Learning on the Job — Insights from a Mechanical Engineering Intern at Simpson Strong-Tie

Aaron Lim, a recent graduate from UC Irvine, recounts his summer internship at Simpson Strong-Tie in Riverside, CA, where he gained practical experience in manufacturing engineering and learned about lean engineering principles. Under the mentorship of Shoen Davis, Aaron contributed to continuous improvement projects and appreciated the company’s commitment to community and other core values. His internship gave him valuable insights into the field and solidified his career interests in manufacturing. 

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From Research to Real-World Application: Pioneering Mass Timber Innovation

Brian DeMeza’s journey from pursuing his Master of Science degree at Oregon State University (OSU) to his current role as a Senior Field Engineer at Simpson Strong-Tie has brought him full circle with his recent involvement in the six-story NHERI TallWood project. His hands-on experience in this project played a pivotal role in shaping his passion and focus on mass timber as a potential career path.

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Meet Our 2023 Excellence in Engineering Award Winners

Hien Nguyen and Brandon Winter were our winners this last year for their amazing contributions to the department and company. They both exemplify the Engineering department’s mission of providing world-class innovation, testing and customer support and embody Barc Simpson’s Nine Principles of Business. 

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Which Anchoring Adhesive Installation Method Is Faster: A Comparison of Core Drilling vs. Carbide Drilling into URM

Have you ever specified an adhesive for an unreinforced masonry (URM) retrofit? If so, you may have wondered about the difficulty of drilling holes at 22.5° from horizontal in order to properly install an anchor to take tension loads.

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Deck-Drive DSV: Not Just A Deck Screw

Don’t let the name fool you; the Deck-Drive™ DSV Wood screw is more than just a deck screw. It’s not only great for preservative-treated decking, but can also be used for general framing and construction as well. The variety of sizes makes this a multipurpose screw that can accomplish many of your wood-to-wood fastening needs. 

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The Birth of a Professional Engineer: Forging a Career at Simpson Strong-Tie

Simpson Strong-Tie branch engineer, Dante Khachadourian discusses his journey from student to engineer. From his childhood days of playing with wooden blocks to earning a degree in civil engineering and obtaining his P.E. license, Dante’s path led him to Simpson Strong-Tie, where he found fulfillment in a diverse range of responsibilities as a branch engineer. Today, Dante navigates his day-to-day duties with enthusiasm, supporting designers, builders, and collegues alike to accomplish our mission of helping people build safer, stronger structures. 

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Allowable Load Tables at Your Service — A Look at the Technical Engineering Bulletin (TEB) for Anchors

One interesting part of being a field engineer for Simpson Strong-Tie is having the opportunity to see how different structural engineers may take different approaches to similar designs. We at Simpson Strong-Tie have come to appreciate these different approaches and embrace this phenomenon by providing multiple resources to aid in the completion of a design. This is very apparent when it comes to the design of post-installed anchors

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Testing Teases Out Hidden Capacities of Reclusive Connector — New Data Available on the Simpson Strong-Tie® CBH Concealed Beam Hanger for Mass Timber

In North America, CLT and mass timber construction have garnered considerable press over the last few years, both inside the building industry and beyond. The burgeoning development has inspired new research centers and at least one annual conference — now in its eighth year and attracting scores of presenters and exhibitors and hundreds of attendees from around the world. Numerous observers are even heralding mass timber, or tall timber, as the necessary future of the fast-growing built environment.  

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NHERI TallWood Project: Q & A with Steve Pryor, P.E., S.E., Senior Manager, Testing and Research Operations, Engineering, Simpson Strong-Tie

As a research partner in the National Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) TallWood project, Simpson Strong-Tie participated in a series of earthquake shake table tests conducted at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD).

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Using the Edge-Tie™ System to Create Curved Façades in Steel Construction

Curved façades can help create architecturally appealing steel structures and may even reduce the effects of wind loading. However, careful coordination is needed between engineers, contractors and glaziers when locating façade attachments. Providing adequate tolerances and avoiding field fixes can prove to be more challenging for curved façades than for conventional rectangular ones.

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