How Do You Determine Fabrication Tolerances During Design? Glenn Traylor How does a component manufacturer determine what fabrication tolerances should be used during truss design? To answer that question, we first need to clarify what is meant by “fabrication tolerance.” Per ANSI/TPI 1–2014, the guidance is 3.3.2 Fabrication Tolerance. All... Read More May 2024 Issue #16298 Page 35
An Extreme Plant Makeover in Pictures Edmond Lim, P.Eng. “Are you crazy? We are not going to move our saw! We cannot afford to shut down for weeks to turn things upside down.” Those are words I’ve heard more than once, but it turns out I am not crazy. Saws can be moved and the process improvement can be accomplished in days and not... Read More May 2024 Issue #16298 Page 46
Using AI to Find the Sweet Spot for Automation and Optimization Valerie Hansen Today, as an industry, we build faster, cut faster, design faster – thanks to technology and the automation it enables. The offsite construction industry is built on smarter design, more efficient fabrication. Whether in the office or on your plant floor, automation is very much a part of... Read More May 2024 Issue #16298 Page 69
Do You Know the Frequent Non-Compliance Issue That’s “Easy” to Fix? Glenn Traylor The photo shows a 2 x 4 truss with an ANSI/TPI 1 non-compliance issue. This is something that never should have happened! Can you spot the problem? [For photo, See PDF or View in Full Issue.] If you shouted, “a missing connector,” then give yourself a gold star! As I was ranking... Read More April 2024 Issue #16297 Page 35
Revolutionizing EWP Processing: The Hundegger TURBO-Drive II All-in-One Saw Solution Steve Shrader In the evolving landscape of engineered wood product (EWP) processing, Hundegger is setting new standards with an innovative solution that seamlessly merges software and hardware capabilities. The Hundegger TURBO-Drive II represents more than just a piece of equipment; it is a comprehensive saw... Read More April 2024 Issue #16297 Page 50
What is the Best Way to Handle Defects Under the Plated Area? Glenn Traylor Everyone who uses lumber in trusses understands that defects in lumber can impact truss performance in different ways. Some defects are not important but others will affect truss performance and can even cause truss failure. [For all photos, See PDF or View in Full Issue.] In the first photo,... Read More March 2024 Issue #16296 Page 35
Batch Cutting vs. Cut By Truss Edmond Lim, P.Eng. What weighs more, a pound of muscle or a pound of fat? In truss jargon, the question would be: What produces more trusses, 200 pieces of batch cutting or 200 pieces of cut-by-truss cutting? The answer, of course, is that both cutting methods produce the same number of trusses. So what’s... Read More March 2024 Issue #16296 Page 44
All Things Wood: Substantial Wood Truss Content at Virginia Tech Course Frank Woeste Sponsored by the Virginia Tech Continuing and Professional Education program, a three-day program on light-frame and mass timber construction design topics will be offered on May 14–16, 2024 in Blacksburg, VA. Joining me as instructors this year are Scott D. Coffman, PE, John Holland, MBA,... Read More March 2024 Issue #16296 Page 64
Opportunities Abound at 2024 MSR Workshop in Charlotte MSR Lumber Producers Council Spring is in the air and that means it’s time to register for MSRLPC’s annual MSR Workshop! Join attendees from across North America as they convene on April 17 in beautiful downtown Charlotte, NC, for three days of valuable learning and networking opportunities with an incredible... Read More March 2024 Issue #16296 Page 74
Can Eased Edge Lumber Usage Impact Truss Design? Glenn Traylor Originally intended as an improvement in lumber manufacturing, most dimensional lumber used for framing has a radius corner created during the planing process. The rounded corner radius is intended to make the lumber easier to handle and can improve the lumber’s performance because sharp... Read More February 2024 Issue #16295 Page 33