1. Customer Drivers and Capability Improvements
NFPA Technology Roadmap
Customer Drivers and Capability Improvements
Briefing Materials and Worksheets
February 2019

2. NFPA Anti-Trust Guidelines
Because of federal anti-trust laws, certain topics are not proper subjects for discussion at any NFPA function. In many cases, our members are competitors and any action or agreement which may eliminate, restrict or govern competition among members or their colleagues could be a violation of anti-trust laws. Those violating the anti-trust laws are subject to severe criminal and civil penalties.
This means that we must not discuss any items falling within the realm of competitive practices, such as current or future prices, terms of service, discounts, production or productivity rates, allocation of markets, profit levels, credit terms, or refusal to deal with a particular supplier or customer.
Please adhere strictly to these guidelines during all NFPA functions to protect yourself, your company and the NFPA from liability.

3. NFPA Technology Roadmap
The NFPA Technology Roadmap describes an industry-wide consensus regarding the pre-competitive research and development needs associated with improving the design, manufacture, and function of fluid power components and systems.
The research and development agenda it describes is focused on advancements that will help the fluid power industry meet the future needs of its customers, expand into new markets, and attract the best and brightest students to the field.
It is used by the NFPA and the Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power (CCEFP) to guide their research efforts, by NFPA members and other industry partners to inform decisions about research partnerships and product development, and by academic, government, and other organizations that wish to pursue research and development projects of importance to the fluid power industry.
It is updated every two years under the guidance and leadership of the NFPA Roadmap Committee.

4. Definition of Pre-Competitive Research
Pre-competitive research is performed at the time in the technology development cycle when interested, but potentially competitive parties agree that there is value to be gained from a collaborative rather than a competitive approach.
It generally resides in the middle ground between fundamental basic research conducted mainly in universities and proprietary research performed or directed mainly by companies. It can be performed to develop new technologies or to determine the market readiness of new technologies.

5. Capability Improvement
2019 Roadmap Elements
Customer Driver
Capability Improvement
Research Area
Research Target
Research Project
Customer Drivers are the business or technology objectives of fluid power customers. They help them serve the needs of their own customers, and are not necessarily connected to their use of fluid power.
Capability Improvements describe the ways in which fluid power systems must improve if they are to meet or better meet the customer needs described by the Customer Drivers.
Research Areas are the broad areas of pre-competitive investigation that could assist in bringing about the Capability Improvements.
Research Targets are the objectives that quantify or otherwise describe successful strategies for pursuing the Research Areas.
Research Projects specifically address and attempt to achieve the Research Targets.
EXAMPLE:
Increased productivity and performance
Increase power density of fluid power systems
Use additive manufacturing to produce integrated FP components
Demonstrate high pressure capability of AM FP components
Pressure test to failure AM fluid power components

6. Capability Improvement
Roadmap Process and Timeline – Phase 1
Customer Driver
Capability Improvement
Research Area
Research Target
Research Project
Feb-Mar 2019 Phase 1 – Customer Drivers & Capability Improvements
Briefing materials sent to Roadmap Committee:
NFPA Customer Market Survey
Customer Drivers and “Capability Improvements” identified in 2017 NFPA Technology and FPAMC Manufacturing Roadmaps
In-person meeting at the March 1 FPIC Seminar to:
Identify and rank Customer Drivers
Identify, rank, and connect Capability Improvements to Customer Drivers
Discuss possible Research Areas & Targets

7. Top 10 Fluid Power Customer Markets
According to NFPA’s latest data, these ten customer markets represent 60% of hydraulic and pneumatic product sales. When referencing customers and their needs, the 2019 NFPA Technology Roadmap will default to customers in these ten markets.

8. Customer Drivers
The following chart was used to combine elements from the 2017 NFPA Technology Roadmap and the 2017 FPAMC Manufacturing Roadmap into a single list of draft customer drivers for the 2019 NFPA Technology Roadmap. Customer Drivers from the 2017 NFPA Technology Roadmap were listed in the first column. Customer Competitiveness Drivers from the 2017 FPAMC Manufacturing Roadmap were listed in the second column, with those similar to one of the Customer Drivers from the 2017 NFPA Technology Roadmap placed in the appropriate row. Each row in the third column is meant to represent a reasonable combination of the elements in the previous two columns, noting that not every row need represent a 2019 Customer Driver.
2017 Technology Roadmap Customer Drivers
2017 Manufacturing Roadmap Customer Competitiveness Drivers
DRAFT 2019 Customer Drivers
Increased productivity and performance
Improved product/system performance
Increased availability/up-time
Increased availability and up-time
Lower total cost and life cycle costs
Lower cost (initial and life cycle)
Lower total and life cycle costs
Increased ease/predictability of maintenance
Reduce maintenance
Reduce, increase ease and predictability of maintenance
Quieter machines
Lower environment impact
Lower environmental impact (e.g., quieter machines)
Machines compliant with safety regulations
Overall efficiency
Increased energy efficiency
Integration
Greater integration of systems
Speed to market
Increased speed to market
Educated workforce and customers
NOT A CUSTOMER DRIVER

9. Worksheet – Prioritization of Existing Drivers
The following customer drivers were identified when combining the 2017 roadmaps. For each of the customer markets that you are familiar with, rank how important each driver is in that market. Use the following scale: 1 = Very important; 2 = Somewhat important; 3 = Not especially important.
CUSTOMER MARKETS
CUSTOMER DRIVERS
Increased productivity and performance
Increased availability and up-time
Lower total and life cycle costs
Reduce, increase ease and predictability of maintenance
Lower environmental impact (e.g., quieter machines)
Machines compliant with safety regulations
Increased energy efficiency
Greater integration of systems
Increased speed to market
Construction Machinery
Agricultural Machinery
Class 4-8 Trucks
Automotive
Material Handling
Oil & Gas Machinery
Lawn & Garden
Mining Machinery
Metalworking & Machine Tools
Power Generation
Complete this worksheet online at:

10. Complete this worksheet online at:
Worksheet – Identification of New Drivers
For each of the customer markets you are familiar with, identify any customer drivers NOT described above that you would have ranked as "1 = Very important" in those markets.
CUSTOMER DRIVERS
Construction Machinery
Agricultural Machinery
Class 4-8 Trucks
Automotive
Material Handling
Oil & Gas Machinery
Lawn & Garden
Mining Machinery
Metalworking & Machine Tools
Power Generation
Complete this worksheet online at:

11. Capability Improvements
The following chart was used to combine elements from the 2017 NFPA Technology Roadmap and the 2017 FPAMC Manufacturing Roadmap into a single list of draft capability improvements for the 2019 NFPA Technology Roadmap. Research Challenges from the 2017 NFPA Technology Roadmap were listed in the first column. Capability Challenges from the 2017 FPAMC Manufacturing Roadmap were listed in the second column, with those similar to one of the Research Challenges from the 2017 NFPA Technology Roadmap placed in the appropriate row. Each row in the third column is meant to represent a reasonable combination of the elements in the previous two columns, noting that not every row need represent a 2019 Capability Improvement.
2017 Technology Roadmap Research Challenges
2017 Manufacturing Roadmap Fluid Power Manufacturing Capability Challenges
DRAFT 2019 Capability Improvements
Increase energy efficiency
Improve reliability
Improved quality control
Improve quality and reliability
Reduce size and weight
Product design integration
Increase power density
Build “smart” components and systems
Increase value
Use product data to add value
Reduce environmental impact
Improve energy storage capabilities
RESEARCH AREA
Widen scope for fast and accurate fluid power control
Enable fluid power applications in new markets
Widen scope of application
Product performance improvements
NOT A CAPABILITY IMPROVEMENT
Reduce lead time
Increased productivity in manufacturing processes
Manufacturing flexibility
Increase speed to market
Workforce development
Provide greater expertise

12. Worksheet – Prioritization of Existing Capabilities
The following capability improvements were identified when combining the 2017 roadmaps. For any customer market in which the listed customer drivers are important, rate the degree to which advances in each area of capability improvement would increase fluid power’s ability to meet each customer driver. Use the following scale: 1 = YES, advances in this area of capability improvement WILL increase fluid power’s ability to meet this customer driver; 2 = MAYBE, advances in this area of capability improvement MIGHT increase fluid power’s ability to meet this customer driver; 3 = NO, advances in this area of capability improvement WILL NOT increase fluid power’s ability to meet this customer driver.
CUSTOMER DRIVERS
CAPABILITY IMPROVEMENTS
Increase energy efficiency
Improve quality and reliability
Increase power density
Use product data to add value
Reduce environmental impact
Widen scope of application
Increase speed to market
Provide greater expertise
Increased productivity and performance
Increased availability and up-time
Lower total and life cycle costs
Reduce, increase ease and predictability of maintenance
Lower environmental impact (e.g., quieter machines)
Machines compliant with safety regulations
Increased energy efficiency
Greater integration of systems
Increased speed to market
Complete this worksheet online at:

13. Complete this worksheet online at:
Worksheet – Identification of New Capabilities
For any customer markets in which the listed customer drivers are important, identify any fluid power capability improvements NOT described above that you would have rated as "1 = YES, advances in this area of capability improvement WILL increase fluid power’s ability to meet this customer driver" for the listed customer driver.
CUSTOMER DRIVERS
CAPABILITY IMPROVEMENTS
Increased productivity and performance
Increased availability and up-time
Lower total and life cycle costs
Reduce, increase ease and predictability of maintenance
Lower environmental impact (e.g., quieter machines)
Machines compliant with safety regulations
Increased energy efficiency
Greater integration of systems
Increased speed to market
Complete this worksheet online at:

14. Complete this worksheet online at:
Comments
List any comments relevant to the above subjects here:
Complete this worksheet online at: