Solution combining high technicity and optimal protection of operators

Present situation: drudgery and danger

In France and in Europe thousands of temporary road markings are made each year as part of road works and maintenance. Most of the time 2 or 3 people are involved in putting traffic cones out of a vehicle (side or rear), manually.
Consequences :

  • risk of musculoskeletal disorders. For example in France for each operation a worker lifts in average more than 100 cones of 4,2 kg, i.e. more than 400 kg of cones for a 2,8 km closure. In England they lift up between 260-300 cones of 10kg.
  • High exposure to live traffic and falling risks.
    In France every three days an accident involves a motorway worker. Half of these
    accidents occures during marking operation of road works. Since 2002, 23 people have died on the motorway network. (source : www.personnel-autoroutes.fr).

The solution : automation

Over the past ten years, Optomachines has been working on the automation of cones laying and removing. A clever mechanism, the « dynamic toppling bar », that allows the cone to lean and to go easily up onto a motorized ramp, has been patented in
partnershift with the french motorway company Autoroutes Paris-Rhin-Rhône.
Semi-automatic first, this system (still available today) existing in two versions, lateral or rear side working, has improved significantly the work conditions. Two workers are required : the driver and an operator remaining protected inside the van and
who set the cones onto the motorized ramp, without leaning outside.
15 semi-automatic BALISEUR systems have been supplied to motorway companies.

In order to satisfy the wish of the motorway companies to minimize the manual tasks and the exposure to live traffic risks, Optomachines offers the fully automated and driven by a single worker : the driver.

Cone laying & removing, cone tapers :
– Proven system since many years : the motorized ramp and the patented toppling bar, mounted at the rear of the vehicle, oriented to the right or left.
– Placing of cone tapers and lengths of cones driving forwards, removing cones driving backwards.
– Adjusted to operate with K5a cones (750 mm heigth). It can be adapted to other dimensions.
– A storage housing of 264 cones feeds a loading system allowing to lay and remove cones at about 15 km/h.

Vehicle controls & security :
– Thanks to simple MHI and visual indicators at the driver’s cab, the driver controls the deployment of the system, the storage, the placing and removing of taper cones and cone lengths, and their spacing (26 or 39 m).
– Control screens help the driver to monitor the operations without stepping onto the road.
– It is possible to set one cone on request.
– A remote controller at the rear of the vehicle allows to load and unload stacks of cones in the storage housing.

Description of provided system :
– Optomachines supplies the system integrated in a tarpaulin structure, on a raised floor, to be mounted on a compatible heavyweigth van.
– The structure is also a holder for warning signs, like warning arrows and flashing lights.
– A few traffic signs and equipment can be stored in the structure.


More detailed information on request.

Made in our premises in Riom – FRANCE