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Article
2006 April
- The WTCA Board voted unanimously to pass a resolution changing the name of the association to "WTCA – Represent-ing the Structural Building Components Industry."
- A management committee resolution was passed to change the Wage & Benefit and Financial Performance survey policy.
- Two new technical staff members have been hired, and the number of professional engineers on staff has increased to four.
- The design of the research and testing facility is nearing completion.
Article
2006 April
- A user-friendly automated saw requires a willing learner to handle its operator-dependent functions.
- Most automated saws today have some form of production reporting, including a comprehensive picture of everything that is going on at the machine.
Article
2006 April
- Boozer Lumber has taken a humanistic approach to employee training to accommodate the needs of a changing work force.
- The training strategy is vastly different from the traditional cerebral and academic-focused leadership training.
- One significant element of Boozer’s training involves employees’ career-long journey to self-awareness.
- The company’s culture change has positively impacted its bottom line and has allowed Boozer to differentiate itself from the competition.
Article
2006 April
- The Western Component Manufacturers Association has taken an active role in educating local and state building officials in Oregon.
- Through its educational efforts, WCMA has begun to forge relationships with the building inspector community.
- In the last six months, WCMA has been invited to participate in several meetings with the inspectors, who have been very receptive to the manufacturers’ information.
Article
2006 April
- The future of the industry is cemented in the simple truth that by using trusses, manufacturers can design more complex roof lines than with stick framing.
- The industry is entrepreneurial.
- Past presidents noted the far-reaching effects that consolidation could have on the industry and its leadership.
- Development and involvement of leadership from the larger companies in the industry is essential.
Article
2006 April
- A new design check, initially termed “chunk-out,” appeared in the truss design process with the adoption of TPI 1-2002.
- The appropriate technical term for chunk-out is actually “shear-out.”
- Understanding shear-out requires defining the stress distribution around the plate and comparing the magnitude of stresses to the wood shear strength under the plate.
- Future finite element stress analysis and testing has been planned in order to define the nominal stresses associated with the shear-out condition.
Article
2006 May
- 38 percent of survey respondents indicated they attend BCMC to exchange ideas with other manufacturers.
- Many manufacturers take ideas from BCMC home and determine how they can be implemented.
Article
2006 May
- Toe-nailing has long been recognized in building codes as an acceptable means of attaching wood members to wood bearing walls.
- WTCA has submitted a code change proposal to the IRC regarding the truss-to-wall connection requirements.
Article
2006 May
- SNCMA joined forced with the Struc-tural Engineers Association of Southern Nevada (SEASoN) by forming a truss committee within the engineers’ group.
- Using teamwork, the two groups successfully resolved issues surrounding drag loads and uplift.
- Most recently, SNCMA and WTCA staff provided content for SEASoN’s design responsibilities document based on language in WTCA/TPI 1 Chapter 2.
Article
2006 May
- This issue of SBC Magazine is devoted to design and engineering advancements.
- The cover story highlights a design challenge that Pioneer Truss couldn’t pass up. Though the structure was small, the effort it took to design and build the trusses with ultimate precision for it was not.
- In February, BMC West graciously welcomed members of the fire service to its facility in the Portland area. Atten-dees seemed most impressed with the truss design software and the overall level of professionalism displayed during the tour.
Article
2006 May
- Most youth are unaware of careers in the truss manufacturing industry.
- Raising awareness about your company locally can bolster market share and promote employment opportunities.
- Consider becoming involved in builder trade shows and career expos to showcase products and employment opportunities.
Article
2006 May
- BCSI 1-03 booklet will soon be revised. Individual B-Series summary sheets will then undergo updates based on booklet changes.
- The new version will be reformatted into an 8.5x11-inch spiral-bound three hole-punched booklet. q The most significant changes will occur in BCSI’s two bracing sections, B2 on temporary bracing and B3 on permanent bracing.
- A change in permanent bracing perspective was developed when WTCA worked with the National Council of Structural Engineers Association on a code change proposal for the IBC 2006.
Article
2006 May
- Studies conducted on manual component saws, once the standard of the industry, found that operators were spending more time doing the manual set-ups than they were cutting wood.
- Almost anything you can automate will likely be an improvement over the manual production method you are currently using. The average saw operator will do three to four hundred set-ups per shift with an automated saw.
- It doesn’t do any good to have a saw that sets up in seven seconds if it takes much longer than that to get the wood moving through the saw.
Article
2006 May
- This event is one example of WTCA’s work to provide solid technical education on the fire performance of trusses.
- The goal of the tour was to listen to the concerns of the fire service about structural building components in modern building construction.
- The fire service was very impressed with the level of sophistication programmed into the truss design software, asking questions about how it could be integrated into the pre-fire planning process.
Article
2006 May
- John Meeks began his post-military car-eer in the commercial concrete industry.
- Meeks met Gang-Nail’s Cal Jureit in Florida, and joined Automated Building Components, Inc. as the Engineering Manager in charge of building franchise chains.
- He became involved in truss design engineering at ABC, and also took an interest in bracing and installation while inspecting a truss collapse.
- Throughout his career and still today, Meeks has made his mark on the wood truss industry as a respected forensic engineer.
Article
2006 May
- Imagine taking a horizontal slice of a hard-boiled egg and looking at it from the top. Now imagine designing roof trusses to fit on top of that shape and completing the job within budget.
- Pioneer came up with the idea of drawing the trusses first in CAD to represent the roof in true 3D.
- Paul Lenauer credited technology with making this project possible, while the project’s architect credits structural building components with helping make his vision a reality.
Article
2006 June/July
- This issue of SBC Magazine features articles about legal and legislative topics.
- The Sixth Annual WTCA Legislative Conference took place in Washington, DC on May 10-12.
- Some of this issue’s other features include: how to prepare yourself and your company for a buy-out, why you should think twice about selling product through a truss broker and a victory surrounding a building labeling issue.
Article
2006 June/July
- NAHB expects residential fixed investment (RFI) to contract over the next two years.
- Perhaps it is time to diversify: less focus on new residential construction and more focus on remodeling, industrial markets, and non-residential construction.
- To do this, consider getting closer to the end user.
Article
2006 June/July
- Attending BCMC allows attendees to see the latest technology that could be incorporated into their equipment replacement programs.
- Manufacturers indicated that BCMC was the best place for an exclusive look at how they can gain the benefit of having all exhibitors in one place as a resource when creating a maintenance program or weekly, monthly or quarterly checks.
Article
2006 June/July
- Technicians whose TTT certification has lapsed have less than six months to recertify under a special grace period.
- Starting January 1, 2007, the new recertification system will send a reminder email to the student and training manager 45 days prior to the expiration date on the technician’s original certificate.
- Technicians can choose from a number of industry-related activities to create their own customized recertification program.
Article
2006 June/July
Article
2006 June/July
- Deferred submittals are permitted by the model IRC code.
- The building official, at his or her discretion, may or may not require the submission of TDDs at the time the permit for the structure is requested.
Article
2006 June/July
- Relationships with high schools are great because they can bring in new blood into a company.
- Bruce Bain of Richco Structures gives presentations at the local technical college that he graduated from.
- Keith Azlin has been working with WTCA-Arizona to set up an internship program between the two ITT Technical Institutes and component manufacturers.