A curtain wall is an external wall system suspended from the main building structure in the form of panels. Generally non-load-bearing, it resembles a hanging curtain—hence its name. Curtain walls offer excellent decorative effects, light weight, and fast installation, making them an ideal solution for lightweight, prefabricated external walls. As a result, they are widely used in modern large-scale and high-rise buildings.
Classified by material, curtain walls mainly include the following types:
- Glass curtain walls
- Metal sheet curtain walls
- Stone panel curtain walls
Metal sheet curtain walls are similar to glass curtain walls in structure. They use factory-customized folded-edge metal sheets as the external enclosure, which are combined with windows to form the curtain wall system. This creates a shimmering metal exterior with a unique modern artistic appeal.
Based on the material used, metal sheet curtain walls can be further divided into:
- Aluminum sheet curtain walls
- Stainless steel sheet curtain walls
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Single-layer decorative aluminum sheets: These are usually not thick. To enhance structural stability, the edges of the sheets are either folded or grooved. Additional stiffening measures include:
- Welding aluminum bolts to the back of the aluminum sheet (via electric welding) and securing reinforcing angle aluminum to the bolts;
- Directly fixing the decorative aluminum sheet to aluminum square tubes using structural adhesive.
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Composite aluminum sheets: These typically have greater thickness. Depending on the size of individual curtain wall panels, composite aluminum sheets can be processed into various forms, such as flat panels, grooved panels, or stiffened rib panels.
The application of servo CNC punching machines has improved both the production efficiency and design diversity of curtain wall decorations. Their high precision and flexibility enable the rapid manufacturing of customized metal sheet components (e.g., folded edges, grooves, and stiffening structures), supporting the diverse and complex design needs of modern curtain wall systems.
