NFPA Seeking Input on Performance Objectives Driving Mobile Equipment Designs
The National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) is seeking industry input for its next Technology Roadmap which will be focused on mobile equipment applications.
Currently, it is conducting a survey focused on customer drivers which the NFPA describes as the top-level performance objectives of the machine builders in fluid power's mobile customer markets. These customer drivers are the benefits machine builders aim to provide end users of excavators, wheel loaders or other types of mobile machinery.
In years past, these customer drivers have included increased availability and uptime, lower total cost of ownership as well as compliance with regulations.
In addition to customer drivers, the survey includes questions about customer strategies in the mobile equipment market - the machine-level objectives or technologies that machine builders have set or are using to help them achieve the top-level performance objectives described by the customer drivers.
The survey is open through October 30, 2026. NFPA is hoping to gain input from stakeholders across the hydraulics and pneumatics supply chain which will be used in the next edition of its technology roadmap.
Those who fill out the survey will be taken through eight of fluid power’s mobile customer markets and asked to respond only to those with which they have familiarity; these markets are:
- Construction Machinery
- Farm Machinery and Equipment
- Forestry Machinery
- Lawn and Garden Equipment
- Material Handling Equipment
- Military Ground Equipment
- Mining Machinery and Equipment
- Vocational Trucks.
What is a Technology Roadmap?
Every other year, the NFPA produces a new Technology Roadmap which the association states is a document that describes the evolving needs of companies in fluid power’s many customer markets, the degree to which fluid power is capable of meeting those needs, and the R&D objectives that will help fluid power meet or better meet those needs in the future.
Through its roadmaps, NFPA aims to help provide the hydraulics and pneumatics industry with insight into technology needs that can help inform future development efforts.
Starting with the 2025 edition, NFPA is creating separate roadmaps for industrial and mobile applications to better represent the range of customer markets in which hydraulics and pneumatics are utilized as well as their unique technology requirements.
These roadmaps are put together based on input provided not only by developers of hydraulics and pneumatics but also machine OEMs, distributors and system integrators. This ensures those working and most familiar with fluid power and the applications in which they are used are able to provide their knowledge and expertise to shape the future of the industry.
NFPA conducts a series of surveys and virtual meetings to gain information for its roadmaps which are then put together by its Technology Task Forces. These surveys cover the five elements included in the roadmaps:
- Customer Drivers
- Customer Strategies
- Capability Improvements
- Research Areas
- Research Targets.
These elements are interconnected with one another and offer insight into customer needs and development areas that can help meet those needs.
NFPA plans to publish its next Technology Roadmap focused on mobile equipment in August 2027. Those interested in participating in the development process can look out for the surveys NFPA sends out over the coming months or contact NFPA president Eric Lanke at [email protected] to get involved.
View the content below to read about findings from the last two Technology Roadmaps published in 2023 and 2025.
About the Author
Sara JensenSara Jensen
Executive Editor, Power & Motion
Sara Jensen is executive editor of Power & Motion, directing expanded coverage into the modern fluid power space, as well as mechatronic and smart technologies. She has over 15 years of publishing experience. Prior to Power & Motion she spent 11 years with a trade publication for engineers of heavy-duty equipment, the last 3 of which were as the editor and brand lead. Over the course of her time in the B2B industry, Sara has gained an extensive knowledge of various heavy-duty equipment industries — including construction, agriculture, mining and on-road trucks —along with the systems and market trends which impact them such as fluid power and electronic motion control technologies.
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