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... Read More August 2026 Issue #18325 Page 38
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... Read More August 2026 Issue #18325 Page 49
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... Read More July 2026 Issue #18324 Page 19
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... Read More July 2026 Issue #18324 Page 81
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... Read More July 2026 Issue #18324 Page 151
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... Read More May 2026 Issue #18322 Page 29
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... Read More May 2026 Issue #18322 Page 58
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... Read More May 2026 Issue #18322 Page 67
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... Read More April 2026 Issue #18321 Page 40
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... Read More April 2026 Issue #18321 Page 186