This summer, we welcomed Wyatt Munsch, a senior electrical engineering major at San Jose State University, who spent the summer interning in our Karen Colonias Research Laboratory in Pleasanton, California. He jumped into projects ranging from small-scale fastener tests to large-scale structural builds, learning how engineers and technicians collaborate to bring ideas to life. Wyatt gained hands-on experience with tools, setups, and material prep, even building a planter box for our scholarship student trip. Along the way, he picked up practical skills and made personal and professional connections..
Tag: testing
Unveiling the HDUE Holdown: Engineering Marvels and Rigorous Testing
The HDUE Holdown represents the latest milestone in a long history of innovative products at Simpson Strong-Tie. Our journey began in 1966 with the introduction of the first HD welded holdown, a robust, raw steel piece designed to secure posts to foundations (figure 1). Over the decades, we have continually refined and improved our designs to meet evolving industry needs and standards.
The Simpson Strong-Tie Strong-Link™ Moment Connection — A Strong, Field-Friendly New Moment Connection for Low-Seismic and Wind-Governed Regions
Moment connections are a common lateral system in structural steel design, offering the advantage of unobstructed sight lines and clear passageways. However, they often come with significant cost and labor demands. Fully welded moment connections require extensive beam preparation, welding, and inspection, while common bolted solutions, such as flange-plated and end-plate moment connections, still involve welded components, leading to installation and fit-up challenges.
Introducing the HTTH6.5 Heavy Tension Tie: Engineered to Meet the Most Demanding Conditions
The HTTH6.5 heavy tension tie (Figure 1) is designed to meet the growing demands of modern construction. This product combines state-of-the-art design with rigorous testing, offering a robust and reliable solution for high-load applications. Its painstaking engineering and precision manufacturing ensure superior performance even in the most demanding conditions.
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.
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.
Innovating from the Ground Up: Welcome to the Future!
Dan hit the nail right on the head . . . at Simpson Strong-Tie, Risk-Taking Innovation is central to our mission of helping people design and build safer, stronger structures. We’ve devoted a tremendous amount of effort and resources to thoughtfully cultivating a culture of innovation. And as Engineers, we’ve been armed with quite a toolbox of resources toward that end, including state-of-the-art testing laboratories, virtual modeling and simulation tools, 3D printing capabilities, old-fashioned engineering judgment, and last but certainly not least, the collective knowledge of hundreds of Simpson reps in the field.
How Innovation Arises at Simpson Strong-Tie — A Field Example
Prior to joining Simpson Strong-Tie in March of 2023, I worked as a consulting structural engineer for 13 years. My background in consulting includes many different project types and sectors, and it’s been exciting to bring that experience to Simpson Strong-Tie to help find solutions for our customers and engineers who specify our products.
Up to the Test: Introducing the Heavy Seated Knife Plate Beam Hanger for Mass Timber
In response to the increasing demand for mass timber construction, Simpson Strong-Tie has created mass timber solutions for these builds. These product addition, include our Heavy Seated Knife Plate (HSKP), ACBH concealed beam hanger, and CBH concealed beam hanger. Gain insights into the design, testing, and efficiency of the HSKP in achieving high loads with fewer fasteners. The blog underscores the structural mechanics and the ongoing process of pushing connector limits in mass timber construction.
Innovation Redefined: The Future of Structural Testing with Our Million Pound Rig
The future of full-scale structures testing and product development is here – and it is BIG. Our Tyrell Gilb Research Laboratory built a brand-new Million Pound Rig to help in the testing of our new Yield-Link® brace connection (YLBC), along with our many other products. Hear from Mike Wesson, Engineering Manager, Tyrell Gilb Research Laboratory, about this latest addition to the research lab.