Given the recent, unexpected passing of John “Chip” Dean, I thought it only right to begin this new series on Truss Design Technology with reflections I collected from him. Three years ago, knowing Chip’s background as an iconic truss designer and pioneer in our industry, I...

Celebrating its 60th anniversary, Alpine will showcase the latest innovations helping shape the future of component manufacturing at the Building Component Manufacturers Conference (BCMC) and Framers Summit (FS), September 14–18, 2026 in Columbus, OH. At booth #845, attendees can...

Last month, I published “Freedom to Choose Any Plate Vendor—Without Disrupting Your Operation,” which explained why a component manufacturer (CM) needs practical supplier alternatives, not merely the ability to change vendors. This month, I’ll show how you can keep the...

Component manufacturers are operating in a market with little room for waste. Housing demand is difficult to predict. Material prices shift quickly. Labor is expensive and difficult to find. Customers still expect competitive pricing, dependable schedules, and fast turnaround. Those pressures...

Every project begins the same way: a set of plans, a stack of details, and thousands of decisions waiting to be made. Somewhere between the architect’s vision and the completed structure lies a process filled with interpretation, calculation, coordination, and estimation. For decades,...

Most component manufacturers (CMs) do not choose a plate vendor based only on connector plate pricing. The decision also affects engineering, technical support, training, production planning, software, reporting, and other parts of the business. Over time, those systems can become so connected...

In the mid-20th century, Toyota revolutionized manufacturing with a clear idea: eliminate waste, optimize the flow of value, and improve continuously. Lean manufacturing changed how physical goods are built by putting the worker’s time and effort at the center of every decision. At...

Frame and truss machinery has always competed on mechanical engineering design, and it still does. But, when you ask a plant manager where the day-to-day pain and gains in their plant actually come from, increasingly the answer is software. Throughput, uptime, operator experience — these...

Component manufacturing is a constant balancing act. People, timelines, communication, production realities, and customer expectations, all at once. Estimators are trying to turn quotes around faster, designers are solving problems that keep getting more complex, and production teams are...

Perhaps you’ve seen our company name or maybe you’ve watched my episode of The Common Chord by Paragon, People First Innovation in Truss Design. But if we haven’t met, let me introduce myself. I’m Jarred Frescura, Managing Partner and Director of Design Services for...