From Blade to Data: Can Cutting Become a Measurable, Optimized System? Wendy Boyd Walk into most structural component manufacturing facilities across North America and you’ll see a familiar contrast: highly sophisticated design software upstream, increasingly automated assembly downstream — and somewhere in the middle, cutting processes that still rely heavily on... Read More May 2026 Issue #18322 Page 29
Find Good People and Grow Old With Them Alpine Team Six decades of partnership, practical innovation, and growth: That is the legacy Alpine® celebrates as it marks its 60th anniversary. Turning the big 6-0 is something that hits some people hard, while others consider themselves lucky to reach that milestone. But a business in a competitive... Read More May 2026 Issue #18322 Page 48
Dump and Chase is Just-in-Time Edmond Lim, P.Eng. In hockey, “Dump and Chase” is highly effective depending on how deep the puck is dumped into the opposing team’s defensive zone, and how hard the dumping team will chase and fight to get back possession of the puck. The strategy is to physically punish the defending team and... Read More May 2026 Issue #18322 Page 58
Come Meet the ROGworx Badger ROGworx Team We know how great the Badger EWP Processing Center is, and now you can come see it in action too. We’re pleased to offer LIVE demos in Emporia, VA, Lavonia, GA, and Columbia, MO. Just contact us to schedule a tour. Here are a few reasons why you should check it out: The Badger... Read More May 2026 Issue #18322 Page 67
Take a HyperLeap with AMT Robotics Garry Roehr Last month, in “Say Hello to AMT Robotics,” I introduced our Datum Squaring Table. This month, I’d like to focus on our HyperLeap Sheathing Bridge. You’ll find that our modular approach allows you to install the machine that best suits your current needs while giving... Read More May 2026 Issue #18322 Page 99
The Material Yield Opportunity Wendy Boyd Structural building component manufacturers across North America often track metrics like walls, floors, and trusses shipped each day, labor hours per unit, machine uptime, and on-time delivery. These numbers are important, but they don’t tell the whole story. There’s a quieter... Read More April 2026 Issue #18321 Page 29
Catch the Lumber, Then Smell the Roses Edmond Lim, P.Eng. I’ve been to Boston a few times, but like most business and installation trips, it usually goes the same way: fly into the airport, drive a few hours, get the work done, and head straight back home. There’s never any time to actually pause and “stop to smell the... Read More April 2026 Issue #18321 Page 40
Say Hello to AMT Robotics Garry Roehr Last fall, I had the chance to catch up with many of my peers at BCMC Omaha, and now I’m pleased to say Hello to an even wider audience. As an Industrial Engineer with 3 decades’ experience in PreFab, I am eager to share our innovative solutions to continue to help move our industry... Read More April 2026 Issue #18321 Page 70
Sales Tools: How Equipment Financing Drives Growth in Wood Component Manufacturing Carl Villella In an industry defined by efficiency, you aren’t just selling a piece of iron; you are providing a self-funding production tool. If a new linear saw reduces waste and labor costs by $15,000 a month and the finance/lease payment is only $4,000, the sale is no longer an expense —... Read More April 2026 Issue #18321 Page 79
The Last Word: Celebrating and Remembering Jerry Koskovich Joe Kannapell, PE Jerry Koskovich, inventor of the first robotically controlled truss equipment, passed away March 17, 2026. Jerry was a singularly gifted entrepreneur who started from scratch in the truss industry as a TPI QC inspector in Minnesota in 1973. While doing his inspections on the shop floor in many... Read More April 2026 Issue #18321 Page 186