AMAG AP1 clad TopBright

AMAG AP1 clad TopBright: When light becomes a language

At the heart of the production process is a technology that very few manufacturers can apply with such precision: roll cladding for high-gloss architectural products. A high-purity aluminium layer is firmly and inextricably bonded with a base and carrier material under the high pressures of the rolling process. The result is a metallurgically firmly welded composite – without interim layers or adhesive agents. As a result, the surface is not applied but an integral component of the material. This plated structure is the technical key to the eventual high-gloss effect. It combines the visual characteristics of a high-purity alloy with the mechanical properties and stability of the carrier material. The composite material passes through a series of carefully coordinated hot and cold rolling steps to achieve the desired surface characteristics, microstructure, shape and final thickness. This represents a fundamental requirement and preparation for downstream finishing steps for the aluminium surface. An interim step at the coil finishing plant plays a central role in this process route: the material undergoes chemical cleaning, which removes unwanted oxides and impurities from previous processes. This step marks the threshold between a technical, unfinished surface and an architecturally recognizable surface. The final surface is created using a burnishing stand used specifically for high-gloss and architectural products. AMAG operates the world’s largest burnishing stand and is capable of rolling coils up to a maximum width of 1,600 mm. It operates without any back-up rolls and relies solely on two specially prepared working rolls. This defines the surface, improves the surface quality and reduces the risk of unwanted printed patterns or defect structures being transferred to the surface of the material. The rolls are prepared in-house at a dedicated roll grinding shop in line with clearly defined conditions tailored to a precisely controlled roughness profile. The only way to achieve the desired effect – a gloss that is not unduly intrusive and instead aligns perfectly with the design vision – is utterly consistent roll grinding and a defined production approval process.

The material’s versatility is evident in its compatibility with a wide variety of systems: AMAG AP1 clad TopBright can be used as the basis for various façade typologies – from flat, large-format cassettes and conventional aluminium composite panels (ACPs) to detailed shingle systems and multi-layer honeycomb panels with a back-ventilated structure. Each of these systems has specific requirements for material stiffness, evenness and bending capacity, which the plated structure comfortably satisfies with its combination of visual and mechanical performance. The material’s versatility is also reflected in extensive range of its potential applications. Wherever controlled light conduction is required or designs feature intentional reflections, AMAG AP1 clad TopBright demonstrates its value – from large-format exterior façades and precise internal wall cladding to both external and internal ceiling applications.

In AMAG AP1 clad TopBright, designers and manufacturers have access to a primary material that meets the requirements of these various applications, thanks to its precise roll plating and surface finishing. For specialist partners, it provides a reliable basis for creating high-quality, highly durable façades through different anodizing techniques. Consequently, AMAG AP1 clad TopBright ensures that architectural designs that impress on paper also impress in reality, through the interplay between light and the finished façade.