Edmond Lim, P.Eng.

Symmetrical Batching is Cut-by-Truss at High Velocity

Edmond Lim, P.Eng.

For years, component manufacturers have faced a classic operational dilemma: choose the high-volume speed of traditional batch cutting on component saws or opt for the simplified material flow of cut-by-truss on linear saws. Because linear saws could “stretch”/optimize lumber, this...

#18325 Cover image
August 2026
Issue #18325
Page 38
Michael Bell

The Real Cost of a Component Saw

Michael Bell

When The Truss Company purchased its first RetroC component saw in 2014, the company was understandably skeptical. At the time, the RetroC was still a relatively new product, and some questioned whether it could hold up in a high-volume production environment. The saw would be expected to...

#18325 Cover image
August 2026
Issue #18325
Page 49
Glenn Traylor

Are You Sawing Smarter, Not Harder?

Glenn Traylor

Do you prefer using a linear saw or a component saw? Both saws can cut lumber cleanly, so other factors need to be considered, especially when batching your cutting. Often, batching decisions are made solely on cutting quantity. While this is a very important factor, the decision is more...

#18324 Cover image
July 2026
Issue #18324
Page 19
Kathryn Pedde

Automating Lumberyards with JAX-XL

Kathryn Pedde

When one of the largest truss companies came to see JAX The Wood Retriever picking for three saws, they asked, “Why not five saws?” Watching our one gantry doing a good job, it became obvious that the JAX system could operate with more than one JAX gantry, like a roof truss...

#18324 Cover image
July 2026
Issue #18324
Page 81
Simpson Strong-Tie Staff

BCMC 2026 Preview: Equipment Solutions from Simpson Strong-Tie

Simpson Strong-Tie Staff

The 2026 Building Component Manufacturers Conference (BCMC) is just around the corner. Our team is eager to present the latest innovations at our booth this year, including cutting-edge equipment, software, and services. This year, we are proud to feature a range of advanced saws, including...

#18324 Cover image
July 2026
Issue #18324
Page 151
Wendy Boyd

From Blade to Data: Can Cutting Become a Measurable, Optimized System?

Wendy Boyd

Walk into most structural component manufacturing facilities across North America and you’ll see a familiar contrast: highly sophisticated design software upstream, increasingly automated assembly downstream — and somewhere in the middle, cutting processes that still rely heavily on...

#18322 Cover image
May 2026
Issue #18322
Page 29
Edmond Lim, P.Eng.

Dump and Chase is Just-in-Time

Edmond Lim, P.Eng.

In hockey, “Dump and Chase” is highly effective depending on how deep the puck is dumped into the opposing team’s defensive zone, and how hard the dumping team will chase and fight to get back possession of the puck. The strategy is to physically punish the defending team and...

#18322 Cover image
May 2026
Issue #18322
Page 58
ROGworx Team

Come Meet the ROGworx Badger

ROGworx Team

We know how great the Badger EWP Processing Center is, and now you can come see it in action too. We’re pleased to offer LIVE demos in Emporia, VA, Lavonia, GA, and Columbia, MO. Just contact us to schedule a tour. Here are a few reasons why you should check it out: The Badger...

#18322 Cover image
May 2026
Issue #18322
Page 67
Edmond Lim, P.Eng.

Catch the Lumber, Then Smell the Roses

Edmond Lim, P.Eng.

I’ve been to Boston a few times, but like most business and installation trips, it usually goes the same way: fly into the airport, drive a few hours, get the work done, and head straight back home. There’s never any time to actually pause and “stop to smell the...

#18321 Cover image
April 2026
Issue #18321
Page 40
Joe Kannapell, PE

The Last Word: Celebrating and Remembering Jerry Koskovich

Joe Kannapell, PE

Jerry Koskovich, inventor of the first robotically controlled truss equipment, passed away March 17, 2026. Jerry was a singularly gifted entrepreneur who started from scratch in the truss industry as a TPI QC inspector in Minnesota in 1973. While doing his inspections on the shop floor in many...

#18321 Cover image
April 2026
Issue #18321
Page 186
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