Our Partners
NFPA partners with a number of other organizations focused on bringing fluid power and STEM education to more communities across the country.
The Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power (CCEFP)
The Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power (CCEFP) is an industry/academic consortium that leads the nation’s fluid power research strategy to improve existing and create new markets. It creates, promotes, and secures federal grant fluid power research funding for CCEFP supporters and offers regular opportunities to network with students, faculty, and other industry supporters.
For more information, visit www.ccefp.org.
FIRST® Robotics
FIRST® Robotics combines the excitement of sport with the precision of science and technology. Previous participants have called the event the “hardest fun you’ll ever have.” Under strict rules, limited resources, and an intense six-week time limit, teams of 20 or more students are challenged to raise funds, design a team “brand,” hone teamwork skills, and build and program industrial-size robots to play a difficult field game against like-minded competitors.
Volunteer professional mentors lend their time and talents to guide each team. Each season ends with an exciting FIRST® Championship. Learn more about volunteering.
International Fluid Power Society (IFPS)
The International Fluid Power Society (IFPS) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) professional organization of individuals dedicated to enhancing the quality of certifications, educational opportunities, technology evolution, and professionalism within the fluid power and motion control industry. The IFPS was started in Detroit, Michigan, in 1960 by a group of 30 professionals interested in supporting the future of the fluid power industry and the ever-changing technologies involved.
Today, its membership is nearly 4,500. Beginning with the first Fluid Power Hydraulic Specialist Certification in 1980, the IFPS has become the recognized industry leader in fluid power and motion control certifications. Fifteen different certifications are currently offered with two certifications in development. These certifications cover diverse job descriptions within the industry including mechanic, technician, specialist, system designer, and engineer. The IFPS has nearly 10,000 active certification holders throughout the United States and in many countries around the world.
For more information, visit www.ifps.org.
The National Robotics League (NRL)
The National Robotics League (NRL) is a manufacturing workforce development program of the National Tooling & Machining Association (NTMA) where students design and build remote controlled robots (Bots) to face-off in a gladiator-style competition. Through the manufacturing process of Bot building, students’ imaginations are captured as they design, build and compete with their own robotic creations. Through this hands-on effort along with industry partnerships, students gain practical knowledge of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) – all essential skills for manufacturing.
For more information, visit gonrl.org.
Project Lead the Way (PLTW)
Project Lead The Way (PLTW) seeks to create dynamic partnerships with our nation's schools in order to prepare a growing and diverse number of students for success in engineering and engineering technology programs.
PLTW courses are taught in all 50 states at 4,000 schools, and involve over 300,000 students.
NFPA supports these efforts by funding the development of middle and high school curriculum that is relevant to fluid power.
For more information, visit www.pltw.org.
VEX Robotics
VEX Robotics makes educational robotics accessible to everyone. Their programs span all educational levels to bring science and engineering to classrooms across the country through education packages, competitions and more.
For more information, visit www.vexrobotics.com.
WEPAN
The Women in Engineering ProActive Network (WEPAN) is a non-profit educational organization founded in 1990 and recognized as the leading champion in North America for leveraging research and best practices to propel the inclusion of women in the field of engineering. As the nation's first network dedicated to advancing cultures of inclusion and diversity in engineering higher education and workplaces, WEPAN advocates fully embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion to meet the demands of today’s innovation and performance-driven business culture. WEPAN connects people, research, and practice to powerful projects and professional development and equips advocates with the tools to create sustainable, systems-level changes that allow all in engineering to thrive. To learn more about WEPAN and its initiatives, visit www.wepan.org.
