Purdue News

December 14, 2001 Grant to fund interdisciplinary fluid power lab at Purdue WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A lab featuring the newest innovations in fluid power technology will be established at Purdue University as the first funded project from an endowment to enhance fluid power education. The late Otto J. Maha left the $4 million endowment to Purdue to strengthen educational efforts in fluid power. Maha was considered a pioneer in fluid power, and was instrumental in helping to develop standards for the fluid power industry. Currently the Purdue schools of Agriculture, Technology and Engineering conduct fluid power research and teaching. The lab project will receive $340,000. In addition to the grant money, those developing the lab will seek industry support and donations to help equip the facility. Receiving the award for the project are agricultural and biological engineering faculty members Gary Krutz and Hartono Sumali and mechanical engineering technology faculty members Jan Lugowski and Steven Widmer. The interdisciplinary effort comes as a result of similar proposals for the educational lab offered by the faculty of both departments. Examples of fluid power technology include the use of fluids to power functions and applications either by pressure, flow, force, position or velocity. Fluid power drives automotive brakes and steering systems, airplane landing gears, construction and agricultural machinery, manufacturing robots and many other systems. Maha, who lived in Chicago, was employed by the Parker Hannifin Corp. (earlier known as the Hannifin Manufacturing Corp.) from 1928 until his retirement in 1979. He served the company in a number of capacities, including chief engineer, general manager and vice president. He died Nov. 10, 1999. Sources: Victor Lechtenberg, (765) 494-8391 Gary Krutz, (765) 494-1179; krutz@purdue.edu Hartono Sumali, (765) 494-1197; sumali@purdue.edu Jan Lugowski, (765) 496-3965; janlugowski@purdue.edu Steven Widmer, (765) 494-7527; sewidmer@tech.purdue.edu Writer: Beth Forbes, (765) 494-2722; bforbes@aes.purdue.edu Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722; Beth Forbes, bforbes@aes.purdue.edu; https://www.agriculture.purdue.edu/AgComm/public/agnews/ Related Web sites: Fluid Power Educational Foundation Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page