Developing the Next Generation

The Trussed Rafter Association (TRA) has launched a new training scheme to enable trussed rafter designers to prove their knowledge and experience and put theory into practice.

Trussed rafters provide a structural framework to support the roof fabric, ceilings or floors of buildings in both domestic and commercial structures. The manufacturing process for trussed rafters reduces emissions and pollution and there is minimal environmental impact from installation.

The Designer Development Programme (DDP) was launched at a special careers event held recently for TRA members to address skills shortages in the industry. The DDP has seven levels and is based on the completion of evidence books in which trainee designers must show their experience in five roof design scenarios. Each set of five books is expected to take around six months to a year to complete, giving the trainees chance to encounter real-life design briefs in real-time. They must show their awareness of commercial and technical aspects of the projects and include knowledge of safety, efficiency, and best practice.

TRA chief executive Nick Boulton said: “The Designer Development Programme is a great step forward for the TRA and its members. It offers the next generation of trussed rafter and metal web floor designers a structured programme for their development and will provide them with a series of certificates and evidence books to show their progress and experience gained.”

Candidates must have completed introductory systems training and the TRA online Essentials Training, developed with Edinburgh Napier University, to undertake the DDP. Levels one and two are now available with seven trainees having already started the first level.

Leah Walters works at Donaldson Timber in Derbyshire and started off working in the reception there before deciding to re-train as a designer. She took part in the beta testing for the scheme and will soon be submitting her evidence books to her in-house assessor. She said: “It’s great to have been involved in testing the DDP. My assessor, David Murphy, has helped me make sure that I’ve experienced all the necessary types of roof design in my day-to-day work so that I can include them in my evidence books, and has supported me throughout. “It was hard at first because I was new to design, but the books are interactive and link you to helpful notes at the back which play a really big part in your understanding. The books are easy to navigate and it’s straightforward uploading your designs. I haven’t felt under pressure to complete the books. I just set aside a few hours a week and felt I was learning on the job. It’s made me think more about feasibility, safety and the commercial aspects of a project before starting the design.”

Throughout the programme there are checkpoints at which the evidence books are assessed by an in-house assessor for the first four levels, and externally, by a TRA registered assessor thereafter.

Jenni Bunny is a trainee designer at ETS Trusses in Shrewsbury. She is also on level one of the programmes and said: “I’m more commercially aware since being on the DDP. The workbooks remind you to consider the viability, saleability and the manufacturing side of your designs. And of course, really importantly, about the logistics – can it be delivered? The good thing is that we now have a structured programme to show our knowledge and development as we progress and get more experienced. My mentor at work has said he’s surprised at the progress I’ve made in just 15 months with the company, which has made me feel proud of myself.”

The programme has been developed by the TRA’s training committee led by Richard George of timber engineering software provider MiTek. Other member companies involved in creating the programme include Wolf System, ETS Trusses, ITW Construction Products, Donaldson Timber Engineering, Armstrong Timber Engineering, National Timber Systems, Arnold Laver, Pasquill, Trussform, DWB Group and Crendon Timber.

MiTek 3D Creates New Opportunities

An exciting expansion project at a luxury golf course and popular wedding venue in Lincolnshire is coming on apace – thanks in no small part to MiTek and its groundbreaking software.

Trussed rafters provide a structural framework to support the roof fabric, ceilings or floors of buildings in both domestic and commercial structures. The manufacturing process for trussed rafters reduces emissions and pollution and there is minimal environmental impact from installation. It’s a complex project, but with the help of MiTek’s 3D software and products from its Posi-Joist and Posi-Rafter ranges, it’s being turned into reality, and is on schedule for launch to the public in Spring 2022.

As Phil Daniels, MD of component manufacturer DWB Timber Engineering, explained: “Using MiTek and the company’s comprehensive software packages has enabled the team to navigate a complicated steel frame build, deliver savings on materials, and reduce on-site construction time.”

According to MiTek’s Anthony Mitchell, Development Manager, the design was tricky. “Getting all the elements of roof angles, the outside profiles of the steels, ensuring the correct bearings and that the three points of bounds are correct was never going to be easy. On parts of the build there are different steel sizes for the same bearing points. 3D meant the team could prove the concept and pare back the design to make it very buildable.”

MiTek’s 3D software enables designers, architects, and engineers to look at the design in 3D and manipulate it to see how it sits and how it fits. “You can move it around, rotate it, spin it, select an item or area, move it in, move left, move it right, move it up, move it down, make sure it’s in the right place before you go back to the layout and replicate that for everything else that you need,” said Phil.

“Without the 3Ds and the details for the ends, the joiner would have found it pretty difficult because he would have been looking at just section drawings, but you can literally paint a picture in 3D and take screenshots of it, send it to him. He rings me up, asks me a question, and I’ll look at the 3D, take a screehot and send it him back so he can see exactly what’s going on in that point, and then it’s just the discussion of a fixing.” He added: “The structural engineer had originally specified solid timber joists for the project. But this involves a lot of labour and time, neither of which they had. By using Posi-Joist and Posi-Rafter, we’ve saved weeks on site. We installed both the floor and roof in just a few days, whereas with solid timber you’d have been looking at five weeks, in addition to the added labour costs of four people.”

The project is now a third of the way up and it’s taken the best part of three months, offering unprecedented time savings. Once complete, the new development will provide ancillary facilities to the 55 golfing holiday lodges that have previously been approved at Laceby Manor Golf Course, 22 of which have so far been installed.

Roger Burnett, the owner of Laceby Manor, has made it clear he wants the highest quality building, with the end-result an exceptional experience for his customers. And everyone agrees that it’s going to be a spectacular building when it’s finished.