Scale Your Business & Profits MiTek Staff As a component manufacturer, you enable better building. As a partner to CMs across the country, MiTek does the same — from advanced design software and automated production equipment to innovative and integrated technologies that lead to a more profitable and stable future for your... Read More September 2023 Issue #15290 Page 54
When is a Smart Time to Buy Machinery? Wendy Boyd Determining the smartest time to buy machinery depends on various factors, including your specific needs, budget, market conditions, and the nature of machinery itself. When we have a conversation with our customers to help them determine their machinery requirements and decide whether it is... Read More July 2023 Issue #15288 Page 17
Are We Designing Our Components to Benefit Our Truss Builders and End Users? Glenn Traylor Many years ago, early in my career as a truss designer, I was interrupted by the production manager. He loudly entered my office with a piece of 2 x 12 and a circular saw and abruptly slammed both on top of my drafting table that was sporting a newly created truss layout. (We did not have... Read More July 2023 Issue #15288 Page 35
All Things Wood: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the CM Frank Woeste AI isn’t new, just in the national news lately. Recently, I visited a former student who did his PhD research on AI applications about 35 years ago at Texas A&M University. During our conversations, he shifted to the AI subject in his current work and suggested I try using... Read More July 2023 Issue #15288 Page 66
Face Time is Favorite at the MSR Workshop MSR Lumber Producers Council MSRLPC President George Hamilton summed up this year’s MSR Workshop in three simple words: quality time together. “The Workshop has always been centered on networking and education but this year’s event was particularly focused on the opportunity for people to enjoy some... Read More July 2023 Issue #15288 Page 70
Six Steps for Troubleshooting Equipment Brian Zengel Efficient troubleshooting minimizes downtime and disruption in the production workflow. It is critical to understand best practices for seamlessly troubleshooting equipment. Alpine® Equipment Support utilizes a six-step process for troubleshooting that helps find and fix problems faster,... Read More July 2023 Issue #15288 Page 100
6 Reasons to Talk to Spida Machinery Wendy Boyd Spida Machinery specializes in the design, manufacturing, and distribution of various types of machinery for frame, truss, and component businesses throughout the world. With three remarkable, dedicated, and machinery-focused manufacturing sites across the globe, we bring together the best of... Read More June 2023 Issue #15287 Page 17
Are You Providing Enough Information to Avert Failures? Glenn Traylor Recently, when a building owner started getting leaks in the roof and noticed unusual variations in the ceiling, I was asked to do an inspection to determine the best way to correct a deflection problem. Upon inspection, it was very evident that the roof trusses had not been installed correctly... Read More June 2023 Issue #15287 Page 37
Should We Seal All Engineered Drawings? Glenn Traylor Recently, while conducting an ANSI/TPI audit, a splice caught my eye. When I investigated further, I realized that the bottom chord of the truss I was investigating had a very short, 2” chord segment. I immediately assumed the truss builders had cut a short block to make up for a miss-cut... Read More May 2023 Issue #15286 Page 37
Catch the Early-Bird Registration for BCMC 2023 Tracy Roe May 1st means that early-bird registration has opened, so it’s time to start planning your trip to join us in Indianapolis for this year’s Building Component Manufacturers Conference (BCMC)! As a member of SBCA’s BCMC Committee, I always have a personal stake in the success... Read More May 2023 Issue #15286 Page 44