Joe Kannapell

Floor Truss Technology, Part II: Early Machinery

Joe Kannapell

It wasn’t enough for Jack Schmitt, President of Truswal, to introduce wood-web floor trusses. He also had to demonstrate how to build them, and that required a special machine. Schmitt turned to his trusted associate, Carl Virta, to come up with a process, and Carl knew who could help him....

#15288 Cover image
July 2023
Issue #15288
Page 10
Russell Tangren, PE

Understanding Plate Tooth Count and Placement

Russell Tangren, PE

Imagine a third-party truss inspector is in the yard checking truss plates as part of quality control. The plate placement diagram indicates the web needs twenty-five teeth; however, the inspector counts twenty. Even though the shop positioned the plates as designed, is the plate placement...

#14281 Cover image
December 2022
Issue #14281
Page 80
Glenn Traylor

Are You Counting Your Teeth Correctly?

Glenn Traylor

On occasion, we are required to utilize a detailed tooth count to qualify a connection on a metal plate connected wood truss. Fortunately, we have several tools that can assist us. My June article, “Which is Better: Plate Placement Method or Tooth Count Method?”, includes a...

#14279 Cover image
October 2022
Issue #14279
Page 33
Glenn Traylor

Which is Better: Plate Placement Method or Tooth Count Method?

Glenn Traylor

To answer the question of which is the better method, we should start with a little background. A critical plate is a plate with a Joint Stress Index of 80% or greater. The ANSI/TPI 1–2014 Standard stipulates that critical plate inspections must be conducted when completing the three...

#14275 Cover image
June 2022
Issue #14275
Page 39
Tuomo Poutanen, PhD

The Evolution of Glued Trussed Joists

Tuomo Poutanen

I-joists dominate the joist market due to their high material efficiency and low manufacturing cost. However, this product has disadvantages, including difficulty in HVAC installations and the possibility of bottom chord support only. Therefore, the market would pay a considerable premium for a...

#13265 Cover image
August 2021
Issue #13265
Page 86
Glenn Traylor

Can Designs Be Modified During Truss Manufacture?

Glenn Traylor

The simple answer to the title question, can designs be changed during manufacturing, is yes. But, the situation is rarely straightforward and simple in reality. The better question is: What considerations are necessary when making modifications to the design while manufacturing a truss? To...

#13263 Cover image
June 2021
Issue #13263
Page 41
Glenn Traylor

Can Automation Eliminate Paper in the Truss Plant?

Glenn Traylor

With the invention of integrated production methods, one of the greatest evolutions has been the electronic transfer of information from the truss designs to the computerized equipment, eliminating human error and translation issues. Automatic puck systems, lasers, ink jet marking, or shop...

#13258 Cover image
January 2021
Issue #13258
Glenn Traylor

How Can Member to Member Gaps Be Corrected?

Glenn Traylor

The Advertiser - June 2017 | Page #30 Compliance with ANSI/TPI 1–2014 requires maintaining member to member gaps at less than 1/8 inch. An exception would be for floor truss chord splices where the limit is 1/16 inch. While building trusses, the code calls for tight joints. In a...

#12252 Cover image
July 2020
Issue #12252
Page 35
Glenn Traylor

Are You Creating a Culture of Quality?

Glenn Traylor

On a recent trip to Japan to observe construction manufacturing methods, I was struck by the amount of time a plant manager spends on the production floor. Comparing this Japanese methodology to our truss industry, our plant managers and upper management spend relatively little time engaged in...

#12247 Cover image
February 2020
Issue #12247
Page 40
Frank Woeste. P.E.

All Things Wood: Unpredictable Nature and Cause of Cracks at Gypsum Panel Ceiling Joints Perpendicular to Framing

Frank Woeste

Introduction In some arid parts of the Southwest, the occurrence and recurrence of cracks at taped gypsum panel (drywall) joints between panels in residential projects have been reported in trade magazines since the mid-1990s. In some homes of a project, one or two cracks or ridges appear at...

#12246 Cover image
January 2020
Issue #12246
Page 60
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