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Article
2007 December
- 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.
Article
2007 December
- 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.
Article
2007 December
- 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.
Article
2007 December
- A new online resource for quality control inspectors makes learning the inspection process convenient and more efficient.
- Quality control teams get more out of in-person training sessions when they’ve pre-viewed the training modules.
- Online Inspector Training is included in the cost of In-Plant WTCA QC certification.
Article
2007 December
- Wood, like other structural materials, exhibits an inherent variability in strength properties from piece to piece.
- The design value is obtained by reducing the fifth percentile test result by a property reduction factor.
- The grading of lumber is not an exact science; a reasonable amount of discrepancy is to be expected between individual pieces graded by different graders.
- Cross-cutting stress-graded lumber into pieces shorter than the original piece is a common practice wherever lumber is used in construction.
Article
2007 December
- With the advent of component saws, bow and crook suddenly became an issue.
- There’s only so much the saw manufacturers can do to compensate for crooked lumber.
- We’ve all likely witnessed the snail’s pace of a complicated truss setup on a manually jigged pressing table.
Article
2007 December
- One Idaho manufacturer struggled with analyzing job costs with its existing system.
- Building Components of Idaho now determines the true costs of different jobs; this data ties directly to the general ledger.
- An incentive plan helped the company with accurate labor tracking and contributes to employee reviews.
Article
2007 December
- Being involved with the WTCA Board benefits individual companies just as much as the collective industry.
- Board members say participation helps them keep up with the latest trends and news in the industry.
- Several companies have collaborated with one another to meet orders in an efficient way that makes customers happy.
- In times of need, Board members say the first people they call for help are friends they’ve met at meetings.
Article
2007 December
- A bill was repealed in 1997 that allowed Caltrans to issue permits for transporting wall panels stacked horizontally.
- A coalition of CalESCA members, building contractors and homebuilders rallied to restore the bill that would allow wall panels to be hauled horizontally.
- In October 2007, AB 1612 was signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger.
Article
2007 December
- Quality is something that no one should sacrifice, no matter what.
- Part of manufacturing is discovering the nuances that make a world of difference.
- Make it a goal to get your systems tuned up, in place and ready for the New Year.
Article
2007 December
- Solar panels—devices that convert solar energy into electricity or heat—are often installed in trussed and conventionally framed roofs.
- To determine if a truss can withstand the load of a solar panel, add the value of the panel to the maximum top chord dead load capacity.
- If a panel can be applied to a conventionally framed roof with the same design load capacity as a truss system, the application should also work in the trussed roof.
Article
2007 December
- The third largest cause of workplace injuries, slip and fall injuries can be expensive to employers.
- Tend to outdoor and indoor housekeeping during the winter weather months to minimize slip and fall hazards.
Article
2007 November
- 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.
Article
2007 November
- 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.
Article
2007 November
- 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!
Article
2007 November
- 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.
Article
2007 November
- 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.
Article
2007 November
- 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.
Article
2007 November
- 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.
Article
2007 November
- WTCA President Bob Becht emphasizes bracing and long-span truss installation education.
- There was a time when short member temporary lateral restraint was not installed safely.
- BCSI and the B-Series documents have helped to provide direction and a consistent message on bracing and installation issues.
- Given the current state of housing, we need tools like BCSI to raise the level of professionalism in construction.
Article
2007 November
- There are many guidelines and recommendations in place to ensure trusses are installed and braced properly.
- Truss Design Drawings show the truss calculation and engineer stamp, but usually show limited bracing.
- It is our hope that BCSI recommendations are followed in the field, but we cannot enforce them.
Article
2007 November
- Making sure your vehicle is in good operating condition is one of the best defenses when driving in winter weather.
- Put together a basic cold-weather emergency kit for each vehicle in your fleet.
Article
2007 Sept/Oct
- This issue of SBC contains the BCMC 2007 Show Guide starting on page 50.
- Learn about how to increase cold-formed steel truss market share with some tips from Cascade Mfg Co on page 24.
- Read "Record Retention—Reason & Risk" on page 28 for an update on how long you should keep important documents.
- New methods for determining bracing requirements for wood trusses are examined on page 94.
Article
2007 Sept/Oct
- CFSC is nearing the completion of a cold-formed steel version of BCSI.
- The Council has established addition priorities that include the development of a standard design responsibilities document.
Article
2007 Sept/Oct
- 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.
Article
2007 Sept/Oct
- 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.