Wall Panel Technology, Part VI: Panel Equipment Innovations Joe Kannapell As automation and robotics are increasingly embraced, it makes sense to review examples of successful implementations from the pioneers of past systems. Interestingly, the first successful fully automated component assembly in the U.S. involved wall panels rather than trusses. However, in many... Read More September 2024 Issue #16302 Page 10
MiTek to Showcase Innovative Solutions at BCMC | FS 2024 MiTek Staff As a global pioneer in the building components industry, we’re looking forward to presenting our integrated solutions suite at the upcoming Building Component Manufacturers Conference (BCMC) | Framer’s Summit 2024. Our booth at the event will feature best-in-class software, automated... Read More September 2024 Issue #16302 Page 52
Harnessing Data: The Key to Advancements in the Structural Building Industry Ben Hershey In the building industry generally and industrialized construction specifically, the utilization of data has become increasingly pivotal. This trend parallels the data-driven advancements seen in Formula 1, where precision, speed, and strategic insights derived from data have revolutionized the... Read More September 2024 Issue #16302 Page 71
The Last Word: Material Handling Bunk-to-Table Joe Kannapell Adding the last links to the chain of material handling – bunk-to-saw and saw-to-table – is intricately executed by Hundegger at Sunpro’s major expansion in St. George, Utah – and it’s cool! Yes, here in the northeastern-most part of the Mojave Desert, the Clyde... Read More September 2024 Issue #16302 Page 154
Wall Panel Technology, Part V: Whole House Evolution Joe Kannapell The dream of having a single person model an entire structure was admirable, but developing the software to do that turned into a decade-long struggle. Five years ago, I chronicled the development saga in my series on Fifty Years of Truss Design, Parts XI – XV. As the story told, the... Read More August 2024 Issue #16301 Page 10
Wall Panel Technology, Part IV: Software Evolution Joe Kannapell The creation of wall panel software is like the creation of all software – experienced insiders do it best. That was true with Gang-Nail’s AutoPan in the 1970s, which Joe Cotton developed while building wall panels for his homebuilding business. It was also the case with Ted... Read More July 2024 Issue #16300 Page 10
Increase Your Market Share By Adding Floor Truss Manufacturing Wendy Boyd If you’re in the business of roof truss manufacturing and you’re looking at ways to increase your market share, it’s time to consider adding floor truss manufacturing to your operation. Recent research shows that the global floor truss market is anticipated to rise at a... Read More July 2024 Issue #16300 Page 17
Building Relationships and Addressing Challenges with Simpson Strong-Tie Josh Fitzgerald My career at Simpson Strong-Tie came full circle this summer. As I take the reins as the company’s new Vice President of Market Development – Component Manufacturers, I can’t help but think back to my earliest days at the company when my path crossed with the Iowa Truss... Read More July 2024 Issue #16300 Page 50
Wall Panel Technology, Part III: A Dash of Software Joe Kannapell By 1980, many component manufacturers were anxious to computerize their wall panel work, but they weren’t getting much help. Gang-Nail’s AutoPan was the only available solution, but it had such a steep learning curve that Gang-Nail no longer promoted it. Plus, they were singularly... Read More June 2024 Issue #16299 Page 10
Stitcher Gets a Makeover Alpine Team Imagine a looming deadline, a complicated 2D, multi-family floor plan. It will take days to get accurate measurements, manually. STITCHER® streamlines the process by capturing walls, openings, and intricate details with precision, transforming a 2D architectural drawing into a 3D model in a... Read More June 2024 Issue #16299 Page 100