Fluid Power Professionals’ Day | Fluid Power Journal

The International Fluid Power Society (IFPS) celebrates Fluid Power Professionals’ Day on June 19th to acknowledge all professionals dedicating their careers to fostering innovation and growth within the industry. Fluid power is a quiet but impactful, common force in our daily lives. Automobiles, planes, trains, and ships operate using fluid power as an indispensable component of operation. Additionally, many consumer items, from electronics to food, depend on fluid power for their very existence.

Essential Applications for Modern Fluid Power

From the ancient waterwheels of an emerging agrarian economy through the renaissance of industrial revolution and the automation and IT age of today, fluid power technology has advanced to improve productivity, safety, and the quality of life. This month’s issue focuses on fluid power in the medical, food processing, and plastics industries. Learn more below about its role in each field to discover more about the importance of fluid power across sectors. 

In the medical industry, fluid power systems play a crucial role in ensuring the precision, reliability, and safety of healthcare applications. Pneumatic and hydraulic systems are used in devices inclusive of patient lifts, diagnostic equipment, and surgical tools. Pneumatics are particularly valuable in applications requiring clean, oil-free air, such as ventilators and dental instruments. Hydraulic systems provide seamless, controlled movement in equipment including hospital beds, MRI tables, and mobility aids. Additionally, fluid power enhances the functionality of rehabilitation devices and robotic surgical systems by offering responsive, precise motion control.

Fluid power systems are also essential in the food processing industry, where efficiency and sanitization are vital to operations. Pneumatic actuators and valves are used frequently due to their contamination-free operation. They’re ideal for use in tasks such as sorting, packaging, and filling. Hydraulic systems provide the force required for heavy-duty applications such as meat processing, canning, and bottling. Furthermore, fluid power enables automation in conveyor systems and robotic arms, increasing throughput and maintaining consistent product quality. Specialized components made from stainless steel and food-grade materials ensure adherence to sanitization standards.

Within the plastics industry, fluid power systems drive manufacturing such as injection molding, blow molding, and extrusion. Hydraulic systems are used in injection molding machines to generate ample pressure needed to shape plastic materials. Pneumatics deliver precise control over clamping, ejection, and material handling. Advanced fluid power technologies also contribute to energy efficiency and faster cycle times. Specific to servo-hydraulic systems, manufacturers can increase both accuracy and repeatability, ensuring high-quality product development while minimizing waste. Fluid power’s durability and reliability make it indispensable in high-volume production settings.

History of June 19^th 

The IFPS observes Blaise Pascal’s birthday as a day to honor all industry professionals. Pascal was a French inventor, writer, philosopher, physicist, and mathematician, touted as the developer of the bus which served as the first mode of modern public transportation. Born over 400 years ago, the earliest stages of his career were centered on projective geometry, but Pascal ultimately focused his overarching career on science including hydrodynamics and hydrostatics. To his credit is the invention of the hydraulic press, which set the tone for future innovations. He spearheaded pneumatics experiments as well, such as studying how air in a vacuum operates. His work validated the labor of Evangelista Torricelli, who invented the barometer and studied under Galileo. 

The scientific foundation of thermodynamics and fluid power was built upon for those who followed, largely due to Pascal and his achievements. Fluid power technology benefits the lives of so many individuals, so we dedicate this day to those whose hard work, grit, and determination benefit the greater good of society on a global scale.

Ways to Celebrate

Celebrate with your industry friends and colleagues! Here are some ways to enjoy the day:

• Wear emblems, pins, badges, and shirts to help others identify your fluid power affiliation or organization.
• Treat your staff/co-workers to a pizza π. If time permits, it may be fun to plan a larger event such as an amusement park outing, picnic or company cookout. Include practical hydraulics by hosting a squirt gun battle!
• Distribute this issue of the Fluid Power Journal to your local customers and/or fluid power vendors. On June 19^th, deliver goodies to those same recipients.
• Go see a movie with hydraulics in action or watch a movie of your choice in a 4-D motion theater that features moving seats.
• Facilitate a scavenger hunt to detect fluid power applications you observe while out and about for fun, or during your work commute. 

Fluid Power Philanthropy

Help the next generation of fluid power professionals by donating to the Fluid Power Educational Foundation (www.fpef.org) that supports individual scholarships for students entering the industry. You may also donate to the NFPA Foundation (www.nfpafoundation.org) to help the organization build more fluid power educational resources at colleges and universities. Take this opportunity to pay it forward and give back to an industry that has supported the career aspirations and growth of countless fluid power professionals.