Vitraplate® is a 3mm (1/8″) Pre-Finished solid aluminum cladding product made from 3000 series and 5000 series aluminum. The designation refers to the alloy composition of the cladding material, which has significant influence on the structural and physical characteristics. For example, aluminum alloy 3003 has a nominal content of 98.6% aluminum and 1.2% manganese (Mn) as the main alloying element for increased strength and formability. It is used as sheet for exterior cladding applications, and is a good substrate for architectural finishes2. The 3003 aluminum alloy has strain-hardened temper for increased strength and hardness.
Pre-Finished Aluminum: Supply Chain and Processing
The supply chain of aluminum is complex. Fairview Architectural purchases coils of the mill-finish aluminum from aluminum coil manufacturers such as Texarkana Aluminum. Coil manufacturing is an intermediate process that involves receiving ingots, the stock form of aluminum, from an outside source. It is important to realize that the aluminum industry has become highly globalized7. Production of virgin aluminum metal, known as primary aluminum, is an electrochemical process that is very energy intensive7. It is Texarkana Aluminum’s initiative to use primary aluminum that is produced with sustainable energy8, such as natural gas or renewable energy sources. Texarkana Aluminum products have a post-industrial (pre-consumer) recycled content of 65%9. The aluminum is melted and cast into “rolling ingots” specifically for the hot-rolling process. These are fed through a reversing mill and a continuous hot rolling mill which progressively stretch and reduce the aluminum into sheet5. Then cold-rolling is performed to achieve the desired strength and temper, and the continuous aluminum sheet is coiled6. The term “mill-finish” describes the exposed finish of the aluminum inherent from the processes of the mill2.
Exceptional Finishes
Vitraplate® has a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) exterior finish meeting AAMA 2605 performance standards10, providing an exceedingly high level of durability11, and resistance to dirt accumulation because of its fluoropolymer formula12. Fairview Architectural has extensive options regarding the aesthetics of PVDF finishes, and offers architects the opportunity for coordinating custom finishes. The variability of formulations allows for a wide range of colors, gloss, and special effects such as metallic speckling. Specific formulations are proprietary, but constituents such as metal oxides and mica pearlescent are used for aesthetic effects11. The finish is factory-applied by coil coating13, a highly automated and highly efficient process. On a continuous coil coating line, the aluminum is uncoiled, pretreated, primed, coated, cured in a finish oven, then recoiled. The continuous coil process minimizes liquid paint waste with nearly a 100% transfer efficiency, and also accommodates controlled collection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)14. The exterior finish coating is extremely resistant to adverse conditions including airborne pollutants, salt spray in coastal environments, and other atmospheric corrosives11.
Cladding Efficiency
To understand the efficiency of choosing prefinished Vitraplate® aluminum, the process of post-painting must be understood. The post-painting process for façade cladding panels starts with the fabricator receiving mill-finish aluminum sheets. Fabrication involves cutting to size, then routing and folding at the perimeter edges to result in continuous returns. Panels are packaged and shipped to a post-painter. Each panel is manually cleaned, then sprayed with a primer-coat. Once dried, paint is sprayed on to the panels. Additional coats are sprayed depending on the finish desired. Finished panels are sent back to the fabricator and panel stiffeners are added if required. Completed panels are packaged and shipped to the jobsite for installation.
By contrast, the coil-coating process is much simpler. Prefinished aluminum sheets are shipped from Fairview Architectural to the façade panel fabricator. Fabrication involves cutting to size, then routing and folding at the perimeter edges to result in continuous returns. When fabricated, panels are ready to mount onto a corresponding attachment system made of extruded aluminum profiles. Completed panels are packaged and shipped to the jobsite for installation. Using coil-coated Vitraplate® reduces the fabrication time and lowers risk.
Get in touch with a Fairview Architectural team member today for your next façade project!
Disclaimer
This article of Architectural Stewardship was sponsored by Fairview Architectural North America. Published here.
References
1Vitraplate® Technical Manual. 2020. Fairview Architectural.
2Aluminum Extrusion Manual, 4th edition. 2014. Aluminum Extruders Council.
3Davis, J. R. 2001. Aluminum and Aluminum Alloys. Page 351-416. In: Alloying: Understanding the Basics.
4Raabe D., D. Ponge, and others. 2022. Making Sustainable Aluminum by Recycling Scrap: The Science of “Dirty” Alloys. Progress in Materials Science
5Hot-Rolled Aluminum, Environmental Product Declaration. 2014. The Aluminum Association
6Cold-Rolled Aluminum, Environmental Product Declaration. 2014. The Aluminum Association
7Aluminum: The Element of Sustainability. 2011. The Aluminum Association.
8Sustainability Statement. 2022. Texarkana Aluminum, Inc.
9LEED Certificate. 2024. Texarkana Aluminum, Inc.
10Vitraplate® Technical Manual. 2020. Fairview Architectural.
11Iezzi, R. A. 2015. Polyvinylidene Fluoride-Based Coatings Technology. In: ASM Handbook, Volume 5B, Protective Organic Coatings. K. B. Tator (ed.)
13Color Design Guide. 2019. Fairview Architectural.
12Ehrlich, B. 2014. Cladding: More Than Just a Pretty Façade. Environmental Building News 23(9): 1-10.
14Pilcher, G. R. 2012. Market Analysis Preview: Coil and Extrusion Coatings. In: CoatingsTech. American Coatings Association
About the Author: Josh Bowditch
As a native resident with architectural experience and environmental regard, Josh Bowditch is intent on publishing about sustainability in the architectural and building construction industry locally. From being in the architectural profession, Josh has an understanding of the processes involved. Is it possible to reconcile environmental considerations with development? The word sustainability has various connotations but indeed can be viewed in the context of stewardship.