TAMPA, Fla. (Feb. 20, 2005) – Consolidated Metco’s TruTurn Fully Machined Brake Drum has won the 2004 Technical Achievement Award from the Truck Writers of North America (TWNA).

TWNA director Tom Berg, of Newport Publications, presented the award to Al Anderson, Field Sales Manager for Consolidated Metco (ConMet), during ceremonies held February 17, 2005, at the winter meeting of the American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council meeting here.

The TruTurn drum’s fully-machined finishing process, both inside and out, creates better dimensional consistency and a uniform wall thickness which translates into improved performance characteristics for the end user.

“The TruTurn brake drum is truly unique in that it is machined on the outside as well as the inside,” explained Rob Edstrom, ConMet’s Vice President of Sales & Marketing. “Through this process the drum is `turned to balance,’ which means it is inherently balanced, as well as having its strength optimized because the drum wall thickness is uniform around the circumference.”

The TruTurn process gives the drum strength because there’s no need for weld-on weights or balance cuts which can weaken a standard drum. The result is a drum with less potential for cracking, lower per-stop temperatures, a more uniform distribution of temperature and braking forces; all of which deliver a longer life-cycle. The drum’s uniform wall thickness also contributes to more consistent thermal expansion and, therefore, minimizes brake vibration for better braking performance.

Consolidated Metco, a major Class 8 truck supplier, is a subsidiary of Amsted Industries, one of the world’s largest transportation component manufacturers. Amsted is also one of the largest 100 percent employee-owned companies in the United States.

TWNA is a national organization of professional journalists involved in writing and reporting news and information about trucks and trucking. The TWNA Technical Achievement Award recognizes significant new products and services to the commercial vehicle industry and has been presented for eleven years.