Not all the steps in building a custom house are straightforward. Selecting the right place, choosing the budget, and selecting the ideal materials are just some of the problems in custom house building. Even if you managed to do all the steps correctly and without any problem, you will still require help from other parties. Take aluminum composite materials as an example. These construction elements have high quality and affordable prices, but installing them requires more experts to join on your project. Cutting ACM panels is the same as installing them and is one of the steps of the installation. For more information about the installation process, you can visit ACM Wall Panels.
Cutting ACM panels is one of the steps of the installation process and requires precise measurement and fabrications. Thus, it is essential to cut the panels as precisely as possible. To do this, you may want to contact your supplier, manufacturer, or installer. But it’s not a bad idea to have more information regarding the steps and the tools. For this blog post, we will mention the main tools that you may use for cutting ACM panels. Bear in mind that using the tools is extremely dangerous and you should have the best possible safety measure. Always allow the experts to take control of the installation process or cutting the panels.
Cutting ACM Panels:
There can be a lot of usages for ACM panels. These applications and usages are either for internal parts of the buildings or external ones. However, due to the aluminum composite panel qualities, their usage and application have expanded to non-construction purposes as well. For more info and in-depth details about the usages, you can also visit What is ACM Used For?
One of the main applications of aluminum composite materials is roofing, cladding, siding, facade, and internal decoration. There might come a time where you will face a strange shape in your project or custom-house that requires the panels to bend or cut. Therefore, cutting ACM panels can be useful when facing these issues. To do so, you may require some tools that we are going to mention below:
- Standard Saws
- Aluminum Laser Cut
- Shearing
- CNC Router
- Circular Saw
- Jigsaws
- Cold Chisels
The above tools can be used to cut the ACM panels. However, each one of them has its own pros and cons. Furthermore, to use them, you need to have the best safety measures as well including glasses.
Standard sews for cutting ACM panels:
Standard sews are perhaps the most common and easiest way of cutting ACM panels. In this step, it is possible to use a hacksaw for the best results. However, if you feel that the aluminum composite panels are too large, you may need to apply carpenters jack saw. Carpenters jack saw are specifically designed to match the thickness and the length of the ACM Panels.
The blade selection is crucial for the standard sews. For instance, standard coarse timber blades are not a good choice since they can be destroyed, while you are cutting the panels. Thus, try to use the correct blade for this particular purpose. The blade should be rigid and durable during the cutting process.
Aluminum Laser Cut:
Even though the standard sews are very common for cutting ACM panels, they might not be the best possible solution. One of the main and the best tools to cut the panels are aluminum laser cut. Not only do they cut the ACM panels, but also fiber laser systems can cut any reflective materials in no time.
To use an aluminum laser-cut for cutting ACM panels, try to have a high-powered laser. Applying high-power lasers will end in the best possible outcome. In other words, by applying this kind of laser, you will observe no trace of cutting at the end. On the other hand, a CNC router will have some effects at the end about which we will mention below.
Cut ACM panels with Shearing:
Shearing is considered to be one of the oldest tools for cutting ACM panels. They are also similar to scissors; however, to cut the panels, the gap between the shearing material must exceed the panels’ thickness. Moreover, two types of shearing material are available:
- Guillotine
- Swing Bear
Guillotine is a hydraulic material whereas the swing bear is entirely mechanical. Selecting the right one depends on your level of skill and expertise.
CNC Router:
CNC Routers are very well known to cut ACM panels with decent quality. Most manufacturers and providers also use this device to either cut the panels or fabricate them for a particular purpose. By applying CNC Router, you can easily cut the ACM panels. However, it is essential to do that in a precise manner. You can also use a lubricator for the best possible results.
Another way to cut the panels is to use a feed rate calculator. This can give you maximum precision while you’re cutting the panels. If you’re going to use the CNC router for cutting ACM panels, don’t forget to remove any remaining chips. You can further use a vacuum cleaner to remove the remaining chips. Failing to do so will cause problems while using the main device.
Circular Saw:
Although Circular Saw is one of the easiest ways to cut the panels, you can only use it for cutting the panels in a straight line. Another disadvantage of this method is its hazards. Thus, having the best safety tools to protect yourself is crucial when using a circular saw. Be extra careful when you want to turn on the saw. The blades should not be on the panels when you want to turn them on.
Use Jigsaw to cut ACM panels:
Aluminum composite panels can also be cut by using a jigsaw. The advantage of using a jigsaw is that it can easily cut the panels without paying attention to their thickness. Aluminum composite materials are available in different sizes and thicknesses. Thus, jigsaws can come in handy if you want to cut the more thick ones. For more information about the ACM panels’ thickness and size, you can also visit ACM Panel Fabrications.
Another advantage of jigsaws is that they can provide cuts with different angles and curves. However, the blade choice is an essential part of the cutting process. Therefore, if you plan to cut the ACM panels smoothly, you might require a 24-toothed blade. If you even want a smoother experience, you can increase the blade number, resulting in more smoothness.
Cold Chisels:
To cut the ACM panels with more thickness, you can further use cold chisels. To use them for this particular purpose, you need to bear in mind that the chisel should be one inch wider than the material itself. Then, you need to sharpen the material for a 60-70 degree bevel. Next, you can put the aluminum composite panel into the center of the vice and make it more firm. Also, you need to be careful because you can’t use a claw hammer.
One of the main advantages of applying a cold chisel to cut the ACM panels is the speed. You can cut any panels in less than 30 seconds. If you happen to do so more than that, you need to make sure that you’ve chosen the correct tool and the right chisel.
Our final words on Cutting ACM Panels:
Cutting ACM panels requires special tools with exceptional measurements precision. Thus, before taking any actions, you need to make sure that you have the right tools. Then, you might further go and cut the panels but if you don’t know much about the tools, we strongly recommend getting a professional to do that for you. Finally, Don’t forget to call your manufacturer for any additional requirements to cut the panels. For more info about the manufacturers, you can also visit ACM Panel Details and Features.
You can further contact our experts for more information. Our professional staff is available during working hours to answer your question. You can also write down your questions below for more inquiries.
Read more Cutting ACM Panels