SWARCO is a seasoned expert in retroreflection for road and airfield safety. With over 40 years of experience in the industry, SWARCO is a unique production and know-how pool for reflective glass beads, high performance marking materials and the application of the retroreflective systems. Individual quality solutions and consultancy for our partners are key to optimal systems for increased safety on roads, runways and taxiways.
Retroreflective glass beads for airfield markings
M. SWAROVSKI in Austria is SWARCO’s competence centre for the production and R&D of high-quality glass beads. The company is Europe’s only production site for high-index beads with refractive index 1.9+. These microspheres marketed under the label plus9beads conform with the airport beads standards EN 1423 and TTB-1325C Type III. Available in sizes between 300 to 850µ, plus9beads deliver outstanding reflectivity readings of 800 to 1,300 mcd/lx/m², depending on the quality and thickness of the marking material, the surface to be marked, the application, and the amount of reflective glass beads used per square metre.
plus9beads made out of pure glass melt are based on exact and consistent raw material quality. This results in a high uniformity of the finished product with high roundness. Targeted coating technology and customer-specific gradations are additional services SWARCO offers to create the perfect system for the individual purpose. Typical bead application rates under field conditions are 400 to 600 g/m² . Long-lasting high retroreflection values and the durability of the markings are additional safety factors allowing less frequent maintenance intervals and reducing downtimes in the sensitive sector of airfield traffic.
Liquid materials for airfield markings
Germany’s number one marking material manufacturer LIMBURGER LACKFABRIK offers a special range of airport marking systems. These can be based on high solid paints, waterborne paints or coldplastic. Depending on the local conditions, the company recommends the right material for the individual purpose. All materials are characterised by good kerosene resistance in compliance with DIN EN ISO 2812-1 (see LGA – test certificate BP 015 1007/1) and good chemical resistance against fuels, de-icing chemicals, engine and hydraulic oils.
The systems have been tested by the German Federal Institute for Material Research and Testing (BAM) with regard to determination of colour standards according to DIN 5033, assessment to ICAO – Annex 14 – Aerodromes and to STANAG 3711 (see BAM – test certification 51E1089). LIMBURGER LACKFABRIK’s products fulfil the requirements of additional technical specification and guidelines for road markings (ZTVM 02).
For runways, centrelines, kerbs, touch-down zones, interval markings / skip lines and edgelines, high solid paint Limboroute K 828F or waterborne Limboroute LW 48F are the recommended products. For damp surfaces there is a solution with Limboroute 2-component K 809F. Taxiways, runway centrelines, runway intersections, VOR – check point markings, and stop bars are best created with high solid paint Limboroute 2-component K 809F due to its higher durability against heavy airplane impact.
Apron airfield markings, airplane parking positions, and pre-terminal safety lines can be applied with Limboroute K 828F, Limboroute LW 48F or 2-component K 809F, depending on the frequency of remarking and the desired abrasion resistance. For heavy traffic markings outside the airfields Limboplast D 468F is the suitable product. Please ask for the technical specification sheets concerning the different marking material options.
Afterglow markings for airfield emergency lighting systems
Afterglow paints are solvent-based one-component paints to create phosphorescent guiding lines that mark emergency exit routes in staircases, parking garages, factories, shopping centers, tunnels, etc. This type of special paint complements existing emergency lighting systems that might fail or become invisible due to smoke. The marking’s good luminescence does not only show the direction of evacuation routes, but also identifies stairs, obstacles and surrounding conditions. The afterglow paint contains special pigments which after incitation with UV radiation, daylight, or artifical light continue to emit light for a certain period of time and thus provide a safety feature in dark conditions.
References
The success of SWARCO airport marking systems can also be seen from a long list of references. Almost all German and Austrian airports, numerous airports in the USA, US air bases in Europe, RAF bases in Great Britain, Copenhagen Airport, Bagdad International Airport, Budapest Airport, Aviano airport in Italy, a number of Romanian airports such as International Airport Bucharest, Ploiesti, and Sibiu as well as airports in Riga, Tripolis, Tashkent, Moscow, Baku, Kuwait and Qatar have increased their safety by adopting SWARCO quality systems for runways, taxiways and aprons.
LED-based guidance systems
DAMBACH-WERKE – airport guidance and orientation systems. German SWARCO company DAMBACH-Werke GmbH plans and implements logical, highly modern guidance and orientation systems for people at airports, in public buildings and at large events. DAMBACH-WERKE offer efficient LED-based lighting systems which significantly help the customers save costs for system operation and maintenance. Airports like Munich and Berlin count on DAMBACH’s solutions for clear guidance.