The fluid power industry has three organizations working on its behalf – the International Fluid Power Society (IFPS), the National Fluid Power Association (NFPA), and the FPDA Motion and Control Network (FPDA).

Fluid Power Journal, the official publication of the International Fluid Power Society, clarifies the mission of each organization and the role each association plays in the marketplace in their article, Three Associations Connecting the Fluid Power Industry.

The IFPS is a professional society whose members are individuals with fluid power expertise. NFPA and FPDA are trade associations comprised of companies in the fluid power supply chain.

All three associations are focused on the fluid power market but connect with a diverse industry network. The IFPS, NFPA, and FPDA have similar types of programs that serve their memberships, but each set of programs is aligned with each association’s unique mission and priorities.

Each association pursues its own strategies, but they also collaborate in the areas of greatest synergy. Leadership teams meet twice per year in order to connect the fluid power community.

Examples of this collaboration are the creation and execution of the Energy Efficient Hydraulics & Pneumatics Conference (coming up in March 2017) and spreading awareness of youth outreach programs like the NFPA Fluid Power Challenge.

Many belong to one or all of these organizations and derive a lot of benefit from their membership, from technical training to networking.

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