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May 2022 #14274 Page #19
A Retrofit or a New Truss Line – How to Decide Chad Wickham Eastern Sales and Service Manager
Cullen Ellis Spida Sales and Technical Manager
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ecisions, decisions – how do you decide between a retrofit for your plant or upgrading to a new truss line? It’s all about the options.
Let’s Start with the Retrofit Retrofitting an existing table is not for the faint hearted, so it’s important to know you have experts on your side when Spida is retrofitting in the factory. All systems – old to new – have almost the same components and considerations: Tables: so many configured spacings and size options Gantries: tracked, tuck under track, or even the new trackless Ejectors: flat, high lift sloped, extending to outfeed conveyor Receivers or transfer rollers: receivers that extend toward table or transfer rollers Roller outfeed conveyor Finish press Most vintage tables can be modified to accept Spida Auto Jigging rails with some reinforcements and some tinkering (or lots of tinkering) after the slots are cut into the tops and frames. Common table layouts of these systems were a walk-through configuration with 16 to 18 inch walkways and 6–8 ft wide tables, and although that worked wonderfully for manual jigging and handling of trusses, most times this is not the best layout for auto jigging. So, the question to ask is: do we keep the walk-throughs open or put a solid top over the opening that accommodates another auto jig rail? The solid top option helps keep the auto jigging as close to the desired 2 ft on center as possible. Most companies we deal with opt for closing off the walk-throughs and adding auto jigging rails in these areas so that they can achieve better through-put off the table. Continued next page
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