Jigging is a Software Problem Now Brett Kinny Spec sheets for truss assembly machinery describe the press: tonnage, roller diameter, table length. They say less about the software, yet on an automated table the software decides where the pucks go, where the truss sits, how much of the table is in use, and what happens when the next truss... Read More November 2026 Issue #18328 Page 29
SpeedStack is a Process Organization Marvel Edmond Lim, P.Eng. In truss manufacturing, productivity depends on more than cutting lumber quickly — it depends on delivering the right material to the right table in the right sequence. Enventek’s SpeedStack software brings order to this critical handoff, helping plants combine the efficiency of... Read More November 2026 Issue #18328 Page 40
The Strategic Advantage of Payment Deferrals for Equipment Purchases Carl Villella As the fourth quarter unfolds, component manufacturers and industrial operators face a critical strategic window. Balancing year-end tax planning with ongoing liquidity requirements is a delicate undertaking. For businesses looking to expand production capacity or replace aging machinery right... Read More November 2026 Issue #18328 Page 89
The Last Word: The Shape of Truss Plates Joe Kannapell, PE The shape of today’s truss plates was greatly influenced by their little-understood production processes. While these processes involve proprietary methods, their underlying technology was conceived decades ago in the tool and die shops and the punch press plants across America, and both... Read More November 2026 Issue #18328 Page 188
Resilience, Innovation and Connection at BCMC Cullen Ellis It was great to attend another BCMC this year in Columbus, reconnect with so many incredible people from across the country and around the world, and see the projects and innovations that continue to drive our industry forward. For nearly two decades, I have attended this show in a variety of... Read More October 2026 Issue #18327 Page 29
The Legacy of Visionary Tommy Wood Alison Karrer Seeing everyone at BCMC and talking about how far we’ve come as an industry, I was reminded of what a visionary we had in Tommy Wood. Like FedEx founder Fred Smith, Tommy was born and raised in Marks, Mississippi — a small-town beginning for a man with big ideas. Lowell Thomas... Read More October 2026 Issue #18327 Page 58
Bauhaus Philosophy Garry Roehr In 1919, Walter Gropius founded an art and design school in Germany that merged fine arts with craftsmanship and mass production. He established a cross-disciplinary approach and a philosophy that form follows function which has shaped modern architecture, furniture, and graphic design. An... Read More October 2026 Issue #18327 Page 109
Q4 Tax Strategy For Component Manufacturers Carl Villella As the fourth quarter gets underway, component manufacturers and truss builders are assessing annual balance sheets and planning strategic investments for the coming year. In an industry driven by continuous innovation — from automated truss assembly tables and automated saws to advanced... Read More October 2026 Issue #18327 Page 117
Familiar Faces and New Technology at BCMC It had been a while since my last visit to BCMC, and I went to Columbus looking forward to catching up with people, seeing what was new, and spending some time around the equipment that keeps our industry moving. I eventually found nearly everyone I hoped to see, although finding my way around... Read More October 2026 Issue #18327 Page 124
Truss Production, Reimagined Wendy Boyd Truss production has changed dramatically over the past few decades. What once relied heavily on manual jig systems, operator experience, and physically demanding processes has steadily evolved into a more connected, automated, and data-driven environment. Today, elements such as software,... Read More September 2026 Issue #18326 Page 29