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Article
2007 August
- A few seconds saved per truss can lead to substantial savings by the end of the year.
- It may only take an hour to fix the ma-chine, but you have lost 14,400 seconds of time for a crew of four assemblers.
- Weekly machine evaluations and scheduling breakdowns make it easy to keep track of your long-term maintenance plan and are an excellent way to keep production moving right along.
Article
2007 August
- The wood residue produced by the industry has monetary value.
- Dry wood residue can produce one million BTUs for about one-third the cost of one million BTUs of fossil fuel.
- When misconceptions about wood energy are overcome, the result is decreased fuel costs and additional revenue sources for manufacturers.
Article
2007 August
- Most truss shops use one of four factors that work "on average" to estimate labor.
- Labor estimates based on averages do not take into account complex jobs.
- In the truss industry, the Houlihan Method is one example of lean manufacturing.
- Employing proper time standards provides a solution to estimating labor.
Article
2007 August
- The challenge of automating material handling compared to other industries is the variation from component to component.
- Getting lumber to the saw is generally the most labor-intensive, time-consuming, and error-prone part of material handling.
- A straight line approach from the saw to the build tables with the conveyor running parallel to the press table is ideal.
Article
2007 August
- The topic of whether truss placement diagrams (TPDs) should be sealed continues to be misunderstood.
- The TPD should not to be viewed as an engineering document; it is provided to help the installer locate the trusses within the structure.
- A TPD is generally not prepared within the typical duties of an engineer and is therefore not typically prepared under the engineer’s direct supervision.
- Truss Designers are counseled to only undertake Building Designer responsibilities under a special set of circumstances.
Article
2007 August
- Proper training and management of truck drivers is a way to reduce risk, streamline operations, and enhance your reputation.
- TRUCK is a new fleet management and safety program designed to train drivers about their responsibilities on the road and at the jobsite.
Article
2007 August
- Wood truss operations produce sawdust, which is a form of particulate matter often categorized with sawmills and furniture manufacturers.
- By quantifying the sawdust you actually produce, you can prove baghouse system requirements unnecessary.
- One method to determine quantity is to calculate a source’s potential to emit (PTE) with an emissions factor.
Article
2007 August
- If you are aware of current code language, you can take advantage the opportunities presented to your company.
- Code language must be understandable to all parties in the marketplace in order for uniform enforcement.
- Monitoring code issues on a local level is critical to strengthen our industry’s collective influence on building codes.
Article
2007 August
- Southern Components, Inc. donated the first known set of cold-formed steel components for an Extreme Makeover: Home Edition project.
- An insulated foam product was used in the home’s steel wall panels.
- SCI worked with a new builder customer on this project, and hopes to do more business with them the future.
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.
Article
2007 Sept/Oct
- 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.
Article
2007 Sept/Oct
- 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.
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 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.