What are the Minimum Grade Requirements for Lumber When Manufacturing Components? Glenn Traylor With high lumber costs and volatile pricing, it is very reasonable to look for options to normal resources. Many fabricators and lumber manufacturers have been experimenting with using non-regular channels for lumber, including some choices that have created problems and issues with their... Read More July 2022 Issue #14276 Page 39
Which is Better: Plate Placement Method or Tooth Count Method? Glenn Traylor To answer the question of which is the better method, we should start with a little background. A critical plate is a plate with a Joint Stress Index of 80% or greater. The ANSI/TPI 1–2014 Standard stipulates that critical plate inspections must be conducted when completing the three... Read More June 2022 Issue #14275 Page 39
Is Perfect Lumber Required to Make Great Trusses? Glenn Traylor Due to the nature of wood, lumber characteristics can vary in every piece. Even “in grade” lumber can have drastic variations in performance. How can we deal with and adjust for natural defects and variability? We have discussed roof trusses in previous articles, including... Read More May 2022 Issue #14274 Page 43
Time to Review the National Design Standard Jay Jones, P.E. It’s important to review our standards on a regular basis, so that we can update and improve them over time. Businesses evolve, technology evolves, and so too should our definition of best practices. For wood trusses, our current standard is ANSI/TPI 1–2014 National Design Standard... Read More May 2022 Issue #14274 Page 75
Who is the Most Important Person in Your Truss Operation? Glenn Traylor Who is the most important person in your truss operation? The designer who creates the projects? The guy who signs the check? Without sales there is no business, so is it sales? Let’s make an argument for someone you might take for granted. There is a person who looks at every job –... Read More April 2022 Issue #14273 Page 43
Innovation in Action at Vekta Ed Serrano In business today, it is necessary to be agile and responsive to change. But, to have that real edge – the ability to truly set yourself apart – you need to be unique. Your solutions need to define I-N-N-O-V-A-T-I-O-N. As a company, Vekta defines innovation. By reviewing how the... Read More April 2022 Issue #14273 Page 54
Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) Greg Watson The term “MMC” may be heard more and more regularly these days, but what does it mean? Simply described, modern methods of construction centers around off-site construction practices, some of which may be innovative, allowing for mass production in a factory setting. As a... Read More April 2022 Issue #14273 Page 107
Has More Automation Resulted in Too Little Information to the Truss Builder? Glenn Traylor Today’s technology has made life easier for the truss designer and others in the truss fabrication process. In the early days of the truss industry, we used, reused, and modified existing designs to create new designs using paper, pencil, and a handy Smoley’s Book. Soon we graduated... Read More March 2022 Issue #14272 Page 43
What Can We Do About Missing Connector Plates? Glenn Traylor Previously, we’ve reviewed the top manufacturers’ defects according to a survey of In-house inspections. (See my April 2020 article, “How Do Your Manufacturing Errors Rank on the List?”, for the top ten items and ways to correct them.) While wane in the plated area topped... Read More February 2022 Issue #14271 Page 43
Can You Store Trusses at the Truss Plant or the Jobsite? Glenn Traylor Face the facts. Trusses are large and bulky. They take up a lot of space and often cannot be stored inside. They have a shelf life. What are the factors that need to be considered? Are there ways to extend the shelf life of trusses? Are any of the methods currently used counterproductive? In... Read More January 2022 Issue #14270 Page 45