Road marking machines are devices that apply markings on roads, such as lines, arrows, symbols, etc. They are used for traffic guidance, safety, and decoration purposes. Road marking machines can use different types of materials, such as thermoplastic, cold paint, cold plastic, etc. Depending on the material and the application technique, the line thickness can vary from 1 mm to 4 mm or more.

One of the factors that affect the line thickness is the screed box or the die. This is the part of the machine that shapes the material into a line as it is extruded from the kettle or the tank. The screed box or the die has an opening that determines the width and the thickness of the line. By adjusting the opening size, the line thickness can be changed. For example, a smaller opening will produce a thinner line, while a larger opening will produce a thicker line.

Another factor that affects the line thickness is the speed of the machine. The faster the machine moves, the thinner the line will be, and vice versa. This is because the material flow rate is constant, but the distance covered by the machine in a unit time is variable. For example, if a machine moves at 10 km/h and applies 10 kg of material per minute, the line thickness will be different from when it moves at 5 km/h and applies the same amount of material per minute.

A third factor that affects the line thickness is the temperature of the material. The temperature affects the viscosity and fluidity of the material, which in turn affects how it spreads on the road surface. For example, thermoplastic material needs to be heated to a high temperature (around 200°C) to become liquid and flow smoothly through the screed box or the die. If the temperature is too low, the material will be too thick and hard to extrude, resulting in a thicker and uneven line. If the temperature is too high, the material will be too thin and runny, resulting in a thinner and irregular line.

To summarize, road marking machines can adjust the line thickness by changing the screed box or die opening size, the speed of the machine, and the temperature of the material. These factors need to be balanced and calibrated according to the specifications and requirements of each project.