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Pie charts showing results of American Society for Quality/Harris Interactive 2008 study: only 20% of parents encouraging engineering and only 15% of kids (ages 8-17) interested in engineering

Introducing Fluid Power to Younger Students Is One Way to Stave Off Extinction

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This article was first published in the September 2009 issue of the now defunct Today’s Fluid Power magazine.

Fluid power isn’t sexy.

American Society for Quality/Harris Interactive 2008 Study Pie Chart

Source: American Society for Quality/Harris Interactive 2008 Study

That’s the conclusion the international fluid power industry came to in 2007 as the reason why there is a shortage of people with fluid power skills influencing design decisions regarding which motion control technologies to use. The fluid power industry isn’t the only industry seeing this image problem. It’s a systemic crisis that permeates the entire US culture.

A 2008 Harris Interactive study for the American Society for Quality found that 44% of kids, ages 8-17, don’t know much about engineering, and 30% of the respondents want a more exciting profession than engineering. While 97% of parents stated they believe that knowledge of math and science will help their children have a successful career, only 20% encourage/will encourage their sons or daughters to become engineers.

The study further reports that kids don’t feel confident enough in their math or science skills (21%) to be good at engineering — despite the fact that the largest number of kids ranked math (22%) and science (17%) as their favorite subjects.

OK. We now know what the problem is so how do we fix it?

The US fluid power industry decided to develop alliances with FIRST (Foundation for the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), Project Lead The Way, and SME (Society of Manufacturing Engineers) Education Foundation to promote fluid power education in middle schools and high schools. They’ve created a ‘key school’ program, the Fluid Power Challenge, and the Fluid Power: A force for change video among other initiatives. The Fluid Power Education Foundation has scholarships for college bound student who will study fluid power.

I commend the US fluid power industry for their efforts, but there is shortsightedness to these educational outreach initiatives that I don’t think many engineering and fluid power industry leaders understand. Read more

Ortman Fluid Power 101L Cylinder Photo

Client Profile: Ortman Fluid Power Is Back!

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Ortman Fluid Power 101L

The Ortman 101 Series—a round-body hydraulic and pneumatic cylinder—has powered some of the toughest industrial applications for over 60 years.

After a long absence the hydraulic and pneumatic cylinder brand known as Ortman Fluid Power is back.

Their journey began in 1945 when World War II veterans Harold and Nelson Ortman returned home joining their older brother Alva, Carl Speichert and Carter Miller to form Ortman-Miller Machine Company, Inc. located in Hammond, Indiana.

At its inception, Ortman-Miller was a general machine shop making parts for other companies, but in 1948 they began building and selling cylinders for a wide variety of industries. Their first cylinder line was the round-body 101 Series. In 1955, they introduced three square-head, JIC interchangeable cylinder lines—TH, 4K and 4L Series.  They expanded their NFPA pneumatic cylinder offering by introducing the 1A Series in 1971. Over the past several years, they’ve broadened their product line with the addition of the AS/ASH and QA Series.

Beyond their standard cylinder lines, they have 3 specialty products: the FA Series valve actuator cylinder, the 7R Series air/oil tank and the 7P Series air/oil booster. If their customers have applications that don’t fit standard product options, they can build custom cylinders.

In 1968, Garlock Industries purchased Ortman-Miller Machine Company and several founders left. The journey took a twist in 1976 when Colt Industries (now known as EnPro Industries) bought Garlock Industries and changed the company name to Ortman Fluid Power. It changed course again in 1997 when they left their Hammond facility, and moved in with Quincy Compressor in Quincy, Illinois. Then came the name change to Quincy Ortman Cylinders in 2004.

The 2010 purchase of Quincy Compressor by Atlas Copco North America LLC began to bring the journey full circle and it was completed in March of 2011 when the brand name became Ortman Fluid Power once again.

Now that’s staying power.

Wakeup Fluid Power Industry or Prepare for Extinction Photo

Wake Up Fluid Power Industry Or Prepare For Extinction

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Wake Up Fluid Power Industry Or Prepare For Extinction

A recent post in the Hydraulics & Pneumatics magazine’s discussion group on LinkedIn asks: Is fluid power on the decline?

As a person who worked in the industry for 10 years and has provided consulting services to the industry for the past 16 years, I believe it is—especially in the United States. And, if they don’t wake up immediately, they’ll find themselves in the history books and museums alongside dinosaurs—extinct.

Like a precision military assault, the fluid power industry is getting hammered on several fronts: technology competition, the environment, government regulations and knowledge loss. The environment, government regulations and knowledge loss have teamed up to open a gaping hole in the fortress allowing a full frontal attack by technology competition.

And, like Great Britain during World War II, the industry has done very little to combat the forces working against them. While some have acknowledged defeat and quit the battle, most of the industry, it seems, have yet to realize they’re under attack or their survival is at risk. Read more