Aluminum Composite Panels or ACP have been around for more than 30 years and their primary benefits have always been pretty much the same—faster to install than other surfaces like precast, granite or brick. They’re also light weight, thus saving money by reducing structural steel requirements, since less support structure is needed.
PVDF coatings used today guarantee these panels will retain their original luster for decades, ensuring their aesthetic appeal and maintaining property value without the need for rehab. They are specifically designed to resist the elements and protect against air and water infiltration and… most of an aluminum composite panel is comprised of recycled content.
With the exception of better coatings, little however has changed with ACP – until now.
Architects, builders, general contractors and building owners may find it interesting that this month a new and revolutionary ACP product has entered the marketplace—one that will change forever the way ACP is made, specified and installed. This revolutionary new “snap and go” aluminum composite wall panel system installs in less than half the time of conventional ACM products that have been around for more than 30 years.
Unlike existing ACP products, the new ACP is a randomly installed wall panel system where grids of tough PVC attachment strips are attached to an exterior or interior wall and multiple panels are quickly snapped into place along the grid. Installation can begin anywhere on the wall surface and allows workers to install the PVC grids while others are snapping in the panels. The process takes less than half the time of traditional sequentially installed systems—already faster than other materials–where each panel must be positioned and installed one at a time.
The new ACP also eliminates one of the few problems historically associated with sequentially installed systems. No longer must panels by shipped back because of dimensional inaccuracies or last minute design changes. There’s no wait for drawings to be redrawn and new panels and their attachment systems must be custom made in the factory. The new ACP material can be field cut to special size. And if change is required, panels are premade and ready for next-day shipment to the worksite.
New PVDF coatings for ACP are great. But there has always been the potential for staining with metal grid and panel systems. Because of the use of plastic grids with aluminum panel, there is no contact between metals common with conventional ACP systems which can result in exterior wall staining or dirt.
Like its traditional brother, this new ACP wall panel system is excellent for exterior and interior applications, particularly in fast track and retrofit retail and hospitality projects where quick installation and 24/7 access is critical to profitability. This new ACP product offers much greater design flexibility and is available in five different panel sizes and a wide variety of colors and textures. This new system is ideal for hotels, hospitals, office buildings, airports, shopping malls/retail stores and more. They can be installed far more quickly and with less intrusion than traditional ACP panels. They ship flat – 13 panels to a carton and are formed on-site reducing storage requirements, taking up less transport space and dramatically reducing shipping costs.
This may be the first time you’re learning about this revolutionary new ACP wall panel system and it obviously merits investigation. Like all great innovation, it surpasses old technology and it won’t be long before it’s the chosen product for exterior and interior wall applications.