How to Use Road Marking Machine?

Road marking machine or road marking equipment is a kind of mechanical device that can paint traffic lines on the surface of highway. It is mean to keep the traffic order and safety. There are three types of road marking machines: thermoplastic paint, cold paint and two-component paint type. They are depending on the coating materials.

I will tell you how to use thermoplastic road marking machine.

First, you need to choose thermoplastic paint. Roadsky supply high quality thermoplastic paint of different colors.

Second, pre-heater machine is needed. The powder of thermoplastic paint is heated in hot melt machine and the heating temperature should be controlled between 150℃ and 220℃.

Third, When the coated primer is dry, you can add reflective glass beads, increased night time markings.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Road Marking Tapes

Pavement marking materials mainly consist of thermoplastic paint, cold solvent paint and marking tapes. Thermoplastic paint and cold solvent paint are the most common materials for line marking projects. However, pavement tapes, a new marking method, have been widely used in urban road construction.

Thermoplastic paint is the most common used materials for line marking. It has advantages of long life on high volume road, quick set time, good night time visibility and excellent durability. However, pavement surface condition is an important factor that affects the performance. The road surface must be clean enough. It requires specialized installation equipment, which increase the initial cost of whole road marking project.

Cold solvent and waterborne paint cost less than thermoplastic paint. Apply and clean-up of them is also very easy. But the service life in high volume traffic road is much shorter. It also doesn’t adhere well to concrete road.

Pavement marking tapes can be divided into temporary tapes and permanent tapes. The main materials of tapes are flexible polymer, synthetic rubber and thermoplastic paint etc.

Removable road marking tapes can also be used in road construction sites as temporary markers. The tapes can be placed to shift the lanes and black tapes can be used to temporarily blackout the existing markings. At the end of the constructions or within 6 months, the tapes can be pulled out off the surface without using heat, solvents, or machines. Temporary marking tapes are ideal for short-term applications such as work zones.

Permanent tapes are designed to be long-term durable road markings capable of providing 5 to 8+ years of service life. The tapes are mainly used for marking edge lines, centerlines, legends and symbols.

Thermoplastic paint tapes, the latest launched permanent pavement tapes which are made from thermoplastic paint. Put tapes in correct place and melt, the tapes will conform and bond to the road surface.

Advantages of permanent road marking tapes:

1.       Easily installed without special equipment.

2.       Durable. Providing 5 to 8 years of service life depending on the traffic environment.

3.       High retro-reflectivity.

4.       Environment friendly. Little damage to local environment and workers.

Pavement marking tapes also have some disadvantages: high initial cost and not suitable for old roads in poor conditions. The two factors limit the application of marking tapes.

For more information about road marking industry, visit Roadsky News Center.