pneumatic shipments increased in January 2014 when compared to January 2013. The association’s shipments index show that after peaking in summer 2012, fluid power shipments had fallen for much of 2013. But the trend lines improved starting last September, and each month has been progressively better.
 

NFPA events

May 21, 2014: NFPA Regional Meeting, Somerset Inn, Troy, Mich. Topics will include business updates from members and a presentation from Mackinac Center for Public Policy economist David Littmann.

Aug. 11-13, 2014: NFPA Industry and Economic Outlook Conference (IEOC), Westin North Shore, Wheeling, Ill. Topics will include the heavy truck forecast, construction machinery discussion, agricultural machinery talks, industrial market outlooks, and several economic trend reports.
 

About the NFPA

With more than 350 member companies, the NFPA provides a forum for the fluid power industry’s channel partners – manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, customers, and educators. Its U.S. and multinational members work cooperatively in advancing hydraulic and pneumatic technology through the association’s many programs and initiatives. www.nfpa.com