Aluminum Test Panels

Regular test panels are PVC-coated on both sides, cut to size, deburred, and packed in bundles. These panels may have some minor surface defects and will have mill oil on the surface, as these are the sheets in “as-received” condition from the aluminum mill.

Pre-cleaned panels are cut to size, deburred, and wiped and cleaned on both sides with solvent per ASTM D609 to remove mill oil and fingerprints. The panels are also scrubbed with soft material to remove visible surface oxidation. Pre-cleaned panels have an as-rolled surface finish, which may have minor scratches or surface defects. The panels are interleaved in plastic to protect the surface. These panels are not PVC coated when shipped, making the panels ready to use for most applications.

Premium polished panels are cut to size, deburred, and polished with a very fine sanding belt to remove any visible defects on one side. The reverse side of the panel may have some detectable scratches – premium polished panels are only premium on one side, not both. The panels are wiped and cleaned on both sides with solvent per ASTM D609 to remove mill oil and fingerprints. The panels are interleaved in plastic to protect the surface. These panels are not PVC coated when shipped, making the panels ready to use. Most Metaspec customers prefer our premium polished panels, but this high level of surface condition is not necessary for some applications.

Some metal alloys and tempers are only available in plate materials (0.25 inch or thicker). Plate test panels are cut to size, deburred, and packed in bundles. Plate materials typically don’t have the same surface finish as sheet materials. These panels will have some visible scratches and surface defects on one or both sides.

If a fine-quality surface finish is desired, plates can be machined and/or polished upon request.

Test panels can be machined from plate or bar material. A wide range of sizes and thickness are available, including panels as thin as 0.032 inch. This process leaves some visible machining marks on the surface instead of an ‘as rolled’ surface finish.

An additional polishing process can smooth out the machining marks on the faces of the test panel and is available upon request. Machined test panels are interleaved or packed individually to prevent surface scratches.

Test panels may also be sand blasted, polished or sanded on one or both sides, offering an even higher level of surface finish quality. Plated or anodized surface finishes (such as MIL-A-8625 or MIL-DTL-5541) are available on request. Metaspec also offers customized test panel options, including holes, stamping, serial numbering, and more.