EN
Alucobond Visual Customization: Imitating Natural and Synthetic Materials
Architects look for materials that combine the resiliency of synthetic materials and the beauty of natural materials. Alucobond is able to achieve synthesis by developing coatings that replicate the rough surfaces of natural materials like wood and stones and the smooth surfaces of industrial materials like metal and concrete. Deep sublimation printing literally places the grains and veins of natural materials into panels at the molecular level. On the other hand, Electrostatic Spraying technology ensures each panel is the same hue at a microscopic level—important for large installations.
How Alucobond Reproduces the Aesthetics of Wood, Stone, Concrete, and Metal
Modern companies producing materials have three main technologies at their disposal.
The microphotographic transfer technology allows companies to transfer smooth surfaces of panels into surfaces of wood and rocks.
Concrete panel surfaces may be rough owing to the company’s surface-engraving technology, which also creates micro-herbaceous roughness on the panels.
Brushed metal surfaces may also be smooth because layering technology augments the surfaces smoothness of a coating.
The 2023 facade industry reported that 78% of architects prefer Alucobond’s faux finishes to natural finishes owing to low maintenance and visual authenticity, which helps maintain the structural integrity of aluminum.
Case Study: Berlin Urbanesque Tower – Brutalist Texture and Tone with Precise Alucobond FinishS
One influential project in Berlin’s Mitte brought in exterior cladding pieces that replicated the adjacent 1960s Brutalist architecture. Alucobond panels with:
The specification of the diamond finish brought for the formwork’s sequential pitting
Depth-variable indentations that imitated the sequential contraction lines of concrete
The results of the advanced finish brought true reproducive shadow and reflection of the original buildings replacing the panels with Alucobond. This solution exhibited the least weight of all other concrete panels with a reduction of 62%. The seats of the panels left open the questions of seamless architectural integration in heritage contexts.
The shift is toward custom aesthetics for all Alucobond® panels, measuring 78% of all projects from 2022 to 2023, of orders specifying non-standard finishes. As the custom orders for Alucobond panels increased in the same timespan, the architects no longer requested the standard metallic finishes and showed a preference for finishes that were custom matched to the contextual palette of the project. The demand relied heavily on the architects’ flexibility for creative and tailored finishes, the demand from the clients for customized branding and the integration of the custom narratives into the fabric of the site.
Technology Enablers: Consistent Alucobond Colors Through Digital Printing and Electrostatic Coating
High-definition digital printing captures details of complex patterns at over 1200 dpi, and electrostatic powder coating provides complete coverage on designs with complex geometry. Together, they offer:
Matching 98% of RAL and Pantone references.
UV resistant powder coat offers color integrity for over 20 years.
Verist texture options from matte concrete to shiny metallic.
Polyurethane based powder coating offers thermal stability from -40o to +80o with no loss of custom, design.
Alucobond’s Diverse Architectural Expressiveness
Neo-Futurist versus Minimalist Applications: Fluidity and Rigidity with Alucobond Core
Alucobond core captures diverse aesthetics from sweeping curves to ultra-sharp line. Neo-futurist designs utilize Alucobond’s cold-forming to design multi-faceted, continuous flowing sheds and crackless ultra-smooth planes to achieve Minimalist design. Undulating museum exteriors designed to appear to ripple like fabric, and precise flat transitions popular in modern design strongly characterize modern and post-modern architecture. Alucobond supports both forms, manifestations, and renovation of fluidity and stasis with its ability to achieve a wider array of designs.
Technical Foundation: Bending/-120 without Layers Delaminating - Made Possible by the Polyethylene Core and Factory Pre-Coated Skins
The patented three-layer structure consisting of a polyethylene core and two factory pre-finished skins is what allows this type of cold bending. Because of the groundbreaking construction, bending’s cracking and separation are not a concern, as the technology has been verified through the bends test. The core absorbs the majority of the stress from the bending process, while the coating from the factory prevents segregation at the largest stress points. With this, the technology allows for bending with singular materials and the construction of elements such as: radiused canopies, serpentine sunscreens bereft of congregation and construction of cylindrical columns. Deflection is not a concern and seams are predictable.
FAQ
What is Alucobond used for?
Alucobond is used to reflect materials that are either natural or of human construction and are of very high durability. Primarly, Alucobond is used in the external construction of buildings, their facades and claddings, of which both looks and durability are of utmost importance.
How does Alucobond achieve realistic textures?
In order to be able to replicate the looks of wood, stone, metal, and concrete, Alucobond leverages what they refer to as photographic transfer technology and layered coating systems.
Can Alucobond be custom coloured?
The look of Alucobond can be customized through digitized printing and the use of electrostatic coating to color match and achieve custom looks
What makes Alucobond environmentally resilient?
Alucobond's PU based coating is highly UV resistant and they can undergo numerous thermal cycles with little to no impact, allowing Alucobond to retain its looks through time.
Does Alucobond support flexibility in fabrication?
Alucobond provides the flexibility in fabrication to allow curved and flat applications with its cold-forming capability.