Truss Production Equipment
Truss production equipment covers three stages of the manufacturing sequence: component handling, assembly, and stacking. At every stage, manual handling is where throughput gets lost and labor costs climb.
Most operations are looking for one piece of that sequence: a stacker that can handle the full range of truss sizes coming off the line, an assembly machine that takes the heavy lifting out of chord placement, or a component system that stages material without a crew doing it by hand.
Pendu builds equipment for all three stages, individually or as a complete system, engineered to your line speed, your facility layout, and what your operation requires.
Pendu covers the full truss production sequence. Each machine is built around the material it's handling, the speed the line requires, and the facility it's going into.
Component Handling: Truss production starts with 2x4, 2x6, or 2x10 lumber, depending on the truss being built. Those pieces need to be cut to angle and staged before assembly begins. Pendu builds component handling equipment that cuts, stacks, and stages material so it's ready for the assembly table, reducing the manual sorting and handling between the saw and the table. If your operation needs a dedicated saw for cutting components to angle, Pendu builds that.
Assembly: Once components are staged, they're laid onto the assembly table: top chord, bottom chord, and bracing. On a manual operation, that means workers lifting and positioning every piece, including the heaviest members. Pendu's automated truss assembly machine handles the top and bottom chords automatically, so operators only need to place the bracing. A plate roller presses connector plates into the wood on both the inbound and outbound sides of the table. The result is higher throughput and less labor at the most physically demanding stage of the process.
Pendu also builds truss tables for operations that are still assembling manually. Older tables use pucks that have to be unscrewed and repositioned by hand every time the truss configuration changes. Pendu can automate that positioning so the pucks move according to the design drawing, eliminating the manual setup step between runs.
Stacking: Finished trusses come off the assembly table and need to be stacked for staging or shipment. Pendu's truss stacker handles everything from short trusses to well over 100 feet long, and can stack on both sides of the line. That makes it possible to build multiple truss sizes on the same table in a single run and stack each size at the appropriate location, rather than making one size at a time and resetting between runs.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to buy equipment for all three stages?
No. Most operations come to Pendu looking for one piece of the sequence. A stacker to add to an existing line, an assembly machine to reduce manual handling, or a component system to speed up staging. Depending on what your operation needs, Pendu will build an individual machine or a complete system.
Can the equipment work with our existing truss design software?
Yes. Pendu's systems are vendor-agnostic on design software. The machine can download job parameters directly from the design system your operation already uses, regardless of which software platform that is.
What range of truss sizes can the stacker handle?
Pendu has built stackers that handle everything from short trusses to well over 100’ long. If you're unsure whether your truss sizes fall within range, that's a conversation worth having.
Can you stack multiple truss sizes in a single run?
Yes. Pendu calls it combo stacking. When a table is large enough to build multiple smaller trusses at the same time, Pendu's stacker takes each one off individually and stacks it at the appropriate location. Most stackers only work on one side, which limits the operation to building one truss size at a time. Pendu's stacker works on both sides, so the full table stays productive and nothing has to wait for a reset between sizes.
How does the automated assembly machine affect safety on the floor?
The automated assembly machine removes workers from the heaviest lifting on the table. Operators work from the bottom of the table placing bracing and connector plates, rather than being positioned in the middle of the table handling heavy chords manually. Safety fencing and guarding are part of the design, engineered around the specific system and facility layout.
How Pendu Engineered a Custom Truss Stacking System for DL Truss
DL Truss needed a stacker that could handle their full range of truss sizes without tearing out a working production line to install it. Pendu engineered a five-module hydraulic system built to integrate directly into DL Truss's existing conveyors, electrical infrastructure, and controls, drawing on every in-house discipline, including mechanical, electrical, programming, and controls, to make a clean retrofit possible. The system was built for 100’ trusses and has run 110’ trusses in production, with changeover time under one minute.
83,000
Sq. Ft. Of Manufacturing Space
25+
Years Of Engineering Expertise
