The event exclusively dedicated to fluid power technology will be held at Cleveland State University’s Wolstein Center November 19 and 20, with a pre-conference day November 18.
The Fluid Power Technology Conference (FPTC) will debut in Cleveland on November 19 and 20, with a pre-conference workshop and NFPA Regional Meeting scheduled for Monday, November 18. The event — which brings together design engineers and maintenance personnel with fluid power manufacturers and industry experts — will be held at Cleveland State University’s Wolstein Center, in its Conference Pavilion (East and West Wing).
“We’re excited to bring the FPTC to our hometown of Cleveland, which has always been a hub for manufacturers and users of fluid power technologies,” said Michael Ference, Publisher. “Cleveland is home to some of the biggest and most well-known names in the industry, and with its strong manufacturing base, these technologies are used heavily throughout Cleveland and all of Ohio.”
FPTC Cleveland will provide in-depth discussions on the future of fluid power technologies — with three IoT-focused sessions, several talks on electrification and hydraulics, troubleshooting and more.
The event also features intimate networking opportunities, with manufacturers being available at their booths as well as additional chances to chat in more informal settings including two evening networking opportunities offsite and in the exhibit hall. Exhibitors and sponsors include the following:
- DMIC
- Elevāt.IoT
- HBC-Radiomatic
- Hydrapulse Inc.
- Hydrotech
- IC-Fluid Power
- IoT Diagnostics
- Kraft Fluid Systems
- Lynch Fluid Controls
- R & J Cylinder and Machine
- System Seals
- Tribute Inc.
- Valvole America
Monday, November 18
Kicking off the three-days of education will be the NFPA Regional Meeting, from 8 to 10 a.m. November 18. The meeting will feature a presentation by Bogdan Kozul, assistant professor of practice in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Cleveland State (CSU), who will give an overview of the fluid power-related programs at CSU, the home of the 2019 Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge winners. Attendees may also have an opportunity to see the winning vehicle in action.
Following the meeting, a workshop will be presented by MSOE’s Tom Wanke. His introductory “Fluid Power Basics Workshop” will cover the benefits and challenges of using fluid power systems for power transmission and motion control. Physical laws that govern how and why fluid power systems function will be discussed. Individual components that comprise a fluid power system, including design and operational performance characteristics, will be covered. ISO symbology used for representing individual components will be covered. The workshop will conclude with a brief overview of circuit architectures.
Wanke is the Director of the Milwaukee School of Engineering’s Fluid Power Industrial Consortium and Industry Relations.
Tuesday, November 19
Both days begin with breakfast and networking on the exhibit floor, followed by plenary sessions for all.
The event kicks off at 9 a.m. with a panel discussion, Your IIoT Roadmap: How Industry 4.0 will Shape the Future of Fluid Power. Experts from some of the industry’s foremost IIoT development companies will discuss the concepts, methods and technologies being used to implement IIoT in fluid power. They will highlight who should be involved in implementing these technologies, what technologies should be considered and where in your machines and systems they should first be considered.
In addition, the panelists will discuss how using IIoT technologies to monitor and collect data will help users increase machine uptime, reduce maintenance time and costs, increase utilization and more. They will discuss how even older factories can bring their existing equipment into the IIoT age through the use of digitally enabled technologies.
Panelists include: Jeremy Drury, VP, IoT Diagnostics; Adam Livesay, Co-Founder and CRO, Elevāt.IoT; Mike Nager, Business Development, Festo Didactic Inc.; and Rodney Rusk, I4.0 Business Leader, Bosch Rexroth Corp.
In addition, a post-lunch plenary session will be presented by Miles Budimir, senior editor of Design World and adjunct philosophy professor at Cleveland State University, with his talk, “Do the Right Thing: Four Key Ethical Principles for Engineering Professionalism.” In light of the many engineering disasters that have taken place over the last decade (the BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill, the Volkswagen emissions scandal, the Boeing 737 MAX case), the engineering profession has ramped up efforts to encourage and promote ethical practice. In other words, how to ensure that design engineers “do the right thing.” This session will present a brief overview of the history of engineering ethics and will present four key ethical principles that can help guide engineers in making sound, moral choices in engineering practice.
The final plenary session Tuesday will be another panel discussion, “The Future of Mobile Hydraulics.” What’s new in the field of mobile hydraulics today, and how will it change in the coming decade? The discussion will include how the hydraulics versus electrics debate has been playing out the last few years, what’s on the horizon for mobile hydraulics technology, what OEMs want to see from hydraulic component manufacturers in the next couple of years, and how the IoT will change this technology.
The panel will have speakers from top mobile equipment manufacturers and component specialists, including: Thomas Fischer, Liebherr Machines Bulle SA; Simon Nielsen, Danfoss Power Solutions, Charles Schreiner, Hydrotech; and Carl Dyke, CD Industrial Group
Breakouts Tuesday will include:
- The Importance of Contamination Control in Hydraulic Systems by Tom Wanke, MSOE
- 100R2 Is Not a Star Wars Droid. Find Out What It and the Other SAE J517 Standards Mean, by Josh Cosford, FPW
- The Three Biggest Mistakes in Hydraulic System Maintenance, by Carl Dyke, CD Industrial Group
- Building on Success in Mobile Hydraulics: Preparing for an Electrified Future, by Simon Nielsen, Danfoss,
- Load Sense Hydraulic Functions in 3D, by Carl Dyke
- The Missing Link Between Lubrication and Vibration Analysis, by Jeremy Drury and Will Tuduroff, IoT Diagnostics
- Streamlining Daily Operations for Industrial Distributors Using TrulinX, by Bill Horrigan, Tribute
- Analyzing Seal Component Interactions to Maximize Performance and Reliability, by Tim Girardi, System Seals
Wednesday, November 20
Once again, Wednesday will begin with networking and breakfast on the exhibit floor, followed by an exciting opening keynote at 9 a.m. from Joe Kovach, President of KoMotion Technologies Ltd. In “Tackling hydraulic challenges with technology” Kovach will focus on the key reasons why hydraulics will be around for a long time as well as five of the challenges currently facing hydraulics (leaks, noise, efficiency, control, and weight).
To address these challenges numerous technologies have been recently developed with additional breakthroughs on the horizon. Clearly, the movement toward electrification has resolved some of these issues — including the use of ePumps, EHA (electro hydrostatic actuators), hybridized and integrated systems. Also, innovations in fluid connectors and hydraulic fluid technology play a key role.
Beyond this, developments in pump technology, simulation, and power transmission systems have improved overall efficiency while reducing noise. Lastly, the use of advanced materials and additive manufacturing technologies help address weight/size issues while opening new market opportunities for hydraulics.
Breakouts on Wednesday include:
- Electrohydraulics Troubleshooting for Motion and Force Control, by Carl Dyke
- The Future of Mobile Hydraulics, by Charles Schreiner, Hydrotech
- Hydraulic System Schematic Reading Skills with Live Schematics, by Carl Dyke
- Next Generation Electrohydraulic Technology, by Mike Terzo, Terzo Power Systems
Wednesday will conclude with a tour of the Parker Hannifin Motion Control Laboratory for Fluid Power Systems at the Washkiewicz College of Engineering at CSU.
Learn more and register at cle.fluidpowertechconference.com/.
