A cold planer is a construction machine used to remove bituminous pavement or asphalt concrete

Asphalt concrete

Asphalt concrete is a composite material commonly used in construction projects such as road surfaces, airports and parking lots. It consists of asphalt and mineral aggregate mixed together, then laid down in layers and compacted...

 from roadways, resulting in a somewhat rough, even surface that can be immediately opened to traffic. This is accomplished by bringing a rotating mandrel

Mandrel

A mandrel is one of the following:* an object used to shape machined work.* a tool component that grips or clamps materials to be machined.* a tool component that can be used to grip other moving tool components.- Variants :...

 or "head" into contact with the pavement at an exact depth or slope. The mandrel has hundreds of hardened spikes on its surface, which bite and tear away at the roadway's surface. The surface material that is removed is normally fed by conveyor into a dump truck

Dump truck

A dump truck is a truck used for transporting loose material for construction. A typical dump truck is equipped with a hydraulically operated open-box bed hinged at the rear, the front of which can be lifted up to allow the contents to be deposited on the ground behind the truck at the site of...

 or semi trailer, but can be left in place or windrow

Windrow

A windrow is a row of cut hay or small grain crop. It is allowed to dry before being baled, combined, or rolled. For hay, the windrow is often formed by a hay rake, which rakes hay that has been cut by a mower machine or by scythe into a row, or it may naturally form as the hay is mowed...

ed to be removed at a later date or recycled. A water spray system provides cooling for the mandrel, as well as dust management.