What is Aluminum Composite Panel?
The aluminum composite panel is made up of two aluminum layers and a non-aluminum core. The two thin layers are coil-coated, which provides a tightly-bonded finish. On the other hand, the core material is considered to be more critical since it can be highly flammable.
Moreover, the core material can also have a significant role in the flexibility of the ACM panels. The aluminum composite panel core can affect the price as well where you can find the details about ReynoArch ACP Panel Price.
The standard ACP core is made up of polyethylene (PE). PE is highly combustible, which has made jurisdictions to question the safety of ACP panels. To increase the safety ratings of aluminum composite panels,
ACP providers have used innovative designs and materials in the core. Therefore, when purchasing any aluminum composite products, be sure about the safety rating of your provider. Some other materials such as mineral filled cores have made the panels highly fire-resistant.
The flexibility of aluminum composite panels can also be determined by the structural properties of these panels. For internal usages, the PE coating layer is applied to the panels since they have better flexibility. However, for outdoor installation, PVDF is required.
Some of the examples of outdoor installations are signage, advertisement panels, industry, transportation, aircraft, and more. ACP is used for different applications. The variety of ACP features has made it possible to use ACP not only in construction products but also in other industries such as transportation.
It goes without saying that the aluminum composite panel has high-quality features, the most important of which is flexibility. Aluminum composite panel flexibility has made the material suitable for different applications, but it has raised an important question: Can we bend ACP sheet?
Can We Bend ACP Sheet?
The aluminum composite panel is one of the most flexible decorative materials available worldwide compared to other materials such as wood, stone, and bricks. As mentioned earlier, an ACP panel consists of two aluminum layers and one non-aluminum layer.
Cutting all the three layers without damaging them seems to be a challenging task. So how can you bend aluminum composite panel? There are some traditional methods of bending aluminum composite panels.
The conventional techniques used plastic and metal processing, but these processes could make the spring-back effect, which is highly seen in bending metal and aluminum materials. A spring-back effect can easily affect the dimensional accuracy of a finished project.
There are some other methods to bend ACP sheets. The choice of ACP sheet manufacturers like Reynobond is also important here since different providers provide different options for their customers.
Aluminum composite panel cutting tools:
Bending with a bending press:
For safer and precise bending, your contractor can use a bending press. In this method, the panel lies on a channel or rails and is bent with a punch. The width of the die and the stroke of the punch determines the bending angle.
Bending with a folding machine:
ReynoArch ACP sheets can be bent by a folding device, which makes the job pretty straightforward. In this method, you can put the panels between two clamping plates. Moreover, you can also modify the bending radius by using a folding machine.
Bending with a roll bending machine:
A roll bending machine can also be used to bend aluminum composite panels. Although bending panels need an expert, your contractor must be careful not to put too much pressure on the panels. Mechanical surface damages can also be seen in turning with a roll bending machine.
The bending process of an aluminum composite panel could be challenging for you, but your contractor has enough skills to do it for you. It’s not the most straightforward task to do. Therefore, always seek for experts if you have any questions regarding the bending process.
Furthermore, the bending and flexibility features of ACP panels have made them possible to be used in different areas, whether it’s internal decorative design or outdoor cladding.
Final Thoughts; Can We Bend ACP Sheet?
Aluminum composite panels have been in the industry for more than 40 years. Though they were not so popular initially, they gained more popularity due to their features and applications. They are now considered to be the most used decorative material in the world.
If you are not sure about their installation process, you visit our ACM Panel Installation Guide for more information. Furthermore, if you want to choose the perfect siding material for your project, you can visit How to pick the right siding material for the Canadian climate.
The aluminum composite panel is a very flexible material. As mentioned earlier, you can bend an aluminum composite panel, but it requires special tools.
Therefore, for safety procedures and a better result, it’s always recommended to contact your supplier for doing the bending process. It’s not the most straightforward task to do, but the results are perpetually satisfying.