Can Automation Eliminate Paper in the Truss Plant? Glenn Traylor With the invention of integrated production methods, one of the greatest evolutions has been the electronic transfer of information from the truss designs to the computerized equipment, eliminating human error and translation issues. Automatic puck systems, lasers, ink jet marking, or shop... Read More January 2021 Issue #13258
Who is Responsible for Lumber Quality in Your Trusses? Glenn Traylor There are many steps in the process of bringing lumber to the truss plant to be used in our trusses. Lumber must be harvested then sawn. Drying and planing brings the lumber closer to potential use, but it is not until the lumber makes it through the grading process that it is suitable for use.... Read More December 2020 Issue #12257 Page 37
Are You Missing an Opportunity to Market Your Product? Glenn Traylor Last month’s article, “Are Your Deliveries Making the Right Impression,” talks about aligning your product so the installers’ first impression is a positive one. Let’s expand this further. I am sure you have noticed the freight trucks on the highway moving product... Read More November 2020 Issue #12256 Page 35
Are Your Deliveries Making the Right Impression? Glenn Traylor So you won the order. Congratulations. The designs and the submittals were approved. Sounds great. The trusses were built with care and meet all of the necessary requirements. Awesome! Does it stop here? No, not really. The customer has not had a chance to really get a rock-solid impression.... Read More October 2020 Issue #12255 Page 35
Are Your Trucks Loaded Correctly? Glenn Traylor Recently while traveling, I photographed a load of structural components being delivered to a jobsite. It was a little of a double-take to comprehend what was on the truck, because our products really shouldn’t be that curved when they’re designed to be flat. As shown in the photo... Read More September 2020 Issue #12254 Page 35
Do You Know If Your Floor Machine Needs Attention? Glenn Traylor The old joke is: “What time is it when an elephant sits on your fence? Time to get a new fence.” So what time is it when your floor trusses look like this? It might be time for a new floor machine or at least some attention. In the photo [See PDF or View in Full Issue], the floor... Read More August 2020 Issue #12253 Page 35
How Can Member to Member Gaps Be Corrected? Glenn Traylor The Advertiser - June 2017 | Page #30 Compliance with ANSI/TPI 1–2014 requires maintaining member to member gaps at less than 1/8 inch. An exception would be for floor truss chord splices where the limit is 1/16 inch. While building trusses, the code calls for tight joints. In a... Read More July 2020 Issue #12252 Page 35
Are You Receiving Your Building Materials Properly? Glenn Traylor The largest expense in a truss plant’s operation is the lumber cost. It often represents 50% to 60% of the selling cost of the truss. With such a high percentage, most managers are always focused on saving lumber, optimizing lumber, and searching for the best price. Those aspects are... Read More June 2020 Issue #12251 Page 35
The Intrinsic Value of Hands-On Quality Assurance Glenn Traylor What makes up a great Quality Assurance Program? As you’ll recall, I listed 9 essential components for good QA in an article last year, “How Does a Fabricator Gain From a 3rd Party Audit?”. It’s no surprise that each one is rooted in the personal, on-site interaction that... Read More May 2020 Issue #12250 Page 37
A Scout Leader’s Perspective on the Coronavirus Glenn Traylor To say that this experience has been like no other is a major understatement. This episode in our lives may have transformed our fundament concepts and habits. It will most likely have a long-term impact on the way we do business. Many businesses and advocates have thrown up their hands in... Read More May 2020 Issue #12250 Page 130