What are road planers? Road planers are machines that scarify road surfaces using cold planer technology. Cold planers gradually remove asphalt or concrete by scraping and cutting the road's surface with special teeth attached to a rotor. The layout of the RPL/EX teeth was specifically designed by FAE to increase performance and reduce vibration. The RPL/EX is most useful when excavator maneuverability, flexibility, and precision are important, especially where there are narrow corners, sidewalks, or manholes.