Joe Kannapell, PE

Home Building Technology, Part V: Early Truss Connection Innovators

Joe Kannapell, PE

Three midcentury forces converged to form the truss business we know today. First came the deluge of demand for affordable housing after World War II. Then came the prefabbers who addressed that need with trusses. And finally came the connector that made trusses into a blockbuster...

#17310 Cover image
May 2025
Issue #17310
Page 10
Steve Shrader

It’s Not About Layout—It’s About Logic

Steve Shrader

When companies consider adding automation to their plants, often they’ll focus on certain details and think that’s all there is. But true automation is about more than just reorganization, and it can take your company to a new level of production and success. [For all images, See PDF...

#17310 Cover image
May 2025
Issue #17310
Page 70
Daniel Fothke

Revolutionizing Construction: The Future of Automation in Off-Site Building Practices

Daniel Fothke

The construction industry is on the brink of a significant evolution, propelled by the integration of automation in off-site construction practices. This shift is not merely a trend but a necessary response to the growing demands for efficiency, quality, and sustainability in building...

#17310 Cover image
May 2025
Issue #17310
Page 78
Triad | Merrick Machine Company Team

Celebrating Excellence at the Triad/RUVO Annual National Trade Show

TRIAD / Merrick Machine Company Team

Approximately 50 companies journeyed to Alda, NE in April for our National Trade Show and Product Showcase hosted by Triad/RUVO (Merrick Machine Company). This “By Invitation Only” event welcomed attendees from across the US, Canada, and Brazil to our manufacturing facility in the...

#17310 Cover image
May 2025
Issue #17310
Page 86
Jeff Brown

Setting Our Sights on Innovation and Expansion at Panels Plus

Jeff Brown

As we move into a new year, I want to take a moment to share what’s been going on at Panels Plus—and what you can expect from us going forward. We’ve always prided ourselves on delivering equipment that works hard and lasts, but we’re not content with standing still. The...

#17310 Cover image
May 2025
Issue #17310
Page 94
Joe Kannapell, PE

Home Building Technology, Part IV: The $6,000 Question

Joe Kannapell, PE

Unions opposed it, builders dismissed it, but the American homebuyer would embrace prefabricated housing as soon as they could afford it. Despite fierce opposition, the government made it a reality by allowing FHA financing on prefabricated homes with loans of $6,000 or less. In announcing this...

#17309 Cover image
April 2025
Issue #17309
Page 10
Ed Serrano

A Fork in the Road

Ed Serrano

“My only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner.” (— You, probably) It’s a common refrain from recent automation adopters, and you might just find yourself saying it one day. So, what makes that initial step feel like such a big leap and not just another step...

#17309 Cover image
April 2025
Issue #17309
Page 54
Steve Shrader

Labor Tweaks Won’t Save Manufacturing—Automation Will

Steve Shrader

Manufacturing, in truss production, means transforming lumber and plates into engineered components through machinery, labor, and precise processes. In 2025, it’s more than labor—it’s automation. Some cling to the old beat, stacking bodies and tuning schedules as if headcounts...

#17309 Cover image
April 2025
Issue #17309
Page 62
Marco Gagnon

Custom Equipment for Any Project

Marco Gagnon

At Element Equipment, we pride ourselves in our custom machinery solutions. Since entering the market in 2021, we’ve made it our mission to look for additions to our equipment offerings that will add more automation to ease the pain of assembling building components. We are committed to...

#17309 Cover image
April 2025
Issue #17309
Page 70
Joe Kannapell, PE

The Last Word: Material Handling, Saw to Table

Joe Kannapell, PE

What’s inside your home today, and what will be on top of your house in the future, was or will have been handled by Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs). These are the small under-riding robots that carry all sorts of items from point A to B in plants or warehouses, eliminating manual...

#17309 Cover image
April 2025
Issue #17309
Page 176
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