Contact: Dave Goodwin            FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tel. 888.565.9181
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TRUSSTEEL AND ALPINE STRUCTURAL CONSULTANTS RECEIVE THE SFA / CFSEI INNOVATIVE DESIGN AWARD
This represents the debut of the prestigious Innovative Design Award, conferred by the Steel Framing Alliance and the Cold-Formed Steel Engineers Institute (Washington, DC).

On October 1, 2008, the Cold-Formed Steel Engineers Institute (CFSEI), a unit of the Steel Framing Alliance (SFA), announced the selection of TrusSteel, An ITW Company, and their Alpine Structural Consultants (ASC) unit, based in Haines City, FL , as recipients of their first Innovative Design Award.  TrusSteel and ASC provide engineered cold-formed steel (CFS) framing solutions to the building industry.  

TrusSteel and ASC received the award for their innovative engineering solutions developed for the Freightliner Research Wind Tunnel Laboratory project.  Bill Babich, P.E., TrusSteel Director of Engineering, accepted the award on October 1, 2008, during the 10th Anniversary Dinner of the Steel Framing Alliance, which was held during the Metalcon show in Baltimore, MD.

"We are honored to receive this award", said Bill Babich, in his remarks at the award presentation, "and we want to thank the entire team that gave birth to this unusual project.  I am glad that this project is receiving the recognition it deserves, because it really pushes the boundaries on the use of cold-formed steel as a structural system."

The Research Wind Tunnel is a part of a state-of-the-art vehicle research laboratory built in Swan Lake, OR, by Freightliner LLC (now Freightliner Trucks, the largest division of Daimler Trucks North America LLC, Portland, OR). Completed in 2004, the entire tunnel was built from CFS trusses. "This is a most unusual use of these building components", says Sowri Rajan, P.E., ASC Chief Engineer.  "Freightliner initially contacted Gary Derr of Pacific Panel and Steel Truss (PPST), a TrusSteel fabricator, while the project was in the conceptual stage, seeking advice on framing solutions. A team was formed, including Freightliner, TrusSteel, ASC, PPST and architect VLMK Consulting Engineers of Portand, OR, to investigate CFS framing solutions.  They concluded that CFS trusses, used in an unusual framing arrangement, could provide the strength and stiffness required to resist the unique static and dynamic loads of the project."

The 12,000 square foot wind tunnel uses 10 large fans, with a combined 25,000 HP, to generate tunnel wind speeds of 65 MPH.  Disruptions of air flow and load factors introduced onto the truck and trailer bodies are measured by a host of computers and gauges.  The company uses this research data to design vehicles with reduced air drag and cab noise.  This translates into better fleet fuel economy and a better ride for drivers.  

Combinations of pre-engineered CFS trusses create the roof, floor and walls of the 80 foot long tunnel.  The framing system at the opening of the tunnel measures 57 feet wide by 52 feet tall, tapering down throughout the throat of the tunnel to 32 feet by 24 feet as the tunnel enters the laboratory building.  The trusses bear on two wide flange beams which extend out over the Willamette River.  The interior of the tunnel is composed of fiberboard and steel reinforced Plexiglas.

About TrusSteel
For more than twelve years, TrusSteel and its ASC unit have provided CFS framing solutions to the building industry, both directly and through the nationwide network of Authorized TrusSteel Fabricators.  The engineering services of TrusSteel and ASC are based in Haines City, FL, Earth City, MO, and Sacramento, CA.  TrusSteel is a business unit of Illinois Tool Works (ITW).

Contact:
TrusSteel, An ITW Company
Dave Goodwin, National Marketing Director
3208 Fisher Court
Arlington, TX 76001
888-565-9181
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