It Begins With Research

Ideas for new products or product improvements begin in the research and development section of engineering. These ideas may come from customers, salespeople, production employees or other engineers within the company. They are evaluated in marketing and sales, as well as in production and engineering and then turned over to R&D for further work. With so many people involved, there is a great sense of teamwork in bringing new products to the point where they can be turned over to production. A key step in the process comes in product testing.

Before demonstrating an earthquake-simulation test, Steve Prior (right) introduces the Tyrell Gilb Lab staff in Stockton, California: Guy Anderson, Jian Li, Marty Downs, Ed Santos, Don Weems, Pat Flynn and Von Yang

Joel Houck tests some new anchor designs at the Anchor Systems Research and Development facility in Addison, Illinois.

Helga Elder produces Strong-Tie's production drawings on AutoCAD, and prepares patent drawings for submission.

Jim Sandoval and Donald Albright assemble a test frame at the Stockton, California lab.

Simpson Strong-Tie donates product and installation assistance to educational institutes like the Engineering Technology Department of the University of North Texas, which used Simpson's Titen HDs on their 12 x 16 ft reaction testing frame. This will be used for full scale floor tests, shearwall tests, and testing up to 14 ft high cold-formed steel trusses.