Swarco Hitex Preformed Eco products (previously known as Hitex Hiflex Preformed) comprise of high quality synthetic resins, plasticiser, performance polymers, lead/heavy metal free pigments, aggregates, fillers and glass beads (optional).

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• Features & Benefits
• Compliances/Approvals
• Technical Data
• Application Details
• Suitability of the Road Surface
• Preparation of the Road Surface
• Weather Conditions
• Installation
• System Installation Procedure
• System Installation Checks by the Installer
• Maintenance and Repair
• Aftercare

Features & Benefits

• Low cost solution for smaller marking repair areas
• No specialist application operatives or heavy machinery required
• Non-toxic
• Heavy metal free pigments
• Fast and easy to apply – flows readily, can be trafficked after approximately 5-10 mins
• Surface beads stay suspended
• Resistant to discolouration
• Tough and durable with a long service life
• No waste
• Can be adapted to suit particular climatic or customer performance specifications

Compliances/Approvals

Swarco Preformed Eco meets the following International standards: BS EN 1790, BS EN 1436, BS EN 1871, AASHTO and FHWA.

BASt certification at P7 level of 4 million wheel-overs.

The management system of Swarco Hitex Traffic Safety Ltd has been assessed and registered as meeting the requirements of ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.

Application Details

• The installation of Swarco Preformed Eco tape shall be as stated in the Installation Method Statement, available to download from the data sheets tab above.
• Swarco Preformed Eco tape is a torch applied preformed thermoplastic tape, incorporating thermoplastic resins, aggregates, glass beads (where applicable) & fillers. It is used for reinstatement of road markings and when smaller areas of marking are required.
• Swarco Preformed is supplied with surface applied glass beads, aggregate or a blend of the two. This is to provide initial reflectivity or skid resistance as required.

Suitability of the Road Surface

• The system is deemed suitable for use on non-porous bitumen and concrete based highway surfaces.

Preparation of the Road Surface

• The areas to which the system is to be applied shall be clearly defined by the Purchaser prior to commencement of work on-site.
• The crack, seam or joint and adjacent area is thoroughly cleaned and dried, removing all loose material, dust, grease and foreign matter.
• All substrates shall be inspected to ensure as to whether a primer is required or not. This can vary between sites and depends on factors such as the substrate condition and the size of logo to be applied. Worn asphaltic or concrete substrates will require priming. For concrete substrates, admixtures used during the construction process can lead to surface laitance and thus reduced adhesion.
• Any laitance present must be removed by scabbling / blasting before applying Swarco Preformed Tape.
• Polished or worn concrete should be treated (i.e. by blasting or scabbling) before application of Swarco Preformed Tape to ensure the strongest possible bond is formed.

Weather Conditions

• Swarco Preformed can be applied when the ground temperature is between 5°C and 40°C, but should not be used in periods of continuous or heavy rain.
• The time period required for the repair to cure sufficiently before trafficking depends on the substrate and air temperatures, but is typically ≤ 5 minutes. Higher ambient temperatures can increase the cure time – see the installation & aftercare sections for details.

Installation

System Installation Procedure

• The application area and immediate surrounding areas must be clean, dry and free from ice, loose aggregate, oil, grease, road salt and other loose material.
• Swarco Preformed is supplied ready to apply, either on rolls or in strips, incorporating surface applied glass beads, aggregate or a mixture of the two.
• Larger areas may require the use of a clear primer to ensure that the adhesion is maximized. Primer should be applied in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions. Particular care should be taken to avoid pools or puddles of primer, as these can cause blisters, which can lead to failure of any preformed tape applied on top.
• Swarco Preformed Tape should be removed from the packaging and gently placed onto the surface over the top of the crack or joint. If required, it should then be carefully cut to the required size and shape before application starts.
• Swarco Preformed is then applied using a suitable torch burner, applying gentle heat to the top surface of the material. The burner should be kept moving across the surface to maintain an even heating.
• Heat should be applied until the material can be seen to start melting and flowing onto the underlying surface. Care should be taken to ensure that all of the material is sufficiently heated to allow all of the tape to be fully bonded to the substrate.
• The bond strength should checked after the material has fully cooled. This is carried out by trying to insert a screwdriver or similar tool between the Swarco Preformed tape and the substrate. The material should not debond. If it does, repeat the above heating step and recheck.
• Prolonged overheating should be avoided, as it could lead to degradation of the binder component, which will adversely affect product performance. Overheating also risks the surface applied aggregate sinking into the material, reducing the initial skid resistance.
• The completed installation shall be allowed to cool before opening to traffic. This will vary according to the ambient and substrate temperatures, but is typically approximately 10 minutes.

System Installation Checks by the Installer

• The installer shall carry out a visual inspection to check the finished levels and for any discernible faults. The above adhesion tests should also be carried out. Any remedial works will be carried out prior to opening the site to traffic.

Maintenance and Repair

• In the event of damage occurring during service, the material can be repaired by removing defective material then repeating the preparation and application procedure.

Aftercare

• During the setting period no disturbance or trafficking of the application area should be permitted.
• Before opening to traffic at the end of the cooling period the installation should be inspected to ensure it is safe for trafficking