Leading road marking orgnaisation WJ, showcase their automated road marking machine concept aimed at removing operatives from harm.
In a video posted by Tom Tideswell, Head of Innovation at Kier, WJ delivered a demonstration of their ThermoPrint Machine to the Birmingham City Council Team.
The concept is believed to now be going into road trials next year with a view to being approved as a method of delivery.
Currently, a large portion of the thermoplastic road marking application on local authority networks is carried out by hand, either using hand moulds for letters, numbers, arrows, and symbols etc. or lining prams that are pushed by the operative for the lane markings. This is a process that has not deviated much since the 1960s.
This presents issues whereby operatives are placed at the side of live traffic and a risk of a motorist not only committing an incursion but also potentially striking the operative carrying out the task.
WJ Group Chief Operations Officer, Martin Webb commented “With this innovation, you’re not on the road, you’ll be inside a vehicle, making it a safer option for all involved. We’ll have no one exposed to traffic, no risk of burns and no operatives carrying heavy buckets and laying material all day.”
“We anticipate the machine will bring significant time savings when compared to applying the markings in its current form. You just need to turn up to site, select the markings you need to install and then it can all be done in one pass.”
“While the innovation is a work in progress, the vision is for the machine to scan the road and print over the top of the existing marking. Once the machine is positioned, operators will essentially press start and the machine will start to lay the markings. Not only is it a safer option, but it will also provide improved visibility during wet nights due to the dotted profile.”
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