A lumber cutting and delivery system for use in assembling trusses on a truss table includes a saw configured to receive a piece of material therein. The saw is configured to cut the piece of material into one or more pieces and at different lengths and angles so that at least some of the one or more pieces are the components of at least one truss. A trunk conveyor system is positioned to receive the one or more pieces cut from the saw. The trunk conveyor system has a first conveying element to transport the one or more pieces over a distance in a travel direction and an ejector configured to discharge the one or more pieces from the first conveying element in a first discharge direction. A branch conveyor system is configured to receive the one or more pieces discharged from the trunk conveyor system in the first discharge direction. The branch conveyor system has a main conveying element to transport the one or more pieces.

Pre-plating systems and related methods are disclosed. A pre-plating system includes a press, an infeed robot configured to deliver a structural member to the press, and an outfeed robot configured to remove the structural member from the press. The press is configured to secure a plate to the structural member while the structural member is held in position by at least one of the infeed robot or the outfeed robot. A pre-plating system includes a press, a transfer pedestal, a plate picking robot, and a press loading robot. The plate picking robot is configured to pick a plate from a container and position the plate on the transfer pedestal. The press loading robot is configured to transfer the plate to the press. The press is configured to press the plate into a structural member positioned within the press.

Plating systems and related methods are disclosed for prepping of structural members, such as splicing and/or pre-plating structural members. A plating system can include a splicing system and a pre-plating system. A splicing system include an infeed system, an outfeed system, and a press to affix or otherwise secure a plate to opposing surfaces of structural members to splice the structural members together. Guides are automatically positioned to guide short members through the splicing system. A pre-plating system includes a press, an infeed system configured to deliver a structural member to the press, and an outfeed system configured to remove the structural member from the press. The press is configured to secure a plate to the structural member on a surface other than the opposing surfaces used to splice the structural members together. A plate picking robot is configured to pick a plate from a plate container and position the plate on a press surface.

A system for manufacturing roof trusses is assembled one joint at a time on an assembly line, which includes a receiving table, an assembly station and an output table. The assembly station includes one or more presses, robot grippers, and arrangements connected to the presses for feeding nail plates and loading them to the presses. Each joint being accomplished so that the members to be joined in addition to the members already present there have been moved and positioned on the receiving table and onwards to the assembly station. Robot grippers hold the members to be joined and align them in place against each other. A press loaded with the nail plates designated to this joint is aligned with the steering in the position of the joint and presses the nail plates in place to complete the joint. The structure is guided to move to the output table.

Pre-plating systems and related methods are disclosed. A pre-plating system includes a press, an infeed robot configured to deliver a structural member to the press, and an outfeed robot configured to remove the structural member from the press. The press is configured to secure a plate to the structural member while the structural member is held in position by at least one of the infeed robot or the outfeed robot. A pre-plating system includes a press, a transfer pedestal, a plate picking robot, and a press loading robot. The plate picking robot is configured to pick a plate from a container and position the plate on the transfer pedestal. The press loading robot is configured to transfer the plate to the press. The press is configured to press the plate into a structural member positioned within the press.

A automatic truss jig setting system is disclosed that includes a table including a plurality of segments with a side edge of adjacent segments defining a slot. At least one pin assembly, and optionally a pair of pin assemblies, is movable independently of each other along the slot. Movement apparatus is provided for independently moving the pin assemblies along the slot. Each of the side edges of the segments associated with the slot defines a substantially vertical plane with a zone being defined between the substantially vertical planes of the side edges, and the movement apparatus is located substantially outside of the zone of the slot. The invention may optionally include a system for handling the obstruction of pin assembly movement, and a system for keeping track of the position of the pin assembly when the pin assembly has encountered an obstruction.

A truss-jig-positioning system that includes a truss-assembly table having a support plane, a plurality of slots in the support plane, and a plurality of puck assemblies automatically movable along the slots. Each puck is self-powered and self-locks at selected locations. A controller controls the pucks. Images of the truss-assembly table and pucks allow the controller to locate pucks, and transmit location-correction information as needed to move pucks to desired locations for building various trusses, wall assemblies, etc. Pucks are self-powered, self-moving, motorized jigging members. Each operates from controller commands to unlock from one location, move along their slot and lock to a new location. Optionally location-measuring (machine-vision) subsystem(s) communicate wirelessly with the pucks to readjust positions and re-lock at the adjusted position. Optionally, the jigging pucks can automatically move along slots to connect to a recharging station to self-recharge on-puck batteries or supercapacitors.

The disclosure generally relates to a locating assembly as a component of a locating table segment for positioning truss segments in a truss assembly system. The system generally includes a plurality of table segments aligned in parallel and adapted to position a series of locating blocks on a top surface of the system/table, where each block is a component of one of a plurality of locating assemblies in the system. The block positions collectively define an outer boundary of a support truss (e.g., as a roofing truss). Once the blocks are moved to their desired position, appropriately sized truss segments are placed within the block-defined boundary and fastened together.

A system for manufacturing roof trusses is assembled one joint at a time on an assembly line, which includes a receiving table an assembly station and an output table. The assembly station one or more presses, robot grippers, and arrangements connected to the presses for feeding nail plates and loading them to the presses. Each joint being accomplished so that the members to be joined in addition to the members already present there have been moved and positioned on the receiving table and onwards to the assembly station. Robot grippers hold the members to be joined and align them in place against each other. A press loaded loaded with the nail plates designated to this joint is aligned with the steering in the position of the joint and presses the nail plates in place to complete the joint. The structure is guided to move to the output table.

A roof truss assembly system comprised of multiple moveable pedestals, some of which are mounted on a floor track, and also including roller lift assemblies for lifting and moving a completed roof truss off the top of the assembly system components for subsequent storage or transport.