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It seems like every (Pick a word: day, month, year) we attempt to bring order to some chaotic part of our (Pick a word: jobs, homes, lives), only to be thwarted by something we didn’t foresee. Try as we may to maintain consistency, something always interrupts the balance. So, what can we...

Downstream and upstream, the linear saw continues to improve the flow of truss manufacturing. Increasingly, cutting and assembly are treated as interdependent processes and have begun to be tied together. Jim Urmson started this, others have followed, and a “cut truss-by-truss”...

Decisions, decisions – how do you decide between a retrofit for your plant or upgrading to a new truss line? It’s all about the options. Let’s Start with the Retrofit Retrofitting an existing table is not for the faint hearted, so it’s important to know you have...

One of my clients’ most often asked questions is, “How exactly do we track and implement an incentive program?” Most companies are willing to pay their manufacturing employees more wages (incentives) based on greater output. Yet, the vast majority of wood truss component...

Due to the nature of wood, lumber characteristics can vary in every piece. Even “in grade” lumber can have drastic variations in performance. How can we deal with and adjust for natural defects and variability? We have discussed roof trusses in previous articles, including...

One unique thing about our industry is the diversity among markets across the country. The upper Midwest does things very differently than the South. The methods used in the West don’t align with the those used in the East. None are wrong, but most are very different. At their core, each...

Can you spot the Lumber PickLine in the satellite image? Contrary to the myth that it will “take up too much space,” a lumber PickLine can actually save space by utilizing existing truck lanes and by following existing forklift flow. For example, this outside PickLine has ample 35 ft...

As you may already be aware, the Fed has committed to raising interest rates in 2022. Will you have your financing in place before the rates move higher? One of the many advantages of working with Acceptance Leasing and Financing Service is that we have a number of financing programs that...

Visual tools are essential throughout the different phases of design and construction. Today, 3D models play a major role in construction projects, as they help improve productivity. Component manufacturing is no exception. The 3D Viewer Tool was developed and modernized to help component...

It’s important to review our standards on a regular basis, so that we can update and improve them over time. Businesses evolve, technology evolves, and so too should our definition of best practices. For wood trusses, our current standard is ANSI/TPI 1–2014 National Design Standard...