There are two types of aluminum composite panels in the world: fluorocarbon coated aluminum composite panels and roll-coated aluminum composite panels. Currently, there are no roll-coating production lines in China, so this discussion mainly focuses on fluorocarbon coating production. The production of coated aluminum composite panels involves two main steps: the first is sheet metal processing. This process mainly involves cutting, folding, bending, welding, and grinding flat sheets to process the aluminum composite panels into the required shape and size for construction. The second step is coating. Coating involves applying paint to the processed sheet metal. There are two types of coating: manual coating and machine coating. Machine coating is generally only suitable for regular flat sheets, but this type of aluminum composite panel is less commonly used in practice. Most manufacturers in China use manual coating. Manual coating is a dangerous job because the paint is highly volatile and toxic, easily causing chronic benzene poisoning, seriously affecting human health. A major advantage of manual coating is that the quantity and color can be freely chosen, while roll coating of aluminum composite panels requires a certain quantity before processing.
The processing of aluminum composite panels (ACPs) is more complex than that of aluminum single panels, mainly involving four major steps: chemical formation, coating, lamination, and edge trimming. Except for edge trimming, all four processes are automated. This processing method demonstrates that ACPs have certain advantages in terms of environmental protection and safety. Furthermore, the simpler sheet metal processing of aluminum single panels has led some private workshops to enter the market, seriously affecting the stability of the market quality of aluminum single panels.
