Our industry has always been heavily reliant on information and details from our customers. Sometimes a customer is a homeowner, building designer, an architect, or even an engineer. A common constraint for many truss fabricators across the country is the lack of accurate or timely information....

Every time a company is ready to manufacture a wall panel project, they need to ensure the design specifications are reviewed and approved by all parties involved. A large panel project can go through many changes from the original design specifications. A gap in communication between invested...

Clyde Fredrickson, a CM in the remote reaches of South Dakota, was determined to find a cheaper solution to the $250,000+ auto-jigging systems. So, he worked through several alternate ways to shorten setup times, like printing out Jigset coordinates, and moving pucks manually to designated...

Our first installment of this series, Maximizing Your Equipment Investment, covered the communication and setup of saw and fabrication equipment. Our second installment, Optimizing Your Equipment Investment, took the process to the table. Next up, it’s time to explore the ease of use that...

CMs are still debating lasers vs. auto-jigging, 30 years after their introduction. While both have been continually enhanced, their relative performance has remained consistent. However, lasers gained traction much faster, especially after one of the most productive plants, Ron Bergeron’s...

Last month, we talked about how, after investing in a new piece of equipment, you may need to make additional changes to a process in your operation. Typically, the desired result of an equipment purchase is increased efficiency, so your software needs to be as flexible as you are as a...

Does this sound familiar? A truss fabricator makes the decision to invest in their business to increase capacity. They buy the latest and greatest automated saw, automated jigging system, or even a projection system. The new machinery is guaranteed to increase throughput versus what they are...

Alpine has a long, proven history of bringing engineering and software together to produce better results for Component Manufacturers. Alpine’s IntelliVIEW design software, industry-leading engineering analysis, and efficient design tools provide designers everything they need to get the...

Our industry is continuously changing—there is no denying this fact. There is always a hot topic that gives birth to new buzzwords which gain popularity and begin trending. One of the latest examples is “Off Site Construction.” Everyone has heard it and, like many things in our...

Price, speed, accuracy, footprint, service, and support. Those are the most common features considered when it comes to purchasing a linear saw. And, yes, they are important, but a linear saw is nothing but powder-coated steel and a blade until it’s told what to do. That’s why what...