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February 2025 #17307 Page #90
A Core Artery of Your Truss Plant
I By Steph Karlstad
n every truss plant, there are three main arteries: the Truss Design Department, Production & Operations, and Sales. While all are vital, the design department is where everything begins—and where you need to keep your pulse.
The production floor will build what shows up on their screens. But what keeps you up at night? If the truss design department isn’t crossing your mind, it should be.
After 25+ years in this industry, I can confidently say that truss design is one of the greatest pain points— and one of the most significant opportunities to drive success or failure. It’s not just another function in your plant; it’s the backbone of your operation. If this department isn’t led by one of your A-team members and properly trained, your profits will suffer.
Why Truss Design Matters Trusses are deceptively simple yet incredibly complex. They’re rooted in triangles—the strongest geometric shape— but those triangles often form intricate designs that can be challenging to produce. Single-family homes, for example, are often harder to design than multi-family buildings. Multi-family blueprints tend to be detailed, giving the design team a complete plan. Single-family projects, on the other hand, often come with incomplete prints, requiring designers to rely on industry knowledge and visualize 3D systems from 2D drawings.
The Risks of Outsourcing In recent years, many truss plants have turned to outsourcing design work, both domestically and internationally. While this can seem like a cost-effective solution, it comes with significant risks: 1. Loss of Control: Outsourcing means handing over your quality standards to someone else. 2. Quality Assurance: Without an experienced designer reviewing outsourced work, you can’t guarantee: o Optimal splices for minimizing cost and waste. o Correct lumber sizes, grades, and lengths for maximum efficiency. o Proper layouts that meet your plant’s standards. 3. Rework Costs: A single error, such as a miscut plane, can require reworking an entire batch of trusses, wasting time and materials. Remember, no design software will automatically optimize a truss perfectly on the first try. It’s the designer’s expertise that ensures the best solution.
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