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The principle of limiting deflection in proportion to span was first established by Thomas Tredgold, a prominent British engineer born in 1788. He recognized that for a floor to be functional, its bending (deflection) needed to be restricted based on its length. Tredgold originally recommended a...

Real-world performance may not always match tested values. In light-frame construction, structural connectors are often treated as commodity hardware — selected from a catalog, installed in the field, and assumed to perform as designed. In reality, structural connectors are highly...

Join us at our booth at the BCMC Show in Columbus for a first look at the latest innovations designed to empower component manufacturers. Simpson Strong-Tie is excited to showcase new software, advanced equipment, and personalized services – all engineered to help your business grow. [For...

The Building Component Manufacturers Conference (BCMC) and Framer Summit returns to Columbus, Ohio, September 14–18, bringing together component manufacturers, suppliers, framers, and industry professionals for a week centered on practical learning, emerging technology, and face-to-face...

Despite wide recognition of the Hikel name, the Hikel’s themselves would point to their long-tenured people for their success. In fact, the youngest of their three generations, Ryan, said at their 50-year celebration on July 24, “We’re not the Hikel family, we’re the...

Every so often, we get a reminder that even smart people can be stupid. It can be amusing to see, or frustrating, or perhaps no one even notices. But we’re allowed to notice, and harmlessly mock if appropriate, as long as we don’t take ourselves too seriously in the...

At the June SBCA Open Quarterly Meeting (OQM), we had the opportunity to see the latest in truss robotics and hear about a formerly overlooked engineering issue. While both experiences were worth the trip to Seattle, it was equally rewarding learning about an unfamiliar market and meeting many...

Do you prefer using a linear saw or a component saw? Both saws can cut lumber cleanly, so other factors need to be considered, especially when batching your cutting. Often, batching decisions are made solely on cutting quantity. While this is a very important factor, the decision is more...

For years, I’ve seen efficiency in component manufacturing judged by how well a plant performs when conditions are stable — consistent orders, familiar product mix, reliable labor, and enough lead time to keep work flowing. But stability is not always guaranteed, and I believe that...

In last month’s article, “NEXPLATE: Achieving F1 Pit-Stop Speed in Truss Production,” we analyzed a production run of 80 long-span agricultural trusses using an “all-or-nothing” approach to automated plate distribution. We demonstrated how Enventek’s NEXPLATE...