Dibond® is a rigid, lightweight material popular for use as indoor or outdoor signage, temporary or semi-permanent installations, printing surfaces, fine art substrates, and more.
Also known as aluminum composite material (ACM), Dibond® is a three-layer panel material made of two thin layers of pre-finished aluminum bonded on either side of a polyethylene (PE) core. Its panels can be used in many indoor and outdoor applications due to their excellent dimensional stability, lightweight, strength, and durability.
Dibond® has been the industry’s leading aluminum composite material for more than 15 years. It is also sometimes known as sandwich panel or by other trade names such as Dilite, Dibond Digital, and Raybond.
Advantages of Dibond®
Dibond® boasts many features that make it a material well worth looking into for various projects. These features include:
- High strength
- Low weight
- Damage resistant
- Weatherproof
- Wide workable temperature range
- Fully machinable
- Fully recyclable
- Non-corrosive
- Fire resistant
- Food-safe
- It can be printed on directly
- Comes with mirror, matte, or gloss finish
- A broad range of available colors
Dibond’s surface is ideal for both digital and screen printing. Considered the flattest panel on the market, Dibond® will not bow of oil can and is about half the weight of a similarly-sized aluminum sheet.
Dibond® panels can come in custom shapes and sizes and can be cut, sheared, bent, punched, drilled, and profiled. They are also available in a wide range of colors or can be color-matched to fit a company’s branding or design requirements.
What is Dibond® ACM used for?
Between its aesthetic qualities and ability to be easily fabricated without sacrificing durability, Dibond® is a popular choice for material for a wide range of products. Some of its many uses include channel letters for signage, indoor and outdoor exhibition kiosks, digital and screen printing, fine arts, performance sets, architectural cladding, insulation, and wall linings.
Dibond® is a popular choice for many manufacturing applications because it is simple to fabricate and machine. It bonds quickly and provides excellent dimensional stability.
Dibond® sheet readily accepts inks and paints for signage and display applications and works well with PSA print media. Additionally, ACM meets UL compliance per UL879 as a component for sign accessories and may be used to construct type II electrical enclosures—all significant considerations when planning interior hall displays.
Because Dibond® stands up to weather extremely well, maintains stability within a wide range of temperatures, and is UV resistant, it’s one of the top choices for outdoor signage. Like most cut plastic sheet, Dibond® is easy to work with and can be nailed or screwed to nearly any type of surface without cracking. This makes it perfect for both long and short-term advertising displays.
As a building material, Dibond® can add a modern touch to structures by allowing for shapes that would be considered too challenging with other materials. In addition, Dibond® panels are easier to work with when compared to more traditional materials such as steel, wood, and concrete.
Dibond® also makes an excellent replacement for metal in certain instances. It can come in a number of metallic finishes but won’t weigh nearly as much as actual metal and will not rust.
Cutting Dibond®
Cutting Dibond® sheet is pretty straightforward. All you really need is a saw blade for metal or hardwood. Because chips and dust could clog the blade and result in a rougher edge than you’d like, it’s also recommended you have something to blow away any chips and dust that accumulate. And as with any power-cutting situation, it’s advisable to have breathing, eye, and hearing protection.
You can also cut Dibond® sheet with percussion scissors. Just make sure the trimmer clamp is fitted with a shock-absorbent cushion clamp to prevent damage to the sheet surface.
Is Dibond® Sheet Expensive?
Creating a display with Dibond® sheet can cost considerably less than one might pay when using a metal alternative. Its light weight and durability mean it will cost less to transport, be quick to assemble, and not need frequent replacing. And because Dibond comes with perfect finishes, its overall quality look makes it preferable to any other heavier, more expensive material.
Dibond® Sheet At Piedmont Plastics
Piedmont Plastics offers Dibond® aluminum composite material in a wide choice of size, thickness, finish, color, and grades. Out locations can have your Dibond® panels cut to size and machined into fabricated parts to meet your specific manufacturing needs.
Contact our materials experts today for more information on how Dibond® can help you.