Manufacturing operations rely on efficiency and accuracy. But is that limited to the literal manufacturing process only, or can companies take the same logical approach to evaluating all aspects of employee performance?  A well-defined set of Standards of Performance ensures employees...

“What do you mean you are stopping the QC inspections?” I could not believe what the operations manager was telling me when it was decided that we would no longer have each truss inspected at completion. Our truss company had always prided itself on delivering the highest quality...

Building engineers rely on maximum gravity reactions (R+) from Truss Design Drawings (TDD) to design structural components. These maximum reactions are calculated based on load combinations specified by building codes, representing the highest downward forces which allow engineers to determine...

A benefit of using Simpson Strong-Tie’s CS Truss Studio™ is managing the relationship between the truss self-weight and the dead load. Truss self-weight is checked against all applied dead loads to verify that there is enough assumed “extra” dead load to account for the...

As the competition gets more aggressive and the markets have slowed, your company’s sales are inevitably slowing, and margins are dropping. Let us face the fact that these are now becoming challenging times, and leaders must face these challenges in a healthy way. Whether you are a line...

Truss manufacturers looking to attract younger truss designers might want to think outside of the box. We have found one key issue affecting many Gen-Z truss designers and have a solution that may help entice them to your company—offering a Gen-Z-preferred workweek. Consider this: Gen-Z...

For many years, there has been a great deal of discussion at industry events, in component industry board rooms, and even in this publication about a looming shortage of design technicians. So, what is behind the wood truss designer shortage and why is it such a pressing issue? And, how can we...

The ANSI/TPI 1 standard is a critical document that governs the design and quality criteria for metal plate-connected wood trusses. It serves as a guideline for truss manufacturers and engineers alike, providing the technical framework to design and construct reliable and code-compliant trusses...

Uplift reactions are the result of a set of conditions that generally includes load types, load combinations, bearing locations, and web patterns. In most cases, especially those involving wind load combinations, uplift reactions are relatively small and can easily be resolved through the...

Good joint detailing at the design stage can help truss builders accurately position truss plates, including the back plate which is essentially positioned “blindly.” Laser projection is excellent for positioning the top face plate, however, it is subject to the same limitations for...