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- The truss industry follows the requirements of the building code and ANSI/TPI 1 for general project scope of work concepts.
- The Truss Designer identifies the location of required individual truss member lateral restraint and diagonal bracing on each Truss Design Drawing.
- The JOBSITE PACKAGE can prove invaluable in documenting that the CM provided industry best practices on truss bracing, particularly when a project goes in a bad direction.
- The entrepreneurs who started this industry faced a big challenge getting trusses accepted in the market; we should be glad they didn’t give up.
- Even today, there is resistance in the construction industry to innovation.
- SBC and SBCRI foster innovation by thinking through how a building reacts to loads and then employing engineering fundamentals and common sense.
When Goldilocks went to the bear’s house, it took her a while to find something that fit her just right. Fortunately, whether you’re a large manufacturer, a small one, or somewhere in between, a formal in-plant QC program is always a perfect fit. In this second article of our series looking at QC, we reached out to component manufacturers of all sizes and asked them about their experiences using the In-Plant WTCA QC program and TPI’s third-party inspection services.
Here’s a quick history lesson. In reviewing public documents surrounding the 2010 Final Action Hearing of the ICC with regard to proposals RB31-9/10 and RB87-9/10, one would gather the following information:
- From NAHB’s perspective, the ALSC/SPIB Southern Pine design value effective date of June 1, 2013, is optional until local building departments enforce those values.
- Scott Ward shares a first-hand experience of the devaluing of engineering where the new lumber design values apply only to the “truss people.”
- Engineered components result in a safer, more reliable, better quality, and more affordable structure; now we need to demonstrate definitive proof, and SBCRI was built for a time just like this.
optimization using SBCRI truss assembly test data.
- A key SBC industry value proposition is to sell a value-added product by providing unique engineering and supply-chain management solutions to customers.
- SBCA members should have passion for and speak with a united voice in advocating for supplier and supplier association initiatives that positively support the SBC industry.
- Applied loading take-offs are critical to truss design efficiencies.
- Communication between the Truss Designer and Truss Design Engineer is key to minimizing truss design inaccuracies.
- The SBCA Load Guide is a free tool that can help Building Designers and everyone involved in the truss design process ensure that the applied loads are correct.
A good headline and photo draw in the reader's interest, but in reality, this is a very scary photo. This news item on the home page of MSN.com caught the attention of Steven Spradlin, President of Capital Structures in Fort Smith, AR. Most notably, this is a great real-world jobsite example of framer engineering that doesn't comply with construction site safety requirements. To put it in Spradlin's words, “Holy crap, someone call OSHA!” (This is what he wrote, so it’s probably a paraphrase of what he actually said.)
- The future holds great promise for component manufacturers, as we continue to evolve our collective engineering acumen.
- Greg Brooks’ online blogs gave us an opportunity to share the great work taking place at SBCRI.
- Our industry is at a pivotal moment in its history with regard to the value of the engineering that goes into producing structural building components
Quality. It’s the word you want each and every one of your customers to attribute to your products. It’s a word that implies reliability, a characteristic that builds trust and respect. It’s also a concept that points to superior craftsmanship that differentiates you from your competitors.
Given that our industry is in the component design and engineering business, which is closely related to the building design business, accurate and reliable engineering is central to every CM’s future success.
- Scott Ward first implemented In-Plant WTCA QC in 1998 and has more than a decade of experience with the program.
- He reflects on the benefits he first saw when implementing the QC program and how QC helps differentiate his business based on the unique quality of their production.
- The In-Plant WTCA QC program’s biggest impact for Ward’s company has been training employees and reducing customer product issues and related costs.
This is the story of how a fire, a yacht race and America’s third wealthiest citizen proved a boon for one Texas-based structural component manufacturer.
Ed Callahan, Jr. passed away on January 20, 2013, one day shy of his 80th birthday.
- CMs deal with customers with a wide range of skill sets, including those who have drawn their house plans on a McDonald’s paper napkin. I wish I were making this up!
- While CMs are not responsible for ensuring that customers brace jobs correctly, they can provide BCSI documents to help customers build a better building and stay safe.
- The BCSI book and B-Series Summary Sheets are a CM's saving grace, especially if the customer plans to install the trusses on their own or not hire an engineer of record.
- A repair may not be needed if, after adding the holes, visually graded lumber still meets an adequate grade according to the appropriate grading criteria.
- The Combined Stress Index (CSI) is the summation of axial and bending stresses divided by their respective allowable stresses, which represents the structural “efficiency” of the member; the CSI shall not exceed 1.00.
- Coordinating with trades before construction is a good way to avoid holes and notches in trusses, and the costly repairs associated with them.
High school students from the North Orange County Regional Occupational Program (ROP) Building Industry Technology Academy (BITA) worked alongside construction professionals to build this green home in Southern California.
- Ward shares an experience where a customer contract had the potential to severely damage a balance sheet.
- Don’t be afraid to admit that you do not understand contract language; if you do not, seek out legal assistance.
- SBCA’s ORisk program can help with contract fundamentals.
- Challenging times force hard and bold decisions that are risky. The survival of SBCA, BCMC, SBC Magazine and SBCRI were dependant on risk-taking.
- Private contract testing business through SBCRI led to the creation of the new and very valuable concepts of benchmark testing and code compliance tools called the Technical Evaluation Report (TER).
- The SBC industry can easily be the center of the universe for providing the structural framework of all light-frame construction and offering great value in engineering innovation.
- Safety training should never fall by the wayside, particularly when production picks up.
- It’s important to make an effort to maintain good housekeeping practices, even when you think you’re too busy to do so.
- Keeping your safety documentation up-to-date ensures you’re catching even the smallest concerns in your facility, and it helps you safeguard against serious safety issues.
Name: Micah Green
Company: Cascade Mfg. Co., Cascade, IA
Position: Project Manager/Estimator
Years in the industry: 9
From BCMC 2012 Educational Session: “Changing Codes & Planning Ahead”
From BCMC 2012 Educational Session: “Preparing for the Future of Hiring”
From BCMC 2012 Educational Session: “Metrics for Managers”
From BCMC 2012 Educational Session: “Lumber Production, Grading & Design Values Part 2: From Stick to Truss”
- WorkForce Development will need to be a corporate focus as the economy continues to improve.
- Showcasing the world of components, its unique characteristics and many career opportunities can be a powerful way to entice fresh faces into our industry.
- SBCA’s WorkForce Development website, wfd.sbcindustry.com, is a great tool for posting jobs and reviewing resumes, with new site enhancements coming soon.
- Examine each operational area for changes that could help improve overall economics.
- Make sure the design department is up to date on price changes of stock lengths of lumber, especially changes due to design value adjustments.
- Factor customer needs into optimization, along with producing a more efficient truss using less material and plant labor.
It was nothing but sunny skies (a first!) at the BCMC Build jobsite in New Orleans this October. In just one and a half days, a team of volunteers from the structural building components industry framed this three-bedroom home.