Maximizing Profits with Patent Protection James Walker We all know the future belongs to off-site construction and the increasing use of components. Although it’s a small percentage now, it is projected to grow exponentially. It is a more efficient use of materials with less waste and reduces labor requirements – and this adds up to more... Read More September 2022 Issue #14278 Page 78
Design Connections: Design: Software Power or Brain Power? Geordie Secord I sometimes wonder if I am at risk of becoming the truss designer version of the grouchy old man that sits on the front porch yelling at the neighborhood kids to “get off my lawn.” When I hear some newer designer criticize the limitations of today’s truss layout and design... Read More September 2022 Issue #14278 Page 86
The Last Word: The Last Word on Totally Robotic Joe Kannapell Attendees at BCMC 2019 stood safely right next to an awesome gesticulating robot and became immersed in observing record-breaking truss building – virtually, that is, through a VR headset. Back then, Trussmatic robots hadn’t made it stateside, and hadn’t yet handled our crazy... Read More September 2022 Issue #14278 Page 130
The Development of the Truss Plate, Part I: The Perfect Storm Joe Kannapell A nearly perfect confluence of circumstances combined to create the truss plate in South Florida. The wartime home-building hiatus, the post-war baby boom, and the northward (from Cuba) and southward (snowbird) migration to Florida all combined to skyrocket the demand for new housing. But what... Read More August 2022 Issue #14277 Page 10
What Sets Businesses Apart is People Tracy Roe In any industry, even ours, people make the difference. If one product or service in any industry was overwhelmingly better than another, there wouldn’t be a choice for very long. This is an example of entrepreneurial spirit and culture building in its very definition. Most people... Read More August 2022 Issue #14277 Page 44
How to Rev Up During a Long Lead Time Edmond Lim, P.Eng. Just when you have calculated your traditional CapEx ROI saying “Yes,” you cannot pass “Go” until 2023 because your new machinery lead time is a year away. Now what? Now you should prepare for it! Instead of focusing on the wait, get better organized before your... Read More August 2022 Issue #14277 Page 50
8 Reasons Building Materials Companies Need to Pay Attention to Offsite Construction Mark Mitchell Is offsite construction just a fad or is it going to become the new normal for the construction industry? Is it an untapped market for manufacturers and suppliers? If your business is selling building materials, does it even matter whether you sell to offsite facilities or companies that... Read More August 2022 Issue #14277 Page 82
The Last Word: The Last Word on the Promise of Robotics Joe Kannapell When $20 Billion behemoth Builders First Source (BFS) launched a robotic truss line in April, CMs were surprised that they would select House of Design (HoD)’s first truss machine, and the industry’s first robotic floor truss line. Remarkably, after just over 3 months, they’ve... Read More August 2022 Issue #14277 Page 134
The Development of the Truss Plate: The Split-Ring Connectors Prequel Joe Kannapell For most of history, wood structures had been constrained by their connections. Nailed or bolted joints could only carry about half of what the wood could. As a result, our most abundant natural resource went mainly into homebuilding, where spans were short and stresses were low. That began to... Read More July 2022 Issue #14276 Page 10
We’re ‘Not Slowing Down’ Until We Reach BCMC 2022 Wendy Boyd This year’s BCMC theme is “No Slowing Down” and that sums up the activities at Spida! We’re now in full production mode with the exciting task of putting together our booth for the next Building Component Manufacturers Conference being held September 12–16 in... Read More July 2022 Issue #14276 Page 21