Aluminium Composite Panel

Aluminium composite panel, commonly called ACP or ACM, combines a solid polyethylene core with two smooth aluminium outer skins. That sandwich construction is what gives the material its unusual combination of properties: it is far lighter and easier to handle than solid aluminium panel, yet it stays flat, rigid and dimensionally stable across large spans. An aluminium sandwich panel can be folded, cut, rolled or routed and shaped without wrinkling or delaminating, which is why it has become the default substrate for large format signage and shopfitting.

Key properties

• Exceptionally flat and rigid for its weight
• Smooth, consistent painted aluminium surface ideal for printing and vinyl
• Weather resistant and dimensionally stable outdoors
• Can be routed, folded and returned to form clean trays and boxed edges
• Cuts cleanly on a CNC router, panel saw or guillotine
• Does not rot, warp or absorb moisture like timber substrates

Applications

• Signage, fascia panels and shop signs
• ACP cladding, wall panels and architectural features
• Shopfitting, displays and point of sale
• Trailer and vehicle body linings
• Cabinetry, splashbacks and joinery panels
• Protective barriers and machine surrounds
• General fabrication where a flat, light, durable panel is needed

Why signwriters prefer ACM over alternatives

Compared with a plywood or MDF substrate, aluminium panel will not swell, delaminate or telegraph a grain through the print. Compared with solid aluminium sheet, it is lighter, cheaper and much less prone to oil canning across a large face. And compared with corflute, it is a permanent, premium finish rather than a short term one. For a shopfront that needs to look right for a decade, ACP is usually the correct specification.

Routing and folding

One of the most useful things about aluminium composite panel is that you can v-groove the back with a CNC router, then fold the panel along that groove to create a clean returned edge or a full tray. That turns a flat sheet into a rigid, finished sign face with no visible fixings. Our CNC router service can cut, groove and profile ACP to your drawings.

Sizes and cut to size

• Sheet size: 1220 x 2440mm
• Thickness: 3mm
• Supplied as a full sheet, with cut to size available

To order cut to size, purchase the sheet online and leave your required cut dimensions in the checkout notes. Our team will get in touch if additional cutting charges apply for multiple or detailed cuts. If you would rather talk it through first, send us your sizes and we will quote the cutting before you order.

Ordering from Associated Plastics

Associated Plastics has supplied Tasmanian signwriters, shopfitters, builders and fabricators since 1979, and we ship Australia-wide. We keep ACP in stock in Hobart, cut it on our own equipment, and can take the job further with CNC routing, folding and shaped cutting if your project calls for it. Whether it is commercial, industrial, retail, construction or a DIY project at home, tell us the panel sizes you need and we will handle the rest.