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Article
2006 November
- If knee braces are shown, the trusses must be designed for them using the loads provided by the RDP.
- In the Midwest knee braces are used in many post frame buildings for which an RDP is neither required nor involved.
- This rapidly forces the Truss Designer into the position of designing building elements that ought to be specified by the person responsible for the overall building design.
Article
2006 November
- Influenza (flu), much like the common cold, is a respiratory illness, and its primary symptoms do not involve nausea and vomiting.
- Symptoms like fever, aches, excessive fatigue, and cough are more common and intense with the flu whereas colds, in general, carry milder symptoms.
Article
2006 Sept/Oct
- Each year, the BCMC Committee sifts through attendee surveys, searching for timely and meaningful topics for the next show.
- Since industry codes are becoming more specific about responsibilities, many component manufacturers are creating their own technical teams.
- Incentive compensation is becoming more common in the industry because most employers are looking for ways to compensate their personnel for outstanding performance or meeting preset goals.
Article
2006 Sept/Oct
- Firefighters risk their lives to save life and property to carry on the traditions of protecting our homeland.
- Past fires have served as rules of thumb when making judgment calls about whether or not to enter a building; these rules do not always hold true, often resulting in firefighter injuries and deaths.
- Do everything you can to understand building safety issues from the firefighter’s perspective.
Article
2006 Sept/Oct
- WTCA has created an educational resource to address component manufacturers’ business and management issues called Management Notes.
- The first Management Note available discusses the necessity of non-divisible over width load permits per the California Highway Patrol.
- Future Management Notes will cover a range of topics from records retention to storm water management plans.
Article
2006 Sept/Oct
- This issue of SBC Magazine spotlights material handling and equipment. It also contains the annual Supplier & Professional Directory.
- Dakota Craft, a component manufacturer that has opted to cut costs by going green, is featured in the cover story.
- Idaco’s Gene Woloveke was interviewed for an article about automation early on in the industry.
- Other articles in this issue focus on immigration, considerations when evaluating material flow both inside and outside the plant, and a progress report on the rebuilding effort in New Orleans.
Article
2006 Sept/Oct
- These ratings are determined according to the ASTM E 119 test and designs documented by approved sources meet the requirements of the building code.
- A good place for a building designer to start is WTCA’s Fire & Wood Trusses web page: www.sbcindustry.com/fire.php.
Article
2006 Sept/Oct
- Each module presents the issues surrounding structural component performance under fire conditions in a fact-based way.
- The new format offers users the freedom to quickly and easily locate the topics they wish to learn more about and then customize their training by viewing only the modules that they wish to see.
- The CD makes a great giveaway to hand out at plant tours.
Article
2006 Sept/Oct
Find out why BCMC is the best show for the structural building components industry!
Article
2006 Sept/Oct
- Confidence can be a hindrance when venturing into the sale of a business; thus, consider hiring experts to help you make decisions throughout the process.
- Be wary of any consultants or advisors who take on too much ownership of the sale process.
- Investment bankers, certified public accountants and attorneys are examples of consultants you should consider during the sale of your business.
Article
2006 Sept/Oct
- Component saw feed rates generally similar, so overall production rates come down to set-up speed.
- For automated single blade saws, set-up time is not a factor because the single blade saw’s cutting head location is fixed.
- Batching similar parts can significantly increase production rates on a component saw, but batching will not make much of a difference with a linear saw.
- Linear saws tend to produce less wood scrap than component saws.
Article
2006 Sept/Oct
- Charlie Hoover has observed the hurricane damage of many storms: Hazel, Hugo, Andrew, Charley, Katrina and Wilma.
- In his experience, Hoover notes it is rare to observe a member failure. Instead, failures are typically caused by undersized connections or the absence of connections.
- The U.S. has transitioned from three major regional codes to the single International Building Code (IBC), reducing the number of different codified wind design methodologies.
Article
2006 Sept/Oct
- Pre-start checklists can be likened to regular maintenance on your car at a "quick lube place"—fast and necessary.
- Having all of the safety hazards in order while managing your maintenance scheduling means that pre-start checklists will actually save you time in the long-run, and they may even save one of your employees from a possible injury, too!
Article
2006 Sept/Oct
- WTCA’s first meeting minutes have been uncovered and offer a glimpse back in time to the beginnings of the association.
- Sid Ketchum of PDJ Components recalls the separation of WTCA and TPI being a big and risky move, but that people were excited for the change.
- WTCA’s membership has stood out since the beginning as people who are doing it for the greater good.
- Potential members joined WTCA because they observed how it was for the benefit of the whole industry, not just individuals.
Article
2006 Sept/Oct
- The relatively short spans and light end reactions associated with most jack trusses makes toe-nailing an efficient and effective attachment method.
- An open end jack truss (see Figure 1) meeting the same design parameters would perform in a similar manner as a rafter and ceiling joist and generate comparable reactions. The top chord and bottom chord of the jack truss should correspond to the rafter and ceiling joist tables provided in the code. For these situations, the nail connections specified by the code are also applicable to jack trusses.
Article
2006 Sept/Oct
- These are Don Groom’s last few weeks as WTCA President.
- WTCA’s transformation from the "Wood Truss Council of America" to "WTCA—Representing the Structural Building Components Industry" occurred this year.
- Groom thanks each member of the WTCA Board of Directors for their significant commitment to the association.
Article
2006 Sept/Oct
- There is one largely untapped resource where manufacturers can make huge improvements in material handling— their suppliers.
- Follow the journey lumber takes through your plant from when it’s unloaded from the truck and proceeds to the saw to the press to the staging area. Every second counts.
- Talk to your peers to see how they address material flow at their plants.
Article
2006 August
- Our industry supports immigration reform that emphasizes security while also recognizing manufacturers’ workforce needs.
- Immigrant populations play a vital role in helping meet our workforce demand.
- There is a lot we can do on the local legislative front. Get involved on the state and local district level by making contacts with your lawmakers.
Article
2006 August
- 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 August
- Without the diagonal brace, the only thing the lateral member(s) ensures is that the webs to which they are attached will be-have as a unit and buckle together in the same direction if and/or when the buckling load is reached.
- The single diagonal brace and web reinforcement options satisfy the need for bracing individual trusses and truss members, but not the stability bracing of the entire building system.
- BCSI-B3 Web Member Permanent Bra-cing/Web Reinforcement provides indus-try recommendations and methods for restraining web members against buckling.
Article
2006 August
- 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 August
- 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 August
- WTCA Tech Notes offer a new tool for component manufacturers to educate themselves, as well as the people in the marketplace, on the key issues they face on a daily basis.
- The goal is to clarify code and other technical issues and provide marketplace education to further the industry.
Article
2006 August
- Dakota Craft found a solution to mitigate the impact of rising fuel costs: heat its production facilities with wood waste.
- Cost cutting efforts make it possible to redirect resources toward company growth and exceptional employee benefits.
- The company invests in well-educated truss technicians because it believes that if you don’t start with a quality design, the product will negatively impact the project all the way to installation.
Article
2006 August
- Material flow is the path and process that material and paperwork travel through your operations in order to produce a finished product.
- You may find that the new computerized saw can save time cutting pieces, but you aren’t rolling trusses out the door any faster.
- Your next challenge is to put them into action by documenting your operation’s material flow.
Article
2006 August
- Four areas of concern will help identify the hazards and reduce the risks associated with handling finished trusses: forklift limitations, truss limitations, storage and loading.
- Use a proper spreader bar to transport long span trusses.
- Trusses are not designed to carry significant amounts of lateral load which means that pressure placed on the "face" of a truss can cause damage.
Article
2006 August
- Gene Woloveke started his career at Idaco Machine & Equipment Company in the late 1940s.
- Early on, the company owned a sawmill machinery manufacturing division as well as a lumber division.
- In the 1950s, Idaco ventured into the truss business, selling home packages and manufacturing truss equipment for component manufacturers.
- Gene designed and built the first automated component saw by hand.
- Idaco was among the first companies to partner with A. Carroll Sanford, inventor of the light gauge steel connector plate.