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 the control panels, but not the main power feed to the panel.

Things to Know About Electrical Installation

Pendant has licensed electricians on staff. Sometimes we quote the installation to be completed by our own staff, within limits.  Because we do not keep a roster of electricians stationed around the country, the primary limit is geographical.  For projects located in Maryland and a few surrounding states, we can perform the work ourselves. There are two main advantages. The first is that the travel expenses related to mobilizing the install crew are lower because of the geography. The second is that Pendant electricians are very familiar with installations for conveyor handling projects. If you have ever worked with electricians that aren’t familiar, you understand the problems you can encounter during installation.  These problems inevitably lead to delays and higher costs.

For other projects, Pendant has relationships with well-known, competent electrical installers that handle projects around the country. It is not unusual for one of these installers, performing as a subcontractor to Pendant, to become the installer of choice for the conveyor systems integrators with whom we work.

Other Considerations

A more subtle consideration arises from Pendant’s familiarity with electrical installation work and the associated costs. Pendant designs the control system with installation in mind. In practice, this means that Pendant may choose a different layout than you anticipated.  For example, in some cases it makes sense to install one or more additional remote I/O panels rather than a single panel centrally located. With this approach, on the surface an additional panel sounds like higher cost to you. But in practice, the overall cost of the installed system is often lower. Operational efficiencies also improve.

Clients ask less frequently for Pendant to add to our scope the oversight of the work of an electrical installation crew chosen by our client, but it can be very effective. This strategy ultimately saves cost by better keeping the project on track, both in terms of the schedule and functionality.

The Bottom Line

Although Pendant is not primarily an electrical installation company, we can help you make great decisions about electrical installation on your conveyor handling projects. Whether we complete the installation ourselves, choose a reliable subcontractor, or oversee your chosen installer, we have a variety of ways to make it easier for you to complete a successful project beyond control system design, engineering, and panel build.

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