Introducing ALPOLIC®/fr , the new lightweight champion of Aluminum Composite Material (ACM). This material is perfect for use on interior walls, columns, ceilings and partitions in shops, offices and factories, and for such light outdoor applications as soffits, awnings, parapets, signs and much more.
[tabs style=”3″]
[tab title=”Material Composition”]
Material composition
ALPOLIC®/fr is composed of a non-combustible mineral core with a small amount of low-density polyethylene sandwiched between two skins of 0.3 mm thick aluminum. The core, indispensable for fire safety of interior application, is gray in color, with a touch of carbon black for an aesthetically pleasing cut edge.
ALPOLIC®/fr effective sides are finished with polyester coatings and covered with translucent protective films. The Reversible Series has effective surfaces front and back, while the Single, Stone, and Timber Series feature the effective surface on the front and a wash coating on back.
Composition of ALPOLIC®/fr LT
[/tab]
[tab title=”Production Process”]
Production process
The production process of ALPOLIC/fr LT consists of two lines: a coil coating line and a laminating line. In the coil coating line, polyester paints are applied to continuous aluminum coils. In the laminating line, the mineral-filled fire retardant core is laminated between these coated coils, resulting in the finished composite material. After laminating, the finished product is packed in wooden cases. Standard products are warehoused for stock, and custom products are immediately shipped to the customer. Thus, ALPOLIC/fr LT products are shipped as flat panels to be processed in local workshops according to project specifications.
[/tab]
[tab title=”Features”]
Features
ALPOLIC/fr LT has all the features you’ve come to expect from other ALPOLIC ACMs, and then some. Fire safety is an imperative issue for interior materials, and ALPOLIC/fr LT passes the fire tests required for interior materials in the USA and Japan.
ALPOLIC/fr LT is available as a stock item in our full range of standard and metallic colors, as well as in stone and timber-patterned finishes produced with our unique image transfer process.
ALPOLIC/fr LT offers the rigidity of heavy-gauge sheet metal in a lightweight material with superior flatness, vibration damping, durability, and ease of maintenance. It is amazingly formable, so it can be easily cut, bent, grooved or shaped with ordinary woodworking and metal working tools.
The panel’s twin sheets of 0.3 mm aluminum deliver the rigidity equivalent to an aluminum sheet of
2.4 mm thickness or a steel of 1.6 mm, and offer a weight reduction of 15% for aluminum and 57% for steel of the same rigidity.
[/tab]
[tab title=”Surface Finishes “]
Surface finishes
ALPOLIC/fr LT is available as a stock item in Reversible, Single, Stone and Timber finishes as follows:
[box title=”Legend”]
op of color indicates color code, color name and gloss ratio respectively. For example, N1 Pure
White-G80 shows N1 Pure White with 80% gloss. Bottom of color indicates diffuse reflectivity, specular (mirror)
reflectivity and Munsell number respectively. Values of patterned colors are quite approximate values.
Note: Due to the limitation of photo, the above color does not show the exact colors. Refer to the Color Chart.
[/box]
Reversible surfaces (N1 to N4) have effective sides on both
front and back. Stone (S1 to S7) and Timber (T1, T2) are coated with a unique image transfer process. Matte finish is
produced with a new coating technology in which microscopic wrinkles emerge over the entire surface during baking in the coil coating line. All the finishes are coated with polyester paints in ALPOLIC’s continuous coil coating line.
Matte finish: Due to the differing speed of hardening between the outer and inner layers, microscopic wrinkles emerge over the entire surface. The wrinkled surface results in a matte appearance due to irregular light reflection
[/tab]
[tab title=”Flatness”]
Flatness
ALPOLIC/fr LT is as flat as it gets. Generally speaking, ensuring the flatness of interior material is very difficult. Solid aluminum sheet, for example, has a slight distortion stemming from its rolling process: buckles, edge waves and overall warping are common. ALPOLIC/fr LT is extremely flat due to the thinness of the aluminum sheets and our lamination process.
[/tab]
[tab title=”Rigidity & Weight “]
Rigidity and Weight
ALPOLIC/fr LT is highly rigid compared to aluminum and other metal sheets. As shown in the
diagram below, two sheets of aluminum skin behave like a strong H-section when pressure is applied on ALPOLIC panel. Consisting of 2 sheets of 0.3mm thick aluminum, ALPOLIC/fr LT delivers the rigidity equivalent to an aluminum sheet of 2.4 mm thickness or a steel sheet of 1.6 mm, and is lighter than any other solid metals or plastic materials of the same rigidity.
[/tab]
[/tab]
[tab title=”Fire Safety”]
Fire Safety
ALPOLIC/fr LT is a fire-safe interior material, passing all mandatory requirements for interior materials in the United States and Japan. Though the core material does contain a small amount of combustible polyethylene, the main ingredient of the mineral does not permit the proliferation of flame and restricts the development of the smoke detrimental to the evacuation activities. Refer to Section 2 “Characteristics” for details of each fire test.
[/tab]
[tab title=”Workability “]
Workability
The amazing workability of ALPOLIC/fr LT is one of its most compelling features. It can be cut with circular saws. It can be folded after grooving with a router. It can be bent with a 3-roll bender and
press brake, and the core material can be welded with hot-melt adhesive. For details, refer to Section 3 “Fabrication and installation.”
[/tab]
[tab title=”Coating Quality”]
Coating Quality
(1)Consistent Color Quality
Consistent color quality is maintained through the continuous application of paints to the aluminum coil in the coil coating line. The “Die Coating” process that occurs on this line employs a unique technology developed by Mitsubishi Chemical that ensures a smooth, fine coating.
(2) Coating type
Stock colors can be classified into the following types:
Note: Numbers following the color name, such as G30, show the gloss in %.
Each finish is coated with polyester paint in ALPOLIC’s continuous coil coating line. Solid and Metallic Colors are the product of a 2-coat / 2-bake system consisting of primer and top coating. Stone and Timber Finishes are created with a unique image transfer process consisting of primer, image-transfer layer and top coating.
Matte finish is produced by a unique method in which microscopic wrinkles emerge uniformly over the surface during the baking stage in the coil coating line.
In addition to the above stock colors, Custom Colors are available, subject to minimum quantities and color match. Please contact distributors or our office for custom color request.
(3) Paint performance
The above polyester coatings are resistant to corrosion and moisture in interior applications, and sufficiently show a reasonable weather-ability in outdoor applications such as soffits, parapets, awnings and signs.
However, as widely known, the polyester coatings have less weather-ability than fluorocarbon coatings. With outdoor use, it is possible for polyester coatings to show gradual color fading, a gloss change and a chalking within 3-5 years depending on the intensity of the UV. If such degradation is unacceptable, re-coating may be required. If you require a coating warranty for your project (not available on our polyester-coated products), we recommend ALPOLIC’s line of optional fluorocarbon-coated products.
(4) Optional coatings
Apart from the above polyester paints, we can supply ALPOLIC/fr LT in the following distinctive paints as an option. Refer to respective specifications in Section 4.
(5) Touch-up paint
We can use commercial touch-up paints when we need to repair scratches during fabrication and installation, but please be aware that touched-up portions, especially on patterned (Stone and Timber) and Matte Finishes, may not completely match the original finish in appearance. Refer to Section 3 for detail.
[/tab]
[tab title=”Thermal Expansion/Contraction “]
Thermal Expansion/Contraction
ALPOLIC/fr LT has the same linear thermal expansion coefficient as aluminum metal, so movement will not occur between aluminum and ALPOLIC/fr LT due to thermal expansion/contraction.
Since the thermal expansion of steel and concrete is smaller, a certain amount of movement will take place between these materials and ALPOLIC/fr LT. This movement is normally very small (0.5mm/m or 0.02”/3’) in case of indoor applications, but it must be relieved with a suitable method such as spacing between panels. In outdoor applications, the larger temperature change will result in movement that is nearly twice of the interior.
[/tab]
[tab title=”Prevention from Edge Corrosion”]
Prevention from Edge Corrosion
When used in a corrosive atmosphere,corrosion normally takes place at the cut edge and tends to penetrate inside, finally resulting in de-lamination between the aluminum skin and the core material. To protect the cut edge from this type of corrosion, ALPOLIC/fr LT features a corrosion resistant primer behind aluminum skins. Although protected by the primer, to enhance long-term durability we still recommend that the cut edge is not exposed to corrosive or outdoor atmosphere. If the cut edge is continuously exposed to moist conditions, a suitable corrosion protection will be necessary in design or fixing details.
[/tab]
[tab title=”Perforated Panel”]
Perforated Panel
ALPOLIC/fr LT Perforated Panel has a pattern of holes at regular intervals. This provides ventilation and permits vision through the panel, making it suitable for balconies, staircases and partitions. Refer to Section 4 for details.
[/tab]
[tab title=”Recycling “]
Recycling
Scraps of ALPOLIC/fr LT generated from ALPOLIC plants and from nominated fabricators’ workshops are collected for recycling at the ALPOLIC plants
[/tab]
[tab title=”General Notes”]
General Notes
(1) A note on coating direction
In Metallic Colors, Stone and Timber, slight color differences will be noticeable if the panels are installed in different directions (like Panel A and B in the diagram). Install panels in the same direction as marked in the protective film. In our Solid Colors, any color difference due to coating direction is negligible.
(2) A note on protective film Effective
surfaces are protected with protective film. Do not remove this film during handling, fabrication and installation. Remove film immediately after installation in order to avoid any problems due to degradation of the protective film. With Reversible Panels, peel off the film from both sides. Note that, unlike the protective film applied to ALPOLIC/fr for outdoor applications, this protective film does not resist UV indefinitely.
(3) A note on cleaning
Do not use strong organic solvents, such as MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone), MIBK (Methyl Iso Butyl Ketone), Triclene and paint thinner. Do not use strong alkali, strong acid or abrasive cleaners. Use of these solvents and cleaners may result in the paint becoming swollen or removed.
To prevent scratching the coated surface, make sure that cleaning sponges
and rags are grit-free. Avoid over cleaning or excessive rubbing.
ISO 9001:2000 Certified
ALPOLIC/fr LT, through the design, development, manufacture and sales, is managed with ISO 9001:2000.
ISO 14000:
ALPOLIC/fr LT is produced in the plant that has ISO14000 certificate.
[/tab]
[/tabs]