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Today I have a jumble of ideas in my head that I’m going to attempt to congeal into a coherent post. You’ll notice from the Featured Image that I’ve settled on …

Let’s keep it simple today.  Of the countless conversations we’ve had over the years about warehouse software, the overwhelming majority included a user talking about their level of dissatisfaction with the …

Okay, I know that’s a confusing title at best, and a crazy one at worst. But I wanted to lighten it up a bit this week because so far this year, …

Warehouse eXcellence, simplified.  Pretty clever tag line, right? Well, maybe not. But which would you rather have, a more clever tag line that is, as they say in Texas, “all hat …

At a very high level, there is only one goal when you choose to invest in warehouse automation, or more specifically warehouse software, and that is to improve the performance of …

In the previous post in this series, we discussed some of the ways we put into practice one of our design principles for the Revolution Street WXS, which is “freeing the …

As I write this we’re already into our 8th day of the new year. If you’re like me, every year time seems to pass faster than ever before.  A simple Google …

Pete K. and I made a visit to Dallas this week for his first ever business trip. We arrived at BWI Airport and learned that the departure for our non-stop flight …

I’m writing this post with NFL football pregame stuff on in the background.  One video sequence focused on the importance of communication between players for the play call to work. It …

Pendant decided to implement EOS earlier this year. It’s an entire management system that helps your team constructively address all of the critical areas of the business.  According to our implementer, …

“It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.” – David Steindl-Rast “Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am thankful that …

Our team interviewed candidates for several positions over the past few weeks, and it got me thinking about core values. Terms like core values, core purpose, vision, and mission mean different …

Chalk it up as an experience from which to learn. Michael and I discovered Friday that wisdom, animal magnetism, boyish good looks, and an abundance of charm are not nearly enough …

As you can see in the main photo, Pendant celebrated Halloween on Friday with a pot-luck lunch where participants dressed as a bunch of hard-to-decipher characters in costume. For your benefit, …

“Summer’s lease hath all too short a date” – W. Shakespeare I write this on Labor Day, 2022. Whether you think of Labor Day as the end of summer, or go …

“We enjoy making each other laugh and creating a fun working environment. We don’t take ourselves too seriously. We believe that a team that has fun together performs better.” Having fun …

Greek myth is rich with tales of how things came to be, and out of these tales come myriad lessons for humankind. Lessons usually illustrate consequences of actions taken or not …

Mother’s Day 2022 is a few days from now. I was recently thinking about my Mom, who passed about four years ago just shy of 91, after a couple of years …

If your office is like ours, every so often someone cooks up a challenge that other team members eagerly take on, only to experience  “buyer’s remorse” afterwards. Last week, out of …

“So I knew something was wrong, ugh. Yeah those brackets that Pendant provided are not for receptacles. They are meant for the field devices that Pendant provided if I’m not mistaken.” …

This “live” post starts with me eavesdropping on a debate in our Zion Conference Room about who is the best PLC programmer at Pendant, James or Rob. For the record, I …

Ok, we’ll admit right up front that we were reaching for something to blog about this week when James, just by being James, and in this case channeling Andre Romelle Young …

“Picture an egg. Day after day, it sits there. No one pays attention to it. No one notices it. Certainly no one takes a picture of it or puts it on …

Did you make a New Year’s resolution? It’s the beginning of the third full week in January and chances are you might have already given up your resolution. According to a …

Please forgive the formatting on the links in today’s post.  The link editor function is malfunctioning and I believe it will require a software update to restore the functionality. Please hit …

Last year around this time, Jason hit us with a Griswoldian gem of an ugly Christmas sweater that had its own kind of charm. The Griswold sweater Even if you’re not …

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues but the parent of all others.” – Marcus Tullius Cicero I’m big into gratitude. So big into it, that sometimes I stupidly allow …

It’s a gamble using an overused pun in your blog post title. In this case we couldn’t resist. If you have ever been to our office, you know that James, when …

automaton aw-tom–uh-ton, -tn noun, plural au·tom·a·tons, au·tom·a·ta  [aw-tom–uh-tuh] . a mechanical figure or contrivance constructed to act as if by its own motive power; robot.   Stuck for something to write about today, and […]

The third quarter ended at the end of September. At Pendant, that means it’s time for the quarterly conversation with each team member. The quarterly conversation comprises a discussion about how …

Yesterday our neighborhood held a community yard sale during the day, followed by a block party and bonfire in the evening. The yard sale experience, as my wife can attest, resides …

Occasionally we like to refresh your memory on how to get timely and accurate conveyor handling control system quotes. Today we present you with a list of 10 things to include …

We’re switching focus for this post away from our usual conveyor handling controls content for a brief overview of Timpson Training Panels. Timpson  http://timpsontraining.com/  created a way for power utilities to …

“Quotidian – occurring every day; daily” Each morning, Jason leads our team through a meeting we call “The Quotidian”. It’s a word Rob introduced to us earlier this year after he …

Most of the projects we design rely on 24VDC controls. Occasionally our client requests a 120VAC installation. Understanding the pros and cons of each approach is useful. 24VDC Controls The major …

You get to the startup phase of your project, and now you’re leaning heavily on the conveyor controls to make it all work. Done well, startup goes quickly and the system …

“Summer’s lease hath all too short a date” – William Shakespeare “Summer should get a speeding ticket” – Somebody else Tomorrow is Labor Day, marking the unofficial end of summer. In …

The title of this post may seem odd. After all, some people may think of Pendant as a control panel shop, as if the control panels are the only product. Control …

Pendant learned this week that we achieved inclusion on Inc magazine’s Inc 5000 list for the second time. See Last Year’s Post   We checked in this year at number 1080 on …

We ship automation parts frequently from our panel shop in Havre de Grace, MD, to warehouses, manufacturing facilities, food processors, and more. Some shipments contain assembled control panels we load and …

In Pendant’s first Vlog post, Pendant Founder Rob Ward gives his light-hearted take on the serious business of contract change orders.  Enjoy!

Like many companies, occasionally we push the stop button and turn off the business to have a little fun.  Today is one of those days. Not long after we publish this …

In a post earlier this year, we gave you a very preliminary peek at the Pendant Warehouse Control System currently under development.  Earlier WCS Update It’s time to share some more …

Happy Independence Day to you and yours.  We decided this year to celebrate on the 5th to turn it into a 3-day weekend.  We are working today. As you can see …

There is a lot going on in our panel shop. Brad and team are hard at work cranking out Timpson Training Unit panels to fulfill orders for multiple clients.  TTU We …

Because we reside in Havre de Grace, Maryland, we are fortunate enough to be surrounded by a lot of wildlife.  Our weekly activity includes several “walkabouts” in which I accompany someone …

Rob, James, and I visited a local retail client this week to take a look at their existing slide shoe sorter in operation.  The system includes a  7:1 sawtooth conveyor merge …

A very colorful Baltimore sports commentator, Charlie Eckman, had a favorite phrase he used over and over.  After a game won by expert execution of fundamentals, he often said, “It’s a …

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other word would smell as sweet.” –  William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet “Don’t call me Justin!” –  Jason Usilton, …

Pendant’s home town, Havre de Grace, Maryland, has an abundance of history for so small a place.  Today, May 3, is the anniversary of the attack by British Marines in 1813 …

We haven’t written about James in a while. This is one of those times where he’s in demand, needing to be in three places at once. Detroit lays claim to him …

Spring is here and this week it started to prove itself, at least for a few days.  The Pendant team took advantage of the fine weather on Wednesday, at Matt’s invitation …

We spend a lot of time in ecommerce fulfillment centers, working on conveyor handling control systems. As a result, we’re interested in observing trends and understanding where our end clients’ businesses …

Every team needs someone to lighten things up from time to time and be a reliable source of laughs.  You have the best of both worlds when you have a team …

As a control systems integrator focusing on the conveyor handling segment, every Pendant project requires a cost-effective field device count. In today’s post, we share some thoughts with you about how to …

The team at Pendant works constantly on building systems. We know the emphasis is strong enough when team members make jokes about how often we mention systems and their importance. In …

Clients often ask Pendant to quote electrical installation as part of an overall control system proposal. The electrical installation scope usually includes the materials and labor to wire field devices and …

Sounds exciting, right? Pendant is rolling out a new Warehouse Control System (WCS) later this year. Excitement is what we’re going for. Key Principles We’re prioritizing the following characteristics of the …

“That’s been one of my mantras – focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But …

2018 Look Back – a Year in Industrial Automation   What to say about 2018, Pendant’s 13th year in industrial automation? Lots, actually. Here’s a brief summary. It was a record sales …

If you’re a meteorologist, it’s already winter in the Northern Hemisphere. But if you’re an astronomer, winter will begin this Friday at exactly 5:23 pm here in Havre de Grace, Maryland, …

It Starts The first week in December is already past. The weirdness of December has begun. December has a unique tension to it.  There’s the madness of having a gazillion things to …

Controls Engineer Joke A controls engineer crossed a road one day, when a frog called out to him and said, “If you kiss me, I’ll turn into a beautiful princess.” He …

“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorns have roses.” – Alphonse Karr   There is always something you can complain about if you choose. In every …

News for this Week We welcomed Brad Hoffman back into the fold this week. It’s Brad’s head that looks like it is growing out of the bride’s left hip in the photo. …

Three Key Startup and Commissioning Skills I visited a project site last week where Pendant is in the startup and commissioning phase.  The project is a sizable return center with lots …

Warehouse Automation What does the term  “warehouse automation” mean to you? It can have a lot of meanings, but at the big picture level it means using machines to do at …

I could have used these guys today. If you don’t get the reference, it’s an exercise in probability.  Someone once suggested that if you had an infinite number of monkeys, each of …

Control Systems Projects and Versatility In an earlier post,  Cross Training, we shared a view of Pendant’s versatility in executing control systems projects. The current portfolio of projects further demonstrates that capability. …

Since our new Project Manager, Jason Usilton (pronounced with a short “u”), has been with Pendant for a few weeks now without doing any damage, we figure it’s safe to formally …

James went somewhere a little while ago. We hear that he is on a startup out West. We hear that he is doing well. But we haven’t seen him for a …

Startup and Commissioning – It’s a Process Let’s be honest at the start – we have a vested interest in creating this blog post. The startup and commissioning process is when you …

The dog days of summer are drawing to a close as the controls team at Pendant approaches the Labor Day break. As kids, summer seemed eternal, and Labor Day brought a …

Here’s How to Get a Useful Controls Quote How often have you accepted a controls quote without a lot of detail because you have major time constraints? How often have you regretted it? …

Growing onto the Inc 5000 We learned this week that Pendant Automation made the Inc 5000 list for 2018 for the first time. You can see the Pendant profile here:  Pendant Inc 5000 profile  …

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. …

Do It Right or Suffer the Consequences Pendant shipped two large control panels yesterday, heading for Las Vegas. The project team worked diligently to create the design and produce CAD drawings, …

What is cross training? Google “cross training” and you get about 650 million results, most of them related to exercise activities. Entrepreneur defines cross training in the business sense thus: Teaching your …

Renovations, Paraskevidekatriaphobia, Pendant Day, and New Additions   Some random musings and news from Pendant Automation on a steamy morning in Havre de Grace: The panel shop has been moved to …

Thoughts on Growth and Its Causes Part 2 – Aiming High Publicly traded companies often face the wrath of Wall Street analysts for two things – aiming too high and falling …

Thoughts on Growth and Its Causes Part 1 – Learning   Pendant Automation is closing an excellent first half of 2018, a period of rapid growth, following several years of sustained growth.  …

Pendant has outgrown its existing panel shop and is in the process of opening a substantially larger panel shop next door to Pendant’s headquarters in Havre de Grace, Maryland. Based on …

Freezer Scan Tunnel Test James is in a deep freeze this week. Yesterday he sent us a brief video of a scan tunnel test he performed. When you watch the video, …

Pendant control panel shop to expand (and stuff besides the control panel shop) Here’s a summary of some interesting (well, we think they’re interesting) happenings at Pendant: Next week, Pendant is closing …

Control Panel Builder vs Control Systems Integrator You may be tempted at times to think of a company that produces control systems as a control panel builder. Yes, it’s true that control …

The Debate A Google search comparing  PLC/SCADA systems to a DCS approach yields over 500,000 results. PLC vs DCS Google search Many of the articles in this search attempt to make comparisons …

This year Pendant sent three team members to MODEX, the supply chain conference put on by the Material Handling Institute (MHI) http://www.mhi.org/ in Atlanta.   https://www.modexshow.com/ Observations on MODEX 2018 Here are some …

Easy Access to Control System Information This is the second of two posts, this one focusing on the entire control system.  This is how Pendant makes your life easier when we …

Easy Access to Field Device Information This is the first of two posts, this one focusing on the field device.  This is how Pendant makes your life easier when we execute …

Where’s James? At the Shelf o’Tutelage It’s been a while since we wrote a “Where’s James” post. We’re thinking that James was getting impatient, and so he gave us a perfect …

We Can – But Should We? Controls and automation “people” are notoriously curious, especially about whizbang new technology. This clip from “The Big Bang Theory” summarizes how it feels when you get …

When is the Control Panel Design Complete? We read an article about control panel design the other day in Control Design magazine. You can read it here: https://www.controldesign.com/articles/2016/control-panel-design-starts-with-the-basics/ We especially liked this …

How We Do Business – Part 5 We will be loyal This is the last post in a series introducing you to five principles that describe how we do business at …

How We Do Business – Part 4 We will respond This is part of a series introducing you to five principles that describe how we do business at Pendant Automation. The …

What’s a Timpson? Train with live voltage We recently shared with a conveyor handling client some details about the industry segments we will be serving in 2018.  Conveyor handling control systems …

How We Do Business – Part 3 We Aim to Be Profitable This is the third in a series introducing you to five principles that describe how we do business at …

How We Do Business – Part 2 We Own Our Mistakes This is the second in a series introducing you to five principles that describe how we do business at Pendant. …

How We Do Business – Part 1 Fairness and Respect We’re about to launch a revamped website, with a more modern look and feel.  One section of the new website is …

Be the Duck “I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.” People often misattribute this quote to Mark Twain.  Blaise Pascal, a 17th …

January Musings It’s our last post for the first month of 2018 (already).  It was an interesting January, with plenty of highlights (and lowlights): The month started with Rob Ward Day …

Your Project Management Post-Mortem Will Be Less Painful If . . . Effective project management processes include an effective “post-mortem” review of the project by the members of the project team.  …

Starting ’em Young How do you take a company that starts out as a small electrical contracting business and grow it into a substantially larger Control Systems Integration company specializing in …

Winding Down? Nope, We’re Gearing Up. The end of 2017 is approaching fast. A time of year for wrapping things up, winding down, calling it a year, dropping the curtain, except… …

Sometimes Automation Works Against You… Automation is wonderful.  For example, it’s great that we have things like automated doors which allow us to enter and exit buildings hands-free.  Somehow this enterprising …

The Shelf o’Tutelage Mistakes. They’re frustrating, aggravating, and disappointing, right? Especially when someone else is responsible. We live in an imperfect world, where mistakes happen.  They can cost you and your …

Thanksgiving Thanksgiving, right around the corner.  How did it get here so fast? The nature of Pendant’s business is that it’s a little “lumpy”.  As a mainly project-based business, there are …

Christmas Comes Early for James We are overdue for a check-in with James, Pendant’s versatile and well-traveled controls engineer, who last time we saw him was at the beach in the …

Quiet Friday It’s unusual for the office to be as quiet as it is today. But there is an awful lot going on. One of the nice things about being a …

What’s Important Now? “What are we doing here today?” This question was on the minds of our team members this morning as we began a meeting to discuss Pendant’s core values. …

“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.” – Albert Einstein Change is in the air.There is a …

James and the Solar Eclipse We’ve sent James on another startup, this time appropriately in the Sunshine State. James got caught up in the solar eclipse madness yesterday, and took a …

It’s Changing – And So Are We… We came across an article about the warehouse control system (WCS) the other day that was relevant to where our thoughts are at the …

At the Beach with James When we last saw James, his head was stuck in a cereal box that had been converted to a solar eclipse viewer while he was on …

Image from curious.com Writer’s Block Friday – The Robots are Coming! We’re hearing a lot about robots these days. But maybe we’re not quite ready for this… RoboCup

Death By Change Order – and What You Can Do to Avoid It New clients of Pendant often express frustration at being nickel and dimed by control systems integrators (CSI) in …

He’s in the HMI Zone Today James is showing off his versatility with us today by working on programming of the HMI in a large panel for a Conveyor Handling System …

For the Road Warriors – Hopefully You’ll Laugh More Than Cry When You See This Many of you (and us too) are road warriors, and it’s Writer’s Block Friday in July, …

Your HMI is Probably Capable of More Than You Use It For We are often left scratching our heads in wonder at the ways in which the HMIs on control panels …

Missed Design Opportunities?  Integration – An act or instance of combining into an integral whole. Integral – Necessary to the completeness of the whole. You issue a request for a proposal …

What’s Your Opinion?   We are often asked about our choice of PLC for the control systems we design, program, and build.  We are proficient with different PLCs and so we …

The Panel Shop is Jumping! Enjoy this shots of a few of our team members working on control panels and bringing a great first half of 2017 to a close for …

We Found James… Briefly   We had a James sighting today, right here in beautiful Havre de Grace, Maryland. It was brief, but at least we established that James was not …

Where’s James? Last week we shared with you a photo of James doing his best Wicked Witch of the West impersonation whilst on a startup in Pennsylvania James as WWow. This …

You’re Not in Kansas Anymore, James Today we’re just sharing a photo we took of James, one of our designers and programmers, going the extra mile during a recent conveyor handling …

What Really Matters in a Controls Project? Are you like many of the potential new clients we hear from, or do you do things a little differently? First Questions You Typically …

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” – Leonardo da Vinci   We all know that life and business can be very, very complicated and fast-paced. We’re in the process of creating a …

Successful Projects Made Simple   Atul Gawande (pictured) is a surgeon, writer, and researcher, who wrote one of our favorite books, The Checklist Manifesto, http://atulgawande.com/book/the-checklist-manifesto/which is an exhortation for the use …

Let’s say you’re in charge of getting a conveyor handling system installed for an important client at a Distribution Center in California on tight deadlines.  You have a great track record …