Our Trackjet machines gain a lot of attention from our clients – and on our social media channels. It transpires that watching paint being removed by this incredible piece of kit has mesmerised people around the world.
Whilst paint removal has unexpectedly captured the interest of many, there’s more to Trackjet than popular social media videos. As part of our ‘Ask the Experts’ series, here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions about one of our most popular services:
Trackjet is a vehicle-mounted system comprised of computer controlled, ultra-high-pressure water jets used on roads, racetracks and runways to change the surface characterises without damaging the surface structure.
The water jets are commonly utilised to remove rubber, oil, paint markings and skid marks from surfaces, but they can also be adapted to improve the friction level of a surface for improved grip on runways and motorsport circuits.
The sapphire water-jet nozzles focus on treating a specific section of the surface at a time. Depending on the settings applied and the interchangeable front-end mechanism we put in place, those jets of water can either remove surface rubber and paint, or retexture the asphalt by removing excess binder to improve wet skid resistance.
Trackjet technology differs to other UHP systems in that the pattern of tiny jets have been designed to remove every trace of paint and rubber from the road or runway without damaging the asphalt or concrete underneath. It’s powerful, yet gentle. It has been extensively trialled and tested, and is now trusted by airports, highways authorities, Formula 1 and more.
Most people assume that the Trackjet system uses gallons of water and fuel. In fact, the opposite is true. It uses 70% less diesel than traditional methods and just 10% of the water used in other water jetting systems. Its water consumption is so efficient that, in most cases, we don’t need to refill the tank in a shift, which also saves on time and manpower.
Trackjet needs just one trained Roadgrip operative in the cab, which reduces the need, cost and inconvenience of multiple contractors. For this reason, it means we can utilise Trackjet at short notice for clients around the world.
Trackjet is very efficient compared to other methods. As a ballpark, it can remove 50-100m2 of paint per hour (depending on the thickness and type of paint), and 500-1200 m2 of rubber per hour depending on the treatment required. This is similar for retexturing too.
We use Trackjet and Trackjet XL on many roads, tracks and runways globally. It is highly effective at removing rubber deposits on runways (even on grooved surfaces) and is frequently used to remove debris from racing venues and Formula 1 street circuits prior to an event and remove paint after the race. It is ideal for removing lines on roads and retexturing surfaces that require grip and friction improvement at the micro and macro level.
If your racing circuit, runway or road needs rubber removal, line removal, cleaning or grip improvement, contact the Trackjet experts at Roadgrip.