Electronic spacing device ELC4

The Hofmann ELC4 is a line-spacing electronics control unit for self-propelled road marking machines, controlling up to 6 solenoid valve outputs — the standard configuration covers 3 paint guns and 3 glass bead guns simultaneously. The unit supports three operating modes: manual marking (operator controls which guns are active and for how long), semi-automatic marking (operator sets gun selection and start point; line end triggers automatically per programmed line length), and fully automatic marking (the machine executes the operator’s stored program independently). Up to 12 line-gap programs can be stored simultaneously in memory — two more than the ELC1plus — with a dedicated special program for water-gap functions. Marking meters per gun are counted continuously throughout the marking run. Program switching and paint gun control assignments can be executed via buttons 1 to 12 during active marking — the current line-gap cycle always completes before the new program starts. Switching between programs can occur during either the line phase or the gap phase of the cycle. Compatible application techniques cover cold paint, 2K cold plastic, spray 2K cold plastic, thermoplastic, and spray thermoplastic.

The synchronized gun start and stop function ensures that when a gun is added to the active set mid-cycle, its line start is synchronized with the line starts of the already-active guns — and when a gun is removed, its line end aligns with the line ends of the remaining guns. This prevents staggered line starts and stops across a multi-gun screed, which would produce visually irregular or non-compliant broken line markings on the road surface. The program change logic — completing the current cycle before switching — prevents partial line lengths from appearing at program transition points. The water-gap program runs separately from the main line-gap program, allowing water flush cycles to be timed independently of the marking sequence without interrupting the line-gap counter.

The Hofmann ELC4 is installed on self-propelled road marking machines for broken line marking on motorways, dual carriageways, trunk roads, urban roads, and airport surfaces — wherever three or more guns must be independently sequenced and documented across high-volume marking programs. It is suited to multi-line configurations where a single machine applies two or three parallel broken lines in a single pass.

Leader Infra supplies this 6-output, 12-program line-spacing control electronics unit for self-propelled road marking machines — delivering manual, semi-automatic, and fully automatic gun sequencing with synchronized multi-gun start/stop, mid-run program switching, and continuous meter counting across all cold paint, thermoplastic, and cold plastic application techniques.

FAQ — What is the key difference between the ELC4 and the ELC1plus in terms of operational capability? The ELC4 controls 6 solenoid valve outputs (3 paint guns + 3 bead guns) versus the ELC1plus’s 4 outputs (2 paint guns + 2 bead guns), stores 12 programs versus 10, and includes synchronized multi-gun start/stop logic that aligns line starts and ends across all active guns when guns are added or removed mid-cycle. The ELC4 is suited to three-line simultaneous marking configurations and high-complexity broken line programs, while the ELC1plus covers standard single or dual-line applications.