• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Mobile Hydraulic Tips

Mobile Hydraulic Tips focuses on pumps, fittings, valves, manifolds and other products and news in the Mobile Hydraulics industry.

  • Hydraulics Blog
  • Industry News
  • Engineering Basics
  • Components
    • Cylinders
    • Fittings / Couplings
    • Pumps / Motors
    • Sensors / Gauges
    • Valves / Manifolds
    • Related components
  • Design Guide Library
  • Advertise
  • SUBSCRIBE

10 years of the CCEFP!

October 15, 2015 By Paul Heney

Share

I’ve covered fluid power technology since the mid-1990s and one of my biggest complaints about the industry was that it lagged far behind Europe and Asia—at least in collaboration between fluid power manufacturers and technical universities. I was fortunate to travel to conferences in German, Finland and China where I was able to see firsthand how this type of collaboration should happen. So when the NSF grant application—that would eventually become the Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power (CCEFP)—was first proposed, I was ecstatic. It was great to watch the Center’s formation and growth, and I’ve been a proponent of it ever since.

CCEFP-logo-imageYesterday morning, at the opening of the Fluid Power Innovation & Research Conference in downtown Chicago, CCEFP director Kim Stelson mentioned that the Center is turning 10 (yes, 10!) years old. Where does the time go?

Since its inception, the CCEFP has secured more than $45 million in fluid power research funding, and 121 BS, 97 MS and 51 PhD students have graduated—including 11 new PhDs this year alone. Of those graduates, 45% are currently working in the fluid power industry. The Center has also been responsible for 67 student internships in the industry.

The CCEFP has been responsible for 36 patent applications and 52 inventions that have been disclosed. There have been 13,232 attendees at short courses, workshops and webinars … and an amazing 70,055 K-12 students have attended fluid power events. Impressive numbers all around.

As the Center enters a new era of self-sustainability (well, without the NSF funding), the staff is working more closely with the National Fluid Power Association and focusing on three focus areas: The Pascal Society, government grants and associated projects.

How the CCEFP has revitalized fluid power research and education in the U.S. over the past decade has been beyond what I’d hoped for. The Center has a bright future, and the industry (which has a pretty great future itself) needs to continue to support it. Thanks to Kim Stelson for his continuing leadership—and everyone who has been involved in this very successful partnership.

 

Filed Under: Featured, Industry News, Mobile Hydraulics Blog

Primary Sidebar

Fluid Power Design Guides

fluid
“mht
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest info on technologies, tools and strategies for Fluid Power Professionals.

Fluid Power World Digital Editions

Fluid Power World is written by engineers for engineers engaged in designing machines and or equipment in Off-Highway, Oil & Gas, Mining, Packaging, Industrial Applications, Agriculture, Construction, Forestry, Medical and Material Handling. Fluid Power World covers pneumatics, mobile hydraulics and industrial hydraulics.

Footer

Mobile Hydraulic Tips

FLUID POWER WORLD NETWORK

  • Fluid Power World
  • Hose Assembly Tips
  • Pneumatic Tips
  • Sealing and Contamination Tips
  • Fluid Power Distributor Lookup

MOBILE HYDRAULIC TIPS

  • Subscribe to our newsletter
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact us
  • About us

Copyright © 2025 · WTWH Media LLC and its licensors. All rights reserved.
The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media.

Privacy Policy