Can a Fabricator Mix or Substitute Connector Plates from Different Manufacturers? Glenn Traylor The simple answer is no, not normally, but the reasoning behind that answer merits discussion. It should come as no surprise that truss connector plates are tied to design software and ultimately engineering design. The problem is one plate manufacture is not equivalent to another plate... Read More March 2021 Issue #13260 Page 39
Theory of Constraints with a Practical Truss Design Solution Example Todd Drummond Theory of Constraints (TOC) is not often clearly understood, and it can be confused with Just in Time (JIT). Below is a simplified explanation with some examples about TOC that many should be able to relate to their operations. TOC is an offshoot of lean manufacturing principles. Every... Read More March 2021 Issue #13260 Page 47
Raising the Bar for Plan Finishing Tracy Roe At Eagle Metal, our TrueBuild® software gives you an efficiency advantage at every step in the design process. Our leading parametric 3D capabilities and app-free model sharing makes visualization painless and gives our customers more time to build. Last month’s article, Raising the... Read More March 2021 Issue #13260 Page 56
Genuine Business Partnerships Can Produce Amazing Results Ed Serrano “The team at Vekta was instrumental in the design of this system and were able to open our eyes to possibilities we didn’t know even existed. The finished product has not only met but exceeded our expectations. With the minimal footprint of the PackFeeder, the accuracy, speed and... Read More March 2021 Issue #13260 Page 65
Building Automation with Stiles Chris Scott In previous articles, we highlighted our amazing partners, touched on different industries, and broke down Stiles’ product lines. In this article, I am excited to spotlight Building Automation and the newest member of the team. What is Building Automation? Stiles’ Building... Read More March 2021 Issue #13260 Page 73
Calculator Preferences—How Does Yours Measure Up? While the biggest question about preferences in our industry isn’t about which calculator truss designers prefer, this month’s topic is just that. Over the past 20+ years, JobLine has run a survey asking Truss Designers what their calculator of choice is. While there are many... Read More March 2021 Issue #13260 Page 82
Lumber Briefs: Lumber Market Forecast Matt Layman Looking Around the Corner LEST WE NOT FORGET... the current lumber market condition is the by-product of a major disruption, not a lasting trend. The disruption consists of the following. Accelerated millennial transition from urban to suburban areas. This has created another... Read More March 2021 Issue #13260 Page 98
The Dilemma Facing Modular Construction Today Gary Fleisher As more builders, developers, and customers begin using modular construction instead of just thinking about it, the existing modular housing industry is being pushed, pulled, and thrown into a new reality. Too Much Demand! How can that be a bad thing? It can if there are very few new... Read More March 2021 Issue #13260 Page 102
‘Tsunami of Freight’ Points to Supply-Chain Holdups Lingering Past Spring Craig Webb Traffic jams at America’s ports, railroad terminals, and trucking centers all indicate that the supply headaches you suffered last year are likely to continue until deep into spring. Products from China that you sell are most at risk, but goods produced in North America also are having... Read More March 2021 Issue #13260 Page 104
Improve Your Structural Steel Designs with the Yield-Link® Software Webinar Series Jesse Russell With the introduction of the Simpson Strong-Tie Yield-Link® moment connection for steel construction, the engineering and software development teams at Simpson Strong-Tie created multiple design tools to support users in their specification of the Yield-Link technology. These tools range... Read More March 2021 Issue #13260 Page 118