Enventek has once again set a new truss industry standard with the introduction of NEXPLATE at BCMC in Omaha last month. NEXPLATE is Enventek’s latest lean manufacturing solution, poised to revolutionize truss plate picking. [For all photos, See PDF or View in Full Issue.]
This high-speed automated system streamlines the processes of truss plate picking, sorting, and distribution at the truss assembly tables. Designed to enhance safety, accelerate truss assembly, and eliminate plating errors, NEXPLATE efficiently standardizes the material handling of truss plates for improved accuracy and productivity.
Most truss plants utilize dedicated plate pickers and have set up a “short pick area” in the plant for efficiency. In my article announcing its debut at BCMC last year, “F1 Pit Stop Each Truss,” I explain that plates are picked in bulk to expediate the picking process. However, this bulk picking leads to wasted time when truss builders have to sort through the plates at the assembly table.
With NEXPLATE, truss plates are organized with one truss per bin, allowing for quicker distribution by a single assembler. This approach significantly reduces assembly time, producing more trusses in a shorter time period. Shown here is a short pick plate picking area that could easily fit a NEXPLATE machine.
Let’s compare NEXPLATE’s standard operating procedures for the distribution of plate pairs at the truss assembly tables.
Scheme A is shown in the example here (numerous distribution schemes are available) depicting that Bottom Chord joints will have plates distributed left to right, followed by the Top Chord joints distributed right to left.
The NEXPLATE bin will contain 16 pairs of tooth-to-tooth plates (total of 32 plates) arranged in the collated order as shown, starting with the “Bottom Plates” on the top layer of the bin.
Here’s a breakdown of a typical “bulk pick” to compare to the previous example of the organization of the collated plates of NEXPLATE that fills one bin per truss. In the cart picture, the plate picker picks and places multiple trusses onto a cart to be rolled to the truss assembly table.
The next photo is a closeup of the “bulk pick” showing all 32 plates that will need to be sorted at the table.
In comparison, the next photo is a typical NEXPLATE bin with plates dispensed along with a printed report of bin contents along with any “non-stocked” plates (if needed) to be manually picked to complete the truss.
Are you ready to see more? Please join us on Thursday, November 6, 2025 for Feed the Beast! Plant Tours in Warsaw, IN and Buchanan, MI. Register to see NEXPLATE 2.0 in action at Northern Indiana Truss, with an option to see NEXPLATE 3.0 at Enventek in Buchanan, MI. Register for this upcoming tour at https://limteksolutions.com/nexplatetour/.
Inside and out, LimTek Process Organization Technology will help you squeeze out more truss production and deliver quality trusses with shorter lead times to better service your customers by organizing your truss fabrication processes to maximize your investment in automation. Feed the Beast! https://limteksolutions.com/#solutions