The sky is the limit for framing efficiency using the EasyFrame Automated Marking System .
Imagine: the lumber for your project is cut, labeled & ready for assembly with ZERO framing material waste, similar to what you get with an Ikea coffee table, but scaled up. This is much closer to reality than you probably realize. In today’s construction industry many lumberyards and framing contractors are catching the pre-construction design “bug”. Due to this fact, design software solutions are becoming more readily available. Through these various design software solutions, you can easily access and control the design of your project. From there, you are able to translate the design into a process that prepares it to be cut, labeled for assembly, and shipped to your project’s destination. When is the last time you brought home an Ikea bookshelf and had more than a handful of extra parts to keep for spares? There is no such thing as “waste factor” in this proven model, and I will tell you why: It is all about the design. Ikea’s design has been vigorously vetted and has shown that a flawless assembly is achievable time and time again. Even the average Joe or homeschooling Mother with little to no experience or carpentry skills can satisfy the requirements for a perfect build.
Where this model has failed in the industry before (scaling the Ikea concept to a custom home or mixed-use building) is allowing others to have the reigns of the design on your project. You will find yourself relying on an employee that has no incentive to knock the job out of the park, while you on the other hand live and die based on how well integrated the design is, not only with the project documents, but also lining up with your preferences and building quirks. So, the solution is simple: “captain your own ship” so to speak, or be the “master of you own destiny” (Insert your cliché here). Something that, as an owner, I realized is not true in all cases. However, it is true in this case and I’ll give the credit where credit is due, to my Father. One of the many things he has taught me over the years is balance, so I will start with that because this nugget does NOT always apply as a father, husband, or boss. Okay, I will get on with it. I spent many hours as a young man on a jobsite with Pops. Lord knows I screwed up some stuff, promptly followed by the phrase “Son, if you want something done right… do it yourself”. Now “right” in this usage is subjective. What my Father really meant is that I did not do it the way he would have; possibly costing additional time or money. Would the result have been different if he were more thorough in his instructions and his coaching was more intuitive? Probably, but even then, what if I did not have the skill or perspective of past jobs to see it the way he did? Reality dictates that sometimes, especially in the trades, you do not always have the luxury to slow the entire world down so one of your eighteen employees understands a task that is simple for yourself but difficult to them. Therefore, the balance of knowing when to use the harsh reality of “if you want something done right… do it yourself” comes very much into play when you are responsible for the success of a project, while at the same time accommodating Ikea-like efficiency. I am not saying as an owner that I will take on the complexity of every design, or even that you should, but I encourage the design portion of the project to be performed inhouse. Now, a portion of my business is outsourced design for companies across the United States, but I truly see a greater chance of success when they take ownership of this aspect in their business.
Jumping in the driver’s seat these days regarding framing design is easier than ever. There are many different makes & models to choose from. I have my preferences but there are so many reliable platforms that can also get the desired results. At the end of the day, the main thing is achieving just that: the desired results. That is why I have adjusted my process to get others up to speed in design rather than to take on their workload.
The EasyFrame Automated Marking System is flexible enough to import a file from all the major design platforms, and if you find one we can’t import just let us know and we’ll take care of it. We ensure that our system will output your design with accuracy and keeps the integrity of the details contained in the design file. That is why the design is so important. If it is wrong in design, it will be wrong once you try to build. Could you imagine if Ikea’s manufacturing equipment was uncalibrated for a month and all of their customers were left with incorrect shapes and sizes for their furniture? The moral of the story is the process can be bullet proof and so can your project.
If you are interested in getting up to speed on a design platform, I would love to show you the ropes.
Aaron Love
with EstiFrame Technologies, Inc.
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