Parker Hannifin: How a Century-Old Industrial Giant is Pioneering AR Innovation
This article launches our series High Tech in the Heartland, exploring how innovation thrives beyond Silicon Valley.
A 100-Year-Old Tech Pioneer Embracing AR
Imagine a company celebrating its centennial with executives donning augmented reality helmets – not in Silicon Valley, but in Cleveland, Ohio. This was the scene at Parker Hannifin’s recent anniversary, proving that cutting-edge technology isn’t exclusive to coastal tech hubs.
Founded in 1917, Parker Hannifin began by developing pneumatic brake systems for transportation. Today, it’s a global industrial powerhouse with:
- $11+ billion annual revenue
- 50,000 employees worldwide
- 8,000+ patents
- NYSE-listed (PH)
“Parker has always considered itself a tech company,” says Peter Buca, VP of Technology and Innovation. “It might not be fashionable tech, but it’s just as crucial as software and hardware.”
Parker’s innovations powered milestones from Lindbergh’s flight to space missions
Ohio’s Hydraulic Valley: The Industrial Counterpart to Silicon Valley
While Silicon Valley revolutionized computing, Ohio’s “Hydraulic Valley” transformed industrial motion control. Parker stands at the center of this legacy, providing:
- Pneumatic systems
- Hydraulic solutions
- Electronic controls
“Our products are used anywhere a machine moves or transports people/objects,” Buca explains.
Parker’s early pneumatic brake systems revolutionized transportation
Augmented Reality: The Next Frontier in Industrial Control
Parker is piloting AR technology to revolutionize equipment maintenance and monitoring. Their partnership with Daqri involves:
- Testing AR helmets for industrial inspections
- Developing 10+ specialized applications
- Creating systems like Parker Tracking and Remote Events
“AR represents the next evolution in human control of complex systems,” says Buca.
Parker technicians testing Daqri’s industrial AR solution
How AR Transforms Industrial Maintenance
Traditional maintenance involves:
- Visual inspection at a single moment
- Limited historical data access
- Static repair protocols
AR-enhanced maintenance provides:
- Real-time machine data visualization
- Predictive analytics for future performance
- Cross-system performance comparisons
“With AR, technicians can integrate past data to foresee future issues,” Buca explains.
Technology and the Workforce: A Midwest Perspective
With 37 years at Parker, Buca offers unique insights on technology’s role in manufacturing:
- On automation fears: “Jobs aren’t being lost—they’re evolving”
- On Midwest innovation: “We’ve always been tech leaders, just not in software”
- On AR’s potential: “It extends human capabilities rather than replacing them”
Daqri CEO Brian Mullins echoes this perspective: “Our helmet helps workers adapt to new roles rather than be replaced.”
Peter Buca, VP of Technology and Innovation at Parker
The Next Century of Industrial Innovation
As Parker enters its second century, it continues redefining what it means to be a tech company. Buca concludes:
“Every company must master multiple technologies to compete today. This trend will only intensify. Parker has always been a tech company—we’re just making that more visible now.”
Celebrating 100 years of industrial innovation
This article is part of our High Tech in the Heartland series, exploring innovation across America.
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