Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems
The Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems (IFAS) is a public research institute at RWTH Aachen University conducting applied research in hydraulics, pneumatics, tribology, and fluid power digitalization, serving industrial OEMs and graduate students through projects, training, and publications.
- Company typePublic
- Founded-
- HeadquartersAachen, Germany
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems does
The Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems (IFAS) is a public research institute within RWTH Aachen University's Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, headquartered at Campus-Boulevard 30, Aachen, with an additional test hall and seminar facility on Steinbachstraße. Founded in 1952 from W. Backé's fluid power lectures, IFAS is organized into eight research groups covering Mobile Machines, Smart Systems, High-Performance Components, Tribology, Fluids, Gas- and Microsystems, supported by dedicated IT, mechanical workshop, electronics, and experimental laboratory functions. Under Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Katharina Schmitz, who holds the Robert E. Koski Medal and Joseph Bramah Medal, the institute pursues applied research in hydraulics, pneumatics, tribology, and the digitalization of fluid power systems.
IFAS produces both research output and commercial-adjacent offerings. Its technical portfolio includes the proprietary ifas-DDS dynamic sealing simulation model built on Abaqus, the PINN-based Fast EHD SiML elastohydrodynamic simulation module, and the patented S-LEAP pneumatic quick-exhaust valve. Knowledge-transfer products encompass four long-running lecture-note series (Hydraulics, Pneumatics, Mobile Applications, Servohydraulics), professional training courses in fluid power, and access to extensive component and system test benches. The institute disseminates findings through more than 1,700 publications, the biennial International Fluid Power Conference (IFK), recurring Industry Colloquia, and partnerships with the Fördervereinigung Fluidtechnik and the Global Fluid Power Society.
The institute is funded through a combination of state allocation from the Ministry of Culture and Science of North Rhine-Westphalia, competitive research grants (DFG Collaborative Research Center SFB/TRR280 Phase 2, EU EFRE/JTF NRW 2021–2027, NRW Patent Validation), and project-based industry cooperation with named partners including Bosch Rexroth, Festo, Parker Hannifin, CLAAS, XCMG, and Trelleborg. There is no commercial ownership or external parent; IFAS operates under the university's public governance framework, with revenue mechanics resembling a grant-funded research organization rather than a venture-backed enterprise.
Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems
- Legal name
- RWTH Aachen University
- Website
- https://ifas.rwth-aachen.de
- Company type
- Public
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems (IFAS) is a public research institute at RWTH Aachen University conducting applied research in hydraulics, pneumatics, tribology, and fluid power digitalization, serving industrial OEMs and graduate students through projects, training, and publications.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fluid Power Engineering Research
- NAICS
- Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (541690), Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing (3339)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Misc Industrial & Commercial Machinery & Equipment (3590)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hydraulic Power Units & Systems (HPUs, Manifolds, Integrated Circuits) (IMAHAGAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Hydraulics & Pneumatics Systems (EDAOAHAF)
Keywords
Where Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Aachen
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- Public Research Funding: Funded by German government research programs including SFB/TRR280 (Collaborative Research Center), NRW Patent Validation Program, and European Union EFRE/JTF program NRW 2021-2027
- Industry Cooperation Projects: Cooperation projects with industry partners including research collaborations, test field services, and consulting
- Lecture Notes and Publications Sales: Sale of lecture notes and publications through the institute's publication office
- Training and Professional Education: Fluid power training programs in hydraulics and pneumatics offered through the institute
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Lecture notes and publications available for purchase |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems product offering
Product offeringCore offering
IFAS conducts fundamental and applied research in fluid power technology including hydraulics, pneumatics, tribology, high-performance components, smart systems, and gas/microsystems. It offers research cooperation projects with industry partners, test field services using extensive component and system test benches, professional training courses in hydraulics and pneumatics, and educational lecture notes and textbooks.
Product overview
The Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems (IFAS) is a research institute at RWTH Aachen University offering educational publications (lecture notes and textbooks on hydraulics, pneumatics, servohydraulics, and mobile fluid power), professional training courses, and research test facilities. The institute develops specialized research tools and participates in collaborative Industry 4.0 initiatives. Core offerings include comprehensive lecture notes (Fundamentals of Fluid Power Parts 1 and 2, Fluid Power for Mobile Applications, Servohydraulics), a patented quick-start valve system (S-LEAP), AI-enhanced EHD simulation software (Fast EHD SiML), and extensive testing infrastructure for components and systems. Research focuses span mobile machines, smart systems, high-performance components, tribology, fluids, and gas/microsystems.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Fundamentals of Fluid Power Part 1: Hydraulics (2nd edition, 2018) Comprehensive textbook covering the entire field of hydraulics, including hydrostatics, hydrodynamics, flow calculations, component design, and basic hydraulic circuits. Available for purchase from the IFAS publication office.
- Fundamentals of Fluid Power Part 2: Pneumatics
Quantifiable outcome
- Computation time reduction from 1.2 seconds to 4ms for EHD seal simulations using PINNs
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability7 records
Feature3 records
Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- International Fluid Power CommunitycoreIFAS organizes the International Fluid Power Colloquium (IFK) every two years since 1998, bringing together researchers and industry professionals from around the world to share knowledge and developments in fluid power technology
- Fördervereinigung Fluidtechnik e.V. (Society for the Advancement of Fluid Power Technology)coreNon-profit society supporting fluid power research and education; co-organizes Industry Colloquium events and provides platform for networking between academia and industry
- Global Fluid Power Society (GFPS)coreInternational society promoting fluid power technology; supports knowledge exchange and research collaboration globally
- Fluid Power Industry Consortium (Fluid 4.0 Project)coreIndustry consortium including fluid power manufacturers, machine builders, system integrators, and end users collaborating on Industry 4.0 implementation for fluid power technology - developing digital twins, admin shells, and data spaces
- SFB/TRR280 (Collaborative Research Center)coreFunded research collaboration with multiple universities and research institutions in 2nd funding phase - focuses on gas and microsystems research
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Maha Fluid Power Research Center, Purdue University: Premier US university fluid power research consortium with similar industry-sponsored model, extensive testing infrastructure, and OEM partnerships; operates as a near-direct academic counterpart to IFAS.
- Aalto University (Mechanical Engineering): Finnish research university with strong mechanical engineering and energy efficiency focus; competes for EU Horizon and national research funding in adjacent fluid power and mechatronics domains.
- ETH Zurich (Mechanical and Process Engineering): Top-tier European technical university with active tribology and fluid power research groups; comparable talent output and industry-aligned applied research portfolio.
- Tampere University (Hydraulics and Automation): Nordic university group with long-standing fluid power, automation, and tribology research, comparable talent pipeline, and parallel industry cooperation model.
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Mech. Engineering): European technical university with active fluid power and tribology research, similar publicly-funded research institute structure, and industrial sponsorship patterns.
Broad incumbents
- Festo SE & Co. KG: Global pneumatics and automation manufacturer with dedicated research arm and education division (Festo Didactic); directly collaborates with IFAS on pneumatic efficiency research.
- Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology (IWU): German applied research organization with overlapping production technology and digitalization focus; shares the German public R&D ecosystem and industry partner base.
- Parker Hannifin Corporation: Major motion and control technologies manufacturer with valve, condition monitoring, and sealing research; IFAS partner and comparable global fluid power R&D investor.
- Linde Hydraulics GmbH & Co. KG: German-based hydraulic component and system manufacturer with significant in-house R&D and historical ties to academic fluid power research in Germany.
- Bosch Rexroth AG: World-leading fluid power manufacturer and IFAS industry partner; operates substantial in-house R&D that competes for the same talent pool and industry mindshare.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems social profiles
Digital presenceInstitute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems
What does Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems do?
IFAS conducts fundamental and applied research in fluid power technology including hydraulics, pneumatics, tribology, high-performance components, smart systems, and gas/microsystems. It offers research cooperation projects with industry partners, test field services using extensive component and system test benches, professional training courses in hydraulics and pneumatics, and educational lecture notes and textbooks.
Is Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems a public or private company?
Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems is a public company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems founded?
Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems was founded in -1. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems based?
Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems is headquartered in Aachen, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Public Research Funding is the primary driver. The others are industry Cooperation Projects, lecture Notes and Publications Sales and training and Professional Education.
Who are Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Maha Fluid Power Research Center, Purdue University, Aalto University (Mechanical Engineering), ETH Zurich (Mechanical and Process Engineering), Tampere University (Hydraulics and Automation) and KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Mech. Engineering). Broad incumbents are Festo SE & Co. KG, Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology (IWU), Parker Hannifin Corporation, Linde Hydraulics GmbH & Co. KG and Bosch Rexroth AG.
Does Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems have an API?
No public API is recorded for Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems.
What industry is Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems in?
Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems's product category is Fluid Power Engineering Research. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHAGAB, Hydraulic Power Units & Systems (HPUs, Manifolds, Integrated Circuits), with a secondary code of EDAOAHAF, Hydraulics & Pneumatics Systems. Its NAICS code is 541690 and its SIC code is 8731.