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In this business, timing is everything. Whether you’re running a component manufacturing company or looking for your next job opportunity, the question often comes down to this: are you a buyer or are you a seller? A few years ago, my son-in-law’s family—who’ve run a...

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,...

With the Component Solutions® Truss Studio™ design software, you can draw areas on a layout which allow you to block out a specific area, preventing newly created trusses from passing through the designated obstruction area. These obstruction spaces (designated as cube shapes) can...

Where is the best location to start a business — the easiest place or the toughest? Choosing the easiest means you may or may not “have what it takes” to succeed in the toughest markets. But, by choosing the toughest, you may “set yourself up” to market yourself...

It’s August. The heat is relentless, the humidity unforgiving, and your design team is running as hot as a NASCAR pit crew in Alabama. Project timelines are tight, customer expectations are high, and every minute counts. So when someone suggests bringing in a new designer, it can feel like...

When a new designer comes on board—especially one with experience—there’s a good chance the onboarding process involves setting up their computer, pointing them to the right network folders, handing them a relatively simple job, and giving them a vague suggestion to “jump...

The ANSI/TPI 1 standard is a critical document that governs the design and quality criteria for metal plate-connected (MPC) wood trusses. It serves as a guideline for truss manufacturers and engineers alike, providing the technical framework to design and construct reliable and code-compliant...

Carol Sanford came of age during the 1920s, inspired by his inventive father, during one of the most inventive periods in American history. He grew up in Canton, OH, then a center of steel and stamping industries. After graduating from the University of Cincinnati and an architectural school in...

As we migrate from ANSI/TPI 1-2014 to ANSI/TPI 1-2022, it is important to discuss and be aware of Chapter 3 updates. These changes impact QC inspections and should be understood by your in-house QC inspector and your truss builders. The changes are in two categories in Chapter 3 — a...

In an industry long defined by hard work and incremental improvement, a new chapter is being written. But not everyone seems to realize it. Some are still telling companies to squeeze more productivity out of crews by reorganizing work paths, tracking stopwatch data, and optimizing jobsite...