It’s almost season startup, and most crews have new guys to train. One of the many important tasks to get right is setting up the screed for a good day of paving.
If any of the steps below feel foreign to you after the winter break, you can get a refresher course online from AsphaltPro. It’s a one-time cost to have lifetime access for your entire crew at https://training.theasphaltpro.com/.
- Heat up the screed. Cold iron will dive on the take-off and you’ll be chasing depth all day. Instead, make sure everyone knows to bring it up to paving temperature (evenly) across the plates. Use a temperature gun to check three or more spots across the whole width.
- Center the tow points.
- Set the paving width and check the crown on the main screed and extensions. You want the match heights right so the screed “floats.”
- Make sure the endgates and skis are clean.
- Check that you have a straight line of pull.
- Lower the screed to the starter boards.
- Null out the slack and set a slight nose-up angle for a smooth take-off.
What else do you train into your paving crew for everyday perfect paving? Let’s share that online and make sure everyone’s starting the day off right.
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