Is it possible to laser cut Aluminium Composite Panel?

The answer to this question is not clear cut. Aluminium Composite Panel (ACP) is a composite of two main materials, the outer skin which on most ACP is 0.3mm Aluminium and the inner core with is made from Low Density Polyethelyne (LDPE). This means that we have to consider how both of these materials react to laser cutting.

Aluminium can be laser cut however a high powered laser is required - typically 500+ watts is required to produce a clean cut on 3mm aluminium. On the other hand, Polyethelyne can be laser cut at a relatively low power, in-fact if Polyethelyne is laser cut with a high powered beam it does tend to warp and/or melt.

Therefore the power and temperature required to laser cut through the two primary materials in ACM are very different and this unfortunately makes laser cutting ACM virtually impossible. The power and heat required to laser cut aluminium will be so high that it will likely warp, melt or blow holes through the polyethelyne. Contrastly, if the laser is set to the low power levels required to laser cut polyethelyne it won't be anywhere near powerful enough to even mark the aluminium, let alone cut through it.