About Us
An independent voice for all planing contractors
The FPC created in 2008, is an established independent voice to represent the interests of all planing contractors – large or small – providing its members with practical advice, guidance and support.
By working with members, we aim to raise the industry bar to help deliver a sustainable, professional and safe environment for all planing contractors to operate within in.
Industry challenges
Changing client demands, a greater awareness of the environmental impact of our actions and a critical need for all companies to have a consistent approach to health and safety practices ensure that our sector must adapt to change.
To guide the industry through this transformation, the FPC has been formed as a body to provide full representation to the sector, raising the bar in all areas of work to provide a sustainable, professional and safe environment for all planing contractors to operate within.
Effective guidance and support
We are committed to supporting our members with guidance and advice on all elements of the construction industry and to provide representation to clients, government bodies and other industry associations.
A strong voice independent voice for all
It is our strong belief that all of our members, no matter how big or small, should be given a voice to influence the way in which our industry develops. Through our collective strength we have an excellent opportunity to improve the environment we work in and to lobby for future change to enhance our industry.
Planing or cold milling is a machine cutting process that removes construction materials in individual layers, whilst simultaneously granulating them into a reusable secondary aggregate.
The milling operation is undertaken by machines ranging in size from 2.2m wide and over 40 tonnes in weight to 350mm wide andunder 3 tonnes in weight.
At the heart of every cold milling machine is a milling drum fitted with point-attack cutting tools. While the machine travels in a forward direction, the milling drum rotates, granulating the pavement material with its cutting tools. The milling drum rotates against the direction of travel, so that the pavement material is removed from the bottom towards the top.
A fully automated levelling system ensures that the correct milling depth is maintained. In most applications, the milled material is removed from the milling chamber and loaded on trucks via a one-stage or two-stage loading conveyor.
Planing or cold milling is a machine cutting process that removes construction materials in individual layers, whilst simultaneously granulating them into a reusable secondary aggregate.
The milling operation is undertaken by machines ranging in size from 2.2m wide and over 40 tonnes in weight to 350mm wide andunder 3 tonnes in weight.
At the heart of every cold milling machine is a milling drum fitted with point-attack cutting tools. While the machine travels in a forward direction, the milling drum rotates, granulating the pavement material with its cutting tools. The milling drum rotates against the direction of travel, so that the pavement material is removed from the bottom towards the top.
A fully automated levelling system ensures that the correct milling depth is maintained. In most applications, the milled material is removed from the milling chamber and loaded on trucks via a one-stage or two-stage loading conveyor.
Cold milling operations showing point attack cutting toolsMilling drum assembly
The milling drum assemblyPoint-attack cutting tools are fitted on a mechanically driven milling drum in the shape of a helix. They remove the pavement material while the milling drum rotates, granulating it at the same time. Ejectors on the milling drum facilitate transfer of the milled material to the conveyor system.
The milling drum is sprayed with water during the milling operation, cooling the cutting tools. The milling drum works in a fully enclosed drum housing.
The only opening in the drum housing is an outlet for transferring the milled material to the conveyor system.
In all front-loading machines, a gradation control beam presses down on the surface to be milled immediately in front of the milling drum. It prevents large slabs from breaking out of the pavement layer.
Levelling system
Milling the pavement material at precisely the required depth is crucial in the removal of pavement layers in construction, the cold milling machines' levelling system ensures that the specified milling depth is maintained.
The levelling system continuously matches the actual milling depth with the pre-selected target values. The actual milling depth is measured by optical or mechanical sensors scanning a reference surface. A slope sensor combined with a height regulator can also be used if the milled surface needs to have a particular cross slope.
Typical Material Loading systemMaterial loading system
A material loading system conveys the milled material from the milling drum to the waiting truck. This system comprises one or two loading conveyors, depending on the machine model.
In small milling machines with working widths of up to 1 m, the conveyor is located at the rear of the machine. It can be adjusted in height and slewed to either side, enabling the machine operator to flexibly adapt to job site conditions and to fill trucks or wheel loader buckets right to the top.
All of the larger milling machines are front loaders and have a two-stage conveyor system. The first conveyor (primary conveyor) accepts the milled material from the milling chamber. The second conveyor (discharge conveyor) transports it to waiting trucks in a continuous operation. The discharge conveyor can be adjusted in height and slewed to either side. The variable belt speed enables the machine operator to change the discharge parabola, and to fill trucks right to the top.
Key Benefits
Cold milling machines are capable of removing nearly any type of material in layers and at precisely the specified depth, granulating the material simultaneously.
The milled material produced by the cold milling operation is a valuable raw material that can be utilised for the production of new asphalt mixes in hot or cold mixing plants. Cold milling machines can therefore play a key role in the economically efficient recycling of road construction materials.
Cold milling machines are capable of working on narrow construction sites, with traffic flowing uninterrupted on the adjacent lane. In this way, traffic disruptions are kept to a minimum.
A new pavement can be installed immedialey following the milling operation this shortens construction times and increases the overall economic efficiency.
The milled material is also eminently suitable for reuse in trench construction, owing to its excellent compaction properties and bearing capacity.
Typical Material Loading system
