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,...

The component industry continues to weather economic uncertainty, but history tells us that construction will help lead the recovery after this pause. When demand returns, it often returns quickly — and manufacturers who have not prepared can find themselves scrambling to keep up. That...

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...

In last month’s article, “NEXPLATE: Achieving F1 Pit-Stop Speed in Truss Production,” we analyzed a production run of 80 long-span agricultural trusses using an “all-or-nothing” approach to automated plate distribution. We demonstrated how Enventek’s NEXPLATE...

At a high-volume truss plant just outside Denver, Colorado, one person now keeps 14 build stations supplied with plates — truss by truss, across six tables. Not long ago, that same job meant carts of partial plates scattered across the floor, boxes and totes stacked wherever space was...

Purchasing the correct grade of lumber to match your design drawing requirements is only one step in selecting the right lumber. Previously, we’ve discussed lumber quality in “Who is Responsible for Lumber Quality in Your Trusses?,” but let’s expand that discussion with...

Affectionately dubbed 3.0, the latest generation of Enventek’s NEXPLATE injects Formula 1-style velocity to truss build tables. Building on the foundation of version 2.0 — which debuted last year at the Building Component Manufacturers Conference (BCMC) in Omaha — NEXPLATE 3.0...

It’s about time that a serious contender challenges the dominance of the roller gantry. Its life has been extended with lasers and auto-puck systems, but no upgrade so far has taken the hammer out of the hands of assemblers, its greatest drawback. The only alternative, the vertical press,...

Sometimes, a designed and engineered connection will appear to look like a member to member gap. Because of that, we need to ask the question: should the truss designer always try to eliminate a member to member gap in a truss? Generally speaking, yes, it’s always worthwhile, but there are...

Our industry design standard, ANSI/TPI 1, regulates numerous elements in constructing roof and floor trusses. The following is a brief non-exhaustive summary: Lumber grades and moisture content Pedigree of lumber grades and lumber management Controls on truss profiles Verification of...