July sees the installation of a new Mitek Mk1 trussed rafter assembly jig and press. This new teach and go manufacturing equipment will enable double set up jigs, thus improving productivity as well as offering a “teach and go” facility to free up labour and enable the two jigs to be operated using one assembly crew.

The machine is linked into our office network and jig and pressing data is read by the equipment which uses this information to manage the pressing process. Allowing the machine not just to know where the joints are to press but also how much pressure to use for each joint depending on the size of the nail plate to be pressed. This reduces the danger of over pressing and crushing the timbers.