An automation battle was brewing in the late 1980s, but the first skirmish wasn’t over machinery. It was over software. Software that would minimize more than just the manual labor, but also the “thinking” done by machine operators. The time finally arrived when, after decades of development, truss cutting lists had become “dead on” accurate, even for the most complex pieces. In tandem, after decades of mechanical engineering, computer-like machine controllers (PLCs) were able to accurately run motors and move mechanisms. The union of truss software and PLCs would lead to a whole different generation of linear saws, but not until component saws paved the way.
In the 1990s, most CMs had to retain skilled saw operators to run their fully powered component saws. Though sawyers no longer had to hand-crank carriages and man-handle lumber, they still had to read a printed cutting list and “know” which one of the five blades to adjust. For scissors heels setups, they had to enter 9 different angle and centerline (PAE) settings. This took several minutes to complete. To lessen the process, boards with the same cuts could be batched together. But this created additional sorting labor. As a result, saws were often the bottleneck in production until Koskovich came along.
Jerry Koskovich’s innovation was two-fold. He eliminated not just the sawyer’s manual entry of cutting parameters, but also the sawyer’s painstaking thought process. To accomplish this, he “borrowed” from the machine tool industry the Programmable Logic Control (PLC) technology. Since a PLC is a controller of motors and mechanisms, and not a computer, Jerry had to rely on the truss design software to compute the blade assignments and send all the required cutting data to the Omni in a specific format (referred to as the “OMN” after its file extension). In the process he created a breakthrough machine, but in the process, he also showed software vendors how to compete with him.
Going into the 1990s, more CMs (and MiTek) learned of the success of the Auto Omni and realized that ONLY a fully automated saw could replace a skilled sawyer. Thus, the semi-automatic saw became much less attractive. But since Koskovich’s capacity was still constrained, these less-than-fully automated saws, like the Easy Set 2000, remained in high demand. And, if not for a well-respected customer, MiTek may have been lulled into complacency on further development.
When Henry Chambers found out what the Omni could do, he had to have a fully automated saw. He figured he could “break in” an upgraded MiTek’s DePauw-like saw, just as he and his brother Dave had done years earlier with Art DePauw’s breakthrough invention. However, getting the first Easy Set 3000 saw working still required all the finagling his 30 years of experience could muster. Fortunately, by the end of 1992, the 3000 worked well enough so I could sell one to a new entity, Builders Supply & Lumber (BSL).[1]
The MiTek Easy Set 3000 looked and cut identically to the 2000 saw. It contained the same early-generation Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) to direct the movements of the 2000’s mechanisms. It was driven by a saw file, like the Omni file, on a disk supplied by the design office. The sawyer retrieved and initiated cutting via the touch screen, rather than keying in all the cutting lengths and angles. But this process was much more complicated than it seemed, especially for a brand-new truss manufacturer.
The Spring 1993 installation of Easy Set 3000 #2 at BSL set in motion yet another evolution. Since this was BSL’s first foray into component manufacturing, they had presumed that automation would lessen the skill level of plant personnel that they would have to hire. And I didn’t know enough to dissuade them. So, we learned the hard truth together. Fortunately for both of us, a talented engineer, Mike Fuss, arrived on the scene from the aircraft industry. Mike moved into a motel nearby and immersed himself in the 3000’s technical issues. Later, one of the finest plant managers, Fred Schenkel, arrived and moved into the same hotel to focus on operations issues. It took both of their extensive efforts, and support from MiTek, to reach an acceptable level of productivity. From that trying experience we began to understand the necessity of skilled operators, maintenance people, and computer-savvy technicians to support increasingly automated equipment. Yet, we also realized that the equipment itself should include troubleshooting tools. And we knew that few, if any, truss plants would be able to recruit people of the caliber of Fred Schenkel or Mike Fuss.
We concluded from our automation travails at Chambers, BSL, and at other plants that our existing systems couldn’t keep up with the needs of our customers. To be successful in the coming Millennium would require a totally fresh approach in equipment, support, and training.
Next Month:
Cyber Success
[1] BSL became Builders FirstSource (BFS) in 1998.