8:00am - 8:10 a.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks

 Representatives from NFPA and MSOE will call us to order and provide an overview of today’s program and the supporting organizations.

8:10 - 8:50 a.m. Small But Might: Trends in Fluid Power Systems 

Cindy Cookson, Vice President , Global Product Line Management-Industrial Fluid Power, Gates Corporation                        This presentation will discuss macro trends impacting fluid power system requirements, including technology changes (ex: electrification), cultural impacts (ex: sustainability) and channel drivers (ex: customer preferences). It will also relate those trends to the evolution of the fluid power system, in particular addressing compact designs and increased power density. The discussion will focus more on what the trends are and why they’re important, with minimal emphasis on the emerging fluid power technology.

8:50 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.  Integrated Cartridge Valve Sensing Techniques for Improved Closed Loop Flow Control

 Bernd Zahe, Sun Hydraulics                                                       

Autonomous machines need reliable, controllable motion control, ideally data describing the actual movements available. Many valves today use linear sensors that measure orifice openings. A proposed improvement is a proportional flow control valve that uses an integrated turbine as a flowmeter to measure actual flow rather than the opening, which may or may not have actual flow. This presentation will show the function of this new patented valve, the performance, and applications where it ensures more accurate, more reliable motion control without the need for expensive sensors on cylinders or motors.  

9:30a.m.-10:10a.m. Autonomy and Guidance in Worker Interactions for Fluid Power

 Dan Bagley, B&B Management Labs

This presentation will review a range of options in the production, operation, and enabled use of hydraulic and pneumatic systems, from both the operator’s and the user’s perspective. Uses of augmented reality, exoskeleton devices, and other guidance technology will be presented to understand what can be done practically now, and how to build business case for investment-ready technologies or solutions that address the needs associated with autonomous functions and operations in off-highway equipment.

10:10a.m. - 10:30a.m.  Future Development and Discussion 

Representatives from NFPA and MSOE will present information from the NFPA Technology Roadmap on future development needs for fluid power in autonomous functions and operations and engage participants in discussion on same topic.