Metal buildings and modern facades are becoming more and more common these days. Architects and builders use various metal panels to create beautiful and functional facilities for their clients. Aluminum plates and Aluminum Composite Panel Claddings are two of the best materials to make your home beautiful and energy-efficient.
What Are Aluminum Plates?
Aluminum plates and sheets’ journey begins with mining the mineral used to create this metal. It is called ‘Bauxite,’ and it is the raw material for aluminum and where it comes from.
After mining the material, they need to extract the alumina from the crushed bauxite. The extracting process involves using hot caustic soda and lime mixture. The result of heating and crushing the bauxite and its purifications are crystals and the alumina needed for aluminum metal creation.
The journey continues with the process of aluminum metal creation. Electricity and carbon are used in this process. This process is called electrolysis; it converts the alumina into a liquid state. There are different forms that this liquid aluminum is poured into that produce slabs or sheet ingots, which are then used to create sheets and aluminum plates.
The rolling machine rolls these through after being heated up to 400 ºC, resulting in a thin metal sheet.
The next part of the journey for these aluminum sheets is called “Cold Rolling .”This is where these sheets are flattened into different thicknesses according to the orders that have been made or customer needs.
Types of Aluminum Plates:
- Low-temperature service type
- Corrosion-resistant type in various corrosive environments
- Atmospheric corrosion resistant type
- High tensile strength aluminum plates.
- Abrasion-resistant type
Aluminum plates might be manufactured by specialized plants or large metal factories small in size. They are many different types of aluminum products that can be produced, and other types include rolls, sheets, bars, slabs, etc.
Industrial Usages of Aluminum Plates
Aluminum plates are often used for military or Construction and structural applications, offshore and marine equipment, and pressure vessels. The aluminum plate’s grade is also crucial, depending on the application.
How are Aluminum Plates used in Different Industries?
The largest consumer industries include:
- Building machines: Aluminum plate systems are used in manufacturing components for agricultural machinery, for example, blades, parts of seeding, harrows, devices, and plows. In manufacturing land and heavy underground machinery, for example, crane jibs, components for mining that are highly stressed, handling machines and roads, housings, casings, etc., to manufacture parts for cargo and passenger transport, aluminum plate products play an essential role.
- Construction of other structures and bridges: welded boxes, support profiles that are made by cutting and welding elements from metal plates and section columns, I-beams, aspects of the superstructure of bridges and building floorings, pipes that are medium and large in diameter that can be used both for utility lines (cabling, chimney stacks, pipelines, etc. and as supports for structures and bridges.
- Ships and large-diameter pipe manufacturing: LNG cargo ships are mainly used to transport natural gas for long distances. There are fishing boats with a wide variety of aluminum alloys fitting for different waters. They got a thick shell, which provides safety and super high strength.
Aluminum Plates in Buildings:
An aluminum plate is widely used to stabilize structures and different buildings. Aluminum Plate Systems are widely used for projects that require details. This implies that some classes are more suited to various activities than others.
Aluminum plates are one of the best aluminum cladding systems that are used for modern home facades.
Equipment Used for Lifting Aluminum Plates:
For short or long, thin or thick plates, the lifting job has always been tricky for mills or metal structures where containers must be moved and handled daily. Manufacturers have to use reliable lifting magnets for Aluminum plates so they don’t have to worry about dropping a plate during the move and have good efficiency in moving them around as needed.
What are Aluminum Composite Panel Claddings?
An aluminum composite panel is a modern building material made of 2 thin aluminum sheets bonded together with a non-aluminum core. And there is an aluminum outer finished surface, a high-density insulated core, and an aluminum inner surface. If the inner surface is visible from the inside, the finishing of its surface will matter.
Main reasons to consider Aluminum Composite Panel Claddings:
- Robust durability and lightweight
- High weather resistance
- Easy installation
- Low maintenance
- Easy to be repaired
Aluminum composite material is made from different types of core substances, which should be assessed for suitability and strictly reviewed.
- Mineral Fibre (usually stone mineral wool)
- PUR (Polyurethane) foam
- PIR (Polyisocyanurate) foam
- Polystyrene and PF (Phenolic foam)
- Aluminum Cores (These cores are either made of an aluminum honeycomb structure or solid aluminum.)
The critical point here is to consider their fire-resisting capabilities & the height of the structure for which aluminum composite panel claddings are used.
The covering found in these types of panels varies depending upon the use. For example, in doors and windows, the thermal insulation in the boards is light and with the option of metal or timber reinforcement. Aluminum Composite Panel Claddings are used for:
- Building cladding systems, both internally and externally.
- Aluminum composite panels are used for windows and doors.
- Architectural elements and facade glazing.
- Partitions and internal walls.
- ACM Panels are used in signs and display boards.
Why using Aluminum Composite Panel Claddings is Recommended:
A wide choice of colors is the first benefit of having aluminum composite panel claddings with special coatings. Aluminum composite material is very resistant to corrosion and can last long, even in the harshest weather conditions.
Aluminum composite panels’ advantages are many, and knowing them will ensure that using ACM panels in your next project will be a good choice.