How CLT and Mass Timber Technologies May Revolutionize Skyscapes Michael Weber Over the last decade — in outlets reaching from construction industry journals to the Boston Globe and the Economist; from CNN and Fast Company to Popular Mechanics; to Nautilus and TED talks — we’ve been hearing increasingly about mass timber and related phenomena:... Read More December 2021 Issue #13269 Page 112
The Last Word: CLT Revisited Joe Kannapell Do CMs have a role in Cross Laminated Timber Structures? I returned to the Apex Plaza (described on these pages in April 2021, The Last Word on CLT – Cross Laminated Timber) to find out. On my prior trip, I marveled at the beauty of the fully exposed beams, columns, and CLT floor panels.... Read More December 2021 Issue #13269 Page 138
Sixty Years of Machines, Part XXIV: Opposites Attract Joe Kannapell A David and Goliath struggle was brewing over the linear saw, and it was ready to boil over at BCMC in October 2002. It would pit Jim Urmson, a lone mechanic who was pioneering his first machine, against Alpine’s engineers, who had launched multiple winning machines. Though Urmson had... Read More November 2021 Issue #13268 Page 10
Back from BCMC, Our Welcome Friend Cullen Ellis It was great to see everyone back at the BCMC show this year in Omaha. Seeing all the familiar faces reminds us all how tight knit our industry is, especially after missing last year due to Covid. It felt like a typical annual family gathering with some relatives you talk to on a regular basis... Read More November 2021 Issue #13268 Page 19
Connecting and Learning in Omaha Tracy Roe BCMC 2021 was held last month in Omaha and we at Eagle Metal have to say — thank you to everyone who attended the show! Although we had only missed one year due to the pandemic, the gap since the last time we were able to gather with everyone seemed much longer than that. But thanks to all... Read More November 2021 Issue #13268 Page 58
Thanks from Triad for an Outstanding Show TRIAD / Merrick Machine Company Team BCMC 2021 in Omaha, NE gave customers the opportunity to see first-hand the new Triad ProFusion sheathing bridge—Triad’s latest programmable bridge with many new features to provide increased speed and increased flexibility while reducing labor. [For photos, see See PDF or View in... Read More November 2021 Issue #13268 Page 72
The Last Word: Witnessing Integration at BCMC Joe Kannapell At each BCMC, we’re able to see the evolution of our industry in real time. Right now, we’re seeing how to integrate machines that used to operate independently. These machines, the saws and the tables, have had sixty years of improvements, and a billion dollars of CM investments.... Read More November 2021 Issue #13268 Page 134
Sixty Years of Machines, Part XXIII: Linear Saw Wave Joe Kannapell As the new Millennium dawned, it still hadn’t dawned on CMs that a linear saw was a sure bet. Jim Urmson was getting great results with his rough prototype, but he didn’t know whether other truss shops would. Fortunately, Jim’s plate salesman, Sid Gwyn, was so confident in... Read More October 2021 Issue #13267 Page 10
MiTek Measures Seismic Forces to Develop Stronger, Safer Products Katie Kormann MiTek, a building industry innovator and enabler, continues to uncover ways to improve efficiencies and transform the building industry with better building solutions. In its latest endeavor, MiTek has designed and built a custom piece of equipment to perform lateral-load testing on walls that... Read More October 2021 Issue #13267 Page 56
Triad Machines Introduces: ProFusion Sheathing Bridge with Autonomous Operation! TRIAD / Merrick Machine Company Team For over 60 continuous years, Triad has helped builders produce hundreds of thousands of homes and multi-family dwellings on our cutting-edge machinery, making the American Dream a little more affordable for thousands of families. Once again, Triad is proving that we are not only pioneers but... Read More October 2021 Issue #13267 Page 62