The International Fluid Power Exhibition (IFPE) recently was highlighted in an episode of engineering.com's popular web show, Manufacturing the Future.
Hosted by engineering.com Multimedia Content Director Jim Anderson, and featuring AEM Senior Director of Construction Sara Feuling and Husco Director of Automation Systems Ben Holter, Manufacturing the Future’s episode detailed the future of the off-highway equipment industry and how advancements in hydraulic systems will help guide that future.
Check out the episode here, or watch it below.
In this episode, Feuling noted how construction industry professionals are becoming increasingly adept at using technology to their advantage.
“They’re finding those nuances, those productivity gains, those efficiency gains, using some other tools,” she continued. “The software tools that that are out there and available to the industry really balance out and hammer out what those bid prices are, what that time is going to take, and what that cost is going to take. In their operations, they are finding ways to get it done better and faster.”
Among the biggest questions surrounding automation right now is whether it can match the intuitive feel for things that experienced equipment operators possess. In this episode, Holter gave some insight into improvements in this area.
“The convergence of technology is now putting the onus on us hydraulic manufacturers and other controls manufacturers to make this possible. We are now able to do it and we now just have to prove that it's possible,” he said. “But that all starts with electro hydraulics. A lot of machines don't even have electro hydraulics, and you can't even plug in a control system to make that happen. And so, we're incrementally taking steps forward in our industry to make all of this possible.”
Looking at the long-term future, Feuling also noted there is potential when it comes to technological advancements in the industry.
“It needs to work, and it needs to be a proven solution and a proven technology,” she continued. “And once the industry starts seeing that these things do work and they do the job well, I think at that point we’ll absolutely see, 10, 20 years from now, these things extrapolate.”
For More Information
IFPE is the leading international exposition and educational resource dedicated to integrating fluid power with other technologies for power transmission and motion control applications. Held every three years, the next IFPE is set for March 14-18, 2023, at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, USA. IFPE is co-located with CONEXPO-CON/AGG, one of the world’s largest gatherings for the construction industries. To learn more, visit www.ifpe.com or sign up for show alerts.
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