As we enter 2026, with the excitement of the holidays behind us, we ask ourselves, what do we need to do to ensure that the best is yet to come? In reflecting on the start of another year, we have asked ourselves, what do we need to do to succeed? How can we do things better? How can we be...

When designing a truss to be used as a free-spanning structural gable or party wall application, additional dead loads may need to be considered. The MiTek engineering software does not account for self-weight of the truss or for any additional weight of sheathing or drywall being applied to one...

A test lab is a building product manufacturer’s one-stop shop for engineering, manufacturing quality, and performance verification. Whether supporting new product development, regulatory submissions, or customer assurance testing, a test lab must have the right tools to get the job done....

Thank you to everyone who visited the MiTek booth at this fall’s Building Component Manufacturers Conference (BCMC) in Omaha, NE. For those who walked through our Design & Production Center, we hope you enjoyed the view! [For all photos, See PDF or View in Full Issue.] Our...

MiTek engineers frequently receive questions on why the note “Solid blocking is required on both sides of the truss at joints…” appears on an engineering drawing and how to address it. This often arises at the high heel joints. [For all images, See PDF or View in Full...

Get ready to see our integrated solutions at the upcoming Building Component Manufacturers Conference (BCMC) 2025 in Omaha, NE. Our booth will feature industry-leading software, automated production equipment, engineered systems and products, and service capabilities that empower component...

A Repetitive Member Increase (Cr) in truss design accounts for the load-sharing and composite action that occurs when multiple members, connected by load-distributing elements, act together as a system. This is an adjustment to allowable stresses of multiple members (like trusses, joists,...

Today’s construction industry is governed by a complex network of building codes and standards. In the U.S., the development cycle for new building codes spans three years, while the creation of new standards may take even longer. As a result, adoption and acceptance of innovative,...

Chapter 7 of ASCE 7-22 (Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures) introduces significant changes that affect the magnitude of snow loads and, consequently, truss design. While some of these changes reduce snow load values, others increase them. One of the...

The International Code Council (ICC) recently completed the first of two Group B Code Action Hearings (CAH) in Orlando, Florida, from April 27 to May 6 for development of the 2027 I-Codes. The second CAH will be held in October in Cleveland, Ohio. This marks a significant milestone in the new...