CM Toolkit Search

How to...Increase Market Share By Converting Structural Steel to Cold-Formed Steel

  • Converting structural steel to its cold-formed steel equivalent showcases the flexibility, efficiency and cost saving benefits of the product.
  • Steel truss component manufacturers will generally have a difficult time competing with a non-pitched bar joist product at wide on-center spacings.
  • Schools and assisted living facilities are good candidates for conversion.

SBC Research Institute: A World-Class Facility Revealed

  • The grand opening of SBCRI took place on June 28 in Madison, WI.
  • Attendees were amazed at the capabilities and potential of the new facility. 
  • Component manufacturers and suppliers agree that SBCRI is long overdue and will play a huge role in the future of the structural building components industry.

BCMC 2007 Show Guide

WTCA Member Capitalizes on Extreme Experience to Convert Builder

  • The Extreme build helped Northeast Panel & Truss dispel misconceptions about wall panels and led their builder customer to embrace the product.
  • The experience convinced Amedore Homes that wall panels are quality products that are also efficient and economical.
  • The project couldn’t have been completed in the given timeframe without the use of wall panels, roof truss and floor trusses.

The Art of Radius Steel

  • Cold-formed steel is gaining respect and popularity in the industry thanks to challenging design projects and diverse construction applications. 
  • M-Truss worked on a luxury condominium project in Las Vegas that called for steel radius trusses and radius wall panels.
  • Companies like M-Truss have been successful by demonstrating the bottom line savings of cold-formed steel in the ease of installation and reduced labor costs.

A Rememberance, Jim Pruitt: The Patient Cowboy

Publisher's Message: Handling, Installing & Bracing

  • The focus of this issue is jobsite handling, installing and bracing.
  • Learn about a new educational tool on framing practices on page 30.
  • The builder featured on page 42 embraced BCSI out of necessity.
  • Polybagged with this issue is the annual Supplier Showcase and the supplier listing.

WTCA Update: Open Quarterly Meeting Minutes: Aug. 17, 2007, San Francisco

  • Staff travel to chapters may be reduced. Instead, the use of Internet technology could be cost-effective alternative to live meetings.
  • Staff will monitor recent changes in immigration policy and provide updates through SBC Industry News and Legislative Alerts.
  • Component manufacturers were encouraged to keep up on the fire performance of wood trusses, information from Carbeck, and team up with staff on truss plant tours.

Build Strong Relationships: Preparing for D-Day

  • You have a powerful tool at your disposal that can go a long way towards cementing a strong relationship with your lawmaker: your production facility.
  • You have nothing to lose—start building these relationships today!

Retirement: Pat Shugrue • Bama Truss & Components

Laying Out the Facts about Framing

  • Steven Spradlin of Capital Structures helped develop a Truss Technology Workshop entitled “Today’s Wood Framing Systems—Problems and Solutions.”
  • He presented the TTW to a group of building inspectors from the Code Officials of Arkansas in June.
  • Spradlin believes building inspectors would catch more framing problems if they had a plan of structural information for all residential inspections.

Truss Technology Workshops Restructured to Increase Usage

  • A subcommittee was formed to look at how to better target TTWs for architects and engineers, building officials and contractors.
  • If the broader construction industry is more educated about components, the products will be more widely accepted and used.
  • The new plan offers TTWs to industry professionals at no cost. Quizzes for CEU credits can be purchased for $25 each.
  • Other changes offer component manufacturers more options for viewing and administering TTWs.

Jobsite Safety Is No Accident

  • With BCSI, WTCA provides a high caliber safety and technical resource.
  • The BCSI series has raised the bar on safety for the producers and the end-users of all manufactured products.
  • One “small” accident resulted in a serious spinal injury and claims over $150,000.
  • The unfortunate incident caused this builder to tighten its reigns on jobsite safety practices.

Truss Brace Splicing Methods

  • This new bracing detail eliminates significant wood waste.
  • Bracing is comprised of two parts—continuous lateral restraint (CLR) and a series of diagonal bracing members (“spaced at 20' intervals”).
  • For every 16' piece of CLR installed, 4' of lumber is lost.

Publisher's Message: Next Stop—2008!

  • This issue covers topics relating to quality assurance and manufacturing. Find a Recap of BCMC 2007 on page 64 and an exhibitor directory on page 71.
  • Turn to pages 24 and 30 for updates on In-Plant WTCA QC and TPI’s 3rd Party Inspection service.

WTCA Update: 2007 Top Chord Club Dinner Combined with WTCA Open Quarterly Meeting

  • The final WTCA Board Meeting of 2007 was held on October 5.
  • Winners of the 8th Annual Membership Drive were honored at the meeting and outgoing Board Members recognized for their service.
  • A social hour and the Top Chord Club Dinner followed the meeting.

Parting Shots

3rd Party Inspection/Audit: Your Partner in Quality Control

  • A 3rd party can assist with your QC program and be a valuable partner.
  • Set-up location and representative sampling are two inspection criteria detailed in ANSI/TPI 1 that can be easily misunderstood.
  • Being able to adjust inspection frequency as the production levels fluctuate is an efficient use of personnel’s time.
  • By consistently logging QC data, one plant was able to lower their default settings to 5° because crews were plating at a lower plate rotational level.