Home Building Technology, Part VI: The Original Wood Truss Manufacturers Joe Kannapell, PE Although last month’s article in this series, “Home Building Technology, Part V: Early Truss Connection Innovators,” brought our story up to the post-war time period, we would be remiss without acknowledging the original truss manufacturers in greater detail. A small group of... Read More June 2025 Issue #17311 Page 10
Is Your Downstream Crew Still Solving Problems Created Upstream? Steve Shrader Too often, systems that claim to be “automated” still rely on people to direct the flow. That reliance on people rather than true automation means you’re still solving problems downstream that were created by things happening upstream. A picker is still compensating for a... Read More June 2025 Issue #17311 Page 46
Home Building Technology, Part V: Early Truss Connection Innovators Joe Kannapell, PE Three midcentury forces converged to form the truss business we know today. First came the deluge of demand for affordable housing after World War II. Then came the prefabbers who addressed that need with trusses. And finally came the connector that made trusses into a blockbuster... Read More May 2025 Issue #17310 Page 10
It’s Not About Layout—It’s About Logic Steve Shrader When companies consider adding automation to their plants, often they’ll focus on certain details and think that’s all there is. But true automation is about more than just reorganization, and it can take your company to a new level of production and success. [For all images, See PDF... Read More May 2025 Issue #17310 Page 70
Revolutionizing Construction: The Future of Automation in Off-Site Building Practices Daniel Fothke The construction industry is on the brink of a significant evolution, propelled by the integration of automation in off-site construction practices. This shift is not merely a trend but a necessary response to the growing demands for efficiency, quality, and sustainability in building... Read More May 2025 Issue #17310 Page 78
Celebrating Excellence at the Triad/RUVO Annual National Trade Show TRIAD / Merrick Machine Company Team Approximately 50 companies journeyed to Alda, NE in April for our National Trade Show and Product Showcase hosted by Triad/RUVO (Merrick Machine Company). This “By Invitation Only” event welcomed attendees from across the US, Canada, and Brazil to our manufacturing facility in the... Read More May 2025 Issue #17310 Page 86
Setting Our Sights on Innovation and Expansion at Panels Plus Jeff Brown As we move into a new year, I want to take a moment to share what’s been going on at Panels Plus—and what you can expect from us going forward. We’ve always prided ourselves on delivering equipment that works hard and lasts, but we’re not content with standing still. The... Read More May 2025 Issue #17310 Page 94
Home Building Technology, Part IV: The $6,000 Question Joe Kannapell, PE Unions opposed it, builders dismissed it, but the American homebuyer would embrace prefabricated housing as soon as they could afford it. Despite fierce opposition, the government made it a reality by allowing FHA financing on prefabricated homes with loans of $6,000 or less. In announcing this... Read More April 2025 Issue #17309 Page 10
A Fork in the Road Ed Serrano “My only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner.” (— You, probably) It’s a common refrain from recent automation adopters, and you might just find yourself saying it one day. So, what makes that initial step feel like such a big leap and not just another step... Read More April 2025 Issue #17309 Page 54
Labor Tweaks Won’t Save Manufacturing—Automation Will Steve Shrader Manufacturing, in truss production, means transforming lumber and plates into engineered components through machinery, labor, and precise processes. In 2025, it’s more than labor—it’s automation. Some cling to the old beat, stacking bodies and tuning schedules as if headcounts... Read More April 2025 Issue #17309 Page 62