The Engineering Research Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power has been formally established through a multimillion dollar National Science Foundation award with strong support by the National Fluid Power Association. Each year, two graduate and two undergraduate students will be supported in addition to an REU student and a high school teacher. Strong interaction with our Rapid Prototyping Center and the new NanoEngineering Laboratory are anticipated.
MSOE is one of seven universities nationwide that is part of this research center for fluid power. MSOE's involvement in the center will amplify its already significant work in fluid power, applying new technologies to the field. The lead university is the University of Minnesota. MSOE was chosen to be a part of this center because of its 40-plus year history in fluid power education and research, through its Fluid Power Institute™. MSOE will integrate new technologies such as rapid prototyping, sensors, nanotechnology and tribology plus contamination analysis in fluid power to advance understanding of these areas, then help take them to the marketplace.