From balloons frame to CAD-tailored : Japanese precut framing technology comes to the U.S. Presented By: Soad Zaki Abdel-Tawab By: Ted Smalley Bowen Web Address: Topic Number: 36 Date: 10/04

PREFASE Advances in manufacturing technology are bringing mass customization closer to reality for home building. For a number years, building suppliers have manufactured made-to-order components with a high degree of automation Now, a supplier called MF Technologies is using a CAD-driven system called MasterFit, developed in Japan, to churn out custom-cut, engineered wood frames for single- and multifamily houses.

MasterFit system comes to U.S. The Minneapolis-based company opened its first fully automated U.S. plant in June Company officials tout the system’s frugal use of materials, which makes for less factory waste, as well as its ability to produce tighter frames and shells, reduce production and assembly time, and simplify labor requirements. The MasterFit system consists of a proprietary CAD tool (an AutoCAD add-on) to which data from standard CAD files, hard-copy drawings, or sketches are added. The tool then lays out the frame and cuts studs, joists, rafters, and trusses from engineered wood using a computer numeric control CNC system

CAD/CAM/CNC Software Overview There are three main types of software programs that are used to go from design to making a physical part using your Windows-based PC.

MasterFit system Frame components are labeled and shipped to building sites as a kit of parts. Because they are assembled with interlocking metal pegs and plates, the frames can be erected by construction teams with minimal training, rather than skilled laborers. (Prefabricated building panels used with the frames must be attached with nails or screws, however.) The Albert Lea, Minnesota, factory can turn around an order in about two weeks. Once components are on-site, the shell of a 1,500- square-foot house can be erected and enclosed within three days, according to MF Technologies president Santos Martin.

MasterFit system how it work MasterFit delivers a superior framing method that easily accommodates conventional mechanical requirements and finish work. While MasterFit represents a giant leap forward in framing technology, once the framing and enclosing work is completed, no special methods are needed for plumbing, heating, electrical systems and interior finish work. In fact, because MasterFit utilizes fewer members to deliver stronger structural integrity, running mechanical and electrical systems is actually simpler than in traditional stick-built construction

MasterFit system The house was built by seven women enrolled in a carpentry- training program in Duluth, Minnesota, who had only one week of experience. The house was built by seven women enrolled in a carpentry- training program in Duluth, Minnesota, who had only one week of experience. MasterFit Frames are shipped to a site and assembled with joinery included in the kit. MasterFit Frames are shipped to a site and assembled with joinery included in the kit. Photography:  Courtesy Northern Communities Land Trust  lhb/Jeff Frey Photography

ADVANTAGES  MasterFit delivers a lower building cost while saving on material waste, time and labor  It’s a better way to build 1.Save Time: Because the MasterFit system can be installed and enclosed in days 2.Save Materials : Get an exact materials delivery for every project. 3.Save Labor: no need to skilled labor 4.Save the Environment: As a footnote to your building profitability, you’ll have the confidence (and marketing advantage) of using products that more efficiently use precious natural resources.

ENVIEROMENTAL PERFORMANCE Because MasterFit’s superior structural integrity enables construction with fewer studs per wall, the MasterFit home achieves higher overall energy performance than a traditional stick-built home. This fact, coupled with more precise construction that results in smaller gaps, enables the MasterFit home to achieve a better thermal performance rating with the same R-value insulation. Clear Wall Panel. Clear Wall Panel. Insulated Wall Panel. Insulated Wall Panel. Narrow line Structural Insulated Panel. Narrow line Structural Insulated Panel. Exterior Panel Options

SELLING POINTS Despite these advantages, the growth of this market has been slow. While the number of engineered wood plants in the U.S. has about doubled since 1989, engineered wood still represents only 5 to 6 percent of the North American structural framing material market, according to the Engineered Wood Association. It lacks well-conceived pathways for utilities such as pipes and wires and doesn’t address the integration of structure with interior, non-load-bearing infill partitions and cabinetry. DISADVANTAGES A process for making high-quality, mass-customized homes requires considering the whole system, from flashing to how air moves indoors. inadaptable to late changes that invariably occur during custom building.