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       Patrick Smith says equipment, materials and testing are helping drivers improve road markings.
       Waterblasting Tests Water Circulation System: An innovative development from Waterblasting will improve the productivity of road paint stripping, especially in hot climates, remote areas or on long highways. The machine features a water circulation system with a filter, allowing the water to be reused. “This is a big advancement for our industry,” says David Dorsett, the company’s head of international marketing. One of three machines tested with the device was able to operate for 66 hours on just one tank of water. Since paint stripping machines use between 20 and 45 litres of water per minute, this recycling technology could improve productivity, especially when working in hot climates such as Australia, Africa, Asia or parts of the United States. “We can’t just use water from a ditch,” says Dorsett. Although the system is still in the development stage, Waterblasting has already been field tested on three trucks in Hawaii, Utah and Nevada, and a fourth truck has already been delivered to a contractor in Michigan. According to Dorsett, operators value the system because it allows them to work on site longer without having to leave their homes to top up with water. The system also reduces transport costs because they no longer have to haul water tanks to the vehicle to top up with water. It also reduces water bills in water-stressed areas. The system is particularly beneficial for working in rural areas or on long stretches of highway where lane rentals may limit working hours. “We spent three years developing it and it has a built-in filtration system,” Dorsett explained. The filtration system is only suitable for the larger SH4000 and SH8000 models, which Dorsett explains “have very large water tanks.” For users, the filtration system offers other benefits. Machine trials have shown that it significantly extends the life of consumables by removing calcium from the water, making it softer.