Smart Solutions – Summer 2025 Issue

Maximizing Welder Workforce with Automation featuring Novarc Technologies, Inc.

To combat the shortage of skilled labor in the welding industry, Novarc Technologies, Inc. recently launched a real-time vision processing system: NovEye™ Autonomy (Gen 2), the world’s first artificial intelligence (AI) machine learning program for welding. The system constantly improves weld quality based on data collection and model enhancement to maximize productivity and deliver the highest quality welds.

Novarc Technologies Inc.

2 New Management Methods Bulletins Now Available

MCAA recently released two new Management Methods Bulletins designed to support its members with free, in‑depth guidance on critical aspects of mechanical contracting.

Streamlining Invoicing Skyrockets Revenue with ServiceTitan & L.J. Kruse Company

Until two years ago, L.J. Kruse Company, a fourth-generation plumbing and HVAC shop in Berkeley, CA, was still using paper for invoicing. With ServiceTitan, the company’s service side boosted revenue by $1 million. “I don’t know how many companies are left on paperwork orders, but if there are any, you have to make the switch, and you’ve got to make it yesterday,” said Will Kruse, vice president and service manager at L.J. Kruse Co. Switching to ServiceTitan “was night and day.”

ServiceTitan

Fueling Efficiency Through Automation with SIEMENS & Marble Distilling Co.

Because SIEMENS automation equipment and software worked well to optimize room temperatures efficiently in their boutique inn, Marble Distilling Co. owners were open to a novel use of the technology to improve the distilling process—and they were rewarded with a 75-percent increase in efficiency as a result. The Carbondale, CO, destination is home to a craft distillery, tasting room, private club, and inn—all designed to make every guest feel as though they are a part of Marble’s mission to become the most sustainable, zero-waste distilling operation in the world.

Siemens

Avoiding Missed Connections Through Innovation with Merit Brass Company & Dynamic Systems, Inc.

Dynamic Systems, Inc. (DSI) chose Merit Brass Company copper press fittings on the chilled water system for a multi-billion-dollar facility because of the ease of installation, cost savings, and cleanliness of the installation. Moreover, Merit’s fittings are equipped with distinctive Visual Indicator Press Ring® (VIPR) technology—which provides an external visual confirmation of a pressed fitting and enabled DSI to avoid the common problem of missed pressed fittings that can derail projects.

Merit Brass Company

Jobsite Safety Spotlight with MCAA’s Safety & Health Committee & BuildOps

Falls. Tools. Mental health. The jobsite dangers haven’t changed much, but some contractors are changing how they respond—and who they involve in the process. MCAA Safety and Health Committee members Ricky Reams (Murphy Company) and Rebecca Medaris (Pan-Pacific Mechanical), joined BuildOps to discuss the challenges contractors are facing today and what’s working in the field—from simplifying fall protection to reshaping the tools that get people hurt.

BuildOps

Matching Material to Application for Better Results: Advice from NIBCO INC.

In commercial plumbing and mechanical systems, material selection is far more than a matter of preference or budget—it directly impacts system performance, longevity, and reliability. Standards offer a framework, but truly effective practice requires that you match the materials to the specific demands of the application.

NIBCO INC.

Delivering Lasting Value with Daikin Applied and Bartingale Mechanical

Speed and efficiency were top priorities for Bartingale Mechanical in renovating a Wisconsin jail, and the company successfully installed a customized Daikin Applied chiller in just one week, with inmates remaining in place throughout the project. Daikin’s ability to deliver the unit on time, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, helped the team avoid delays with using the specialized crane and contributed to a smooth and successful startup.

Daikin Group

Message from Mark Becker, M/SC Chair: Insights and Innovations

Case studies in this issue of Smart Solutions include two stadiums, two jails, and a distillery—highlighting that many projects come with unique needs that require innovation and insight. We hope you will take advantage of the insights and innovations our manufacturer/supplier partners have to offer.

Exceeding Stringent Standards with SLOAN & Murray Company

To meet green building standards for a new basketball stadium, Murray Company Mechanical Contractors counted on SLOAN’s sustainable products but also ensured close collaboration and coordination among all the “players” in the building process to secure the win. Murray Company made sure it could accommodate others working simultaneously; meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), state, and LEED requirements; and ensure that the plumbing worked under peak demand.

SLOAN

Expanding & Improving the Community with Trane and Brandt Companies

Brandt Companies is familiar with the unique challenges and strict requirements around working on a correctional facility, so when the opportunity to renovate and expand the Rockwell County (Texas) jail arose, Brandt chose Trane. “It was very intentional that we wanted to work with Trane,” said Scott McMillan, senior mechanical engineer at Brandt. “Trane has great resources on the controls side and smoke control projects, in particular. Ultimately, Trane delivered and was instrumental in the success of this job.”

Trane

Transforming Operations with Real-Time Visibility with Access Coins & P1 Construction, LLC

P1 Construction, LLC replaced its outdated legacy enterprise resource planning (ERP) system with Access Coins ERP and quickly started saving money, increasing productivity, and improving service delivery. Morgan Lassise, P1 Construction accounting manager, explained, “Access Coins has been perfect for us because it meets all the needs that we have as a contractor. We’re seeing increased job productivity across the board.”

Access Coins

Optimizing Pipe Quality to Improve Efficiency featuring Wheatland Tube

In an evolving industry where quality, labor shortages, safety, and environmental impact are top-of-mind, mechanical contractors are faced with critical decisions when specifying materials for their projects. Choosing domestically manufactured standard pipe over their imported equivalents can increase the quality, safety, and sustainability of any project.

Wheatland Tube

Profiling Software Optimizes Efficiency featuring HGG Profiling Equipment, Inc.

Designed in-house, ProCAM software leverages HGG Profiling Equipment Inc.’s 40 years of 3D profiling knowledge and synthesizes it into a software system designed to maximize throughput and material usage, saving users time and money. ProCAM and ProCAM Lite are the only software specifically designed for HGG profiling machines.

HGG Profiling Equipment, Inc.

Optimizing Operations & Fan Experience Simultaneously featuring Johnson Controls

When the Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club™ committed to making improvements to its ballpark, now known as American Family Field™, the organization looked to its long-term partner Johnson Controls to help provide fans with an outstanding experience while ensuring the ballpark operates at peak performance and efficiency. As a result, the team increased attendance significantly.

Johnson Controls, Inc.

Designing for Success with Victaulic & Heffron Company

Thanks to Victaulic’s grooved mechanical pipe-joining technology, Heffron Company overcame constraints of scale, space, and time to meet the demand for a cutting-edge 260,000-square-foot life sciences facility in Maryland. With patient safety and global medicine supply chains depending on rapid completion and a reliable system, Heffron Company took on the ambitious project and its aggressive nine-month schedule.

Victaulic

Transforming Insights Into Action with Artificial Intelligence featuring Copeland Mobile

Today’s HVACR technicians rely on innovative, user-friendly tools like mobile apps to increase productivity. Copeland Mobile, one of the most trusted apps in the industry, recently added a new artificial intelligence (AI) feature, Scout. Designed as the ultimate field companion, Copeland Mobile’s cutting-edge solution now leverages AI to transform insights into action, helping technicians quickly diagnose, troubleshoot, and resolve issues in the field.

Copeland

Automating Processes to Deliver Tangible Benefits with PypeServer, Inc. & DILFO

DILFO had already worked to modernize its fabrication process, but adopting PypeServer Inc.’s cloud-based workflow allowed them to do even more, demonstrably saving on labor and materials. As Brendan Myers, DILFO’s director of operations, put it, “By automating processes, reducing waste, and enhancing productivity, the software has delivered tangible financial and operational benefits.”

PypeServer, Inc.

Summer 2025 Issue

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