ACM Panels & Folded Trays
Panel profiles and V-grooves prepared for sign trays, fascia skins, returns and cladding details. Fold lines, face orientation and finished dimensions are checked together before the sheet is machined.
CNC router
cutting.
CNC router cutting in our Sydney workshop for ACM, plywood, MDF, plastics and composite panels. Full sheets can be cut, drilled, pocketed or V-grooved from the same production file.
Sydney workshopFull-sheet routingV-groove + pocket
3000 × 1500mm
Working Area
6–32mm
Plywood & MDF
3–4mm
ACM Panels
±0.2–0.5mm
Typical Sheet Tolerance
Applications
Jobs that suit CNC routing
Signage, fit-out, display and fabrication work built from panels, boards and plastics.
Decorative Screens & Feature Walls
Perforated timber screens, slat walls and routed logo openings for commercial interiors and architectural features. Pattern spacing, tool radius and fixing zones are resolved in the drawing rather than left to the machine operator.
Retail & Point-of-Sale Displays
Shaped display panels, standees and campaign pieces produced from board, foam and confirmed plastics. Repeat parts are nested together across the sheet, so unit cost falls as the rollout quantity rises.
Thick Plastics & Acrylic
Blocks, plinths and plastic components that need machined edges, holes or pockets rather than a flame-polished laser edge. The required finish, internal radii and any later assembly should be noted at quote stage.
Foam Props & Event Pieces
Lightweight letters, set pieces and display forms cut from suitable foam and lightweight core materials. Sheet density, depth and the area available for hold-down are reviewed before production.
Joinery & Shopfitting Components
Plywood and MDF parts, templates and flat-pack components cut from production drawings, including marine plywood. Assembly clearances, visible faces and any pockets or rebates should be identified in the supplied file.
Our Work
Routed on the CNC table
Panels, screens, display pieces and production components from the workshop.
CNC Router Cutting
Why CNC suits panels, boards and plastics
A router removes material with a spinning tool, so it can cut profiles and add holes, pockets, rebates and V-grooves without putting laser heat into the sheet. Tool diameter sets the smallest internal radius; sharp internal corners need relief or a different design.
The working area is 3000 × 1500mm. Parts can be nested across a full sheet, while cut depths and machining layers are programmed from the file. We confirm tool access, hold-down and sheet construction before production.
That makes the process useful when a drawing contains more than an outside profile. Through-cuts, holes, rebates, pockets and fold grooves can be separated into named layers, then assigned the correct toolpath and depth. A clear production file matters: a line intended as a shallow pocket must not be mistaken for a through-cut.
Sheet behaviour matters as much as nominal thickness. Flatness, face films, grain, internal stresses and the available hold-down area can influence the tool and cutting order. Customer-supplied or unfamiliar stock is reviewed before the full run, with sample testing recommended when the construction or finish needs proving.
V-groove and fold
ACM can be prepared for folded trays, returns and cladding corners
Several operations in one setup
Profiles, drilling, pockets and rebates can share one programmed file
Material-specific tooling
Tool, feed and hold-down are selected for the sheet and required edge
Cutting Capabilities
Materials & thickness guide
Published in-house ranges for flat-sheet CNC work. They are working guides rather than a promise for every grade: sheet construction, face finish, part geometry, edge requirement and hold-down can change the practical depth. Dense, abrasive, brittle or customer-supplied materials are confirmed before quoting.
Timber & Boards
Plywood — including marine6–32mm
Panels, templates and joinery parts with clean machined edges
MDF & moisture-resistant MDF6–32mm
Paint-ready components, pockets, rebates and interlocks
Particleboard & melaminePanel gauges
Cabinetry and shopfitting panels after sheet confirmation
Solid timber & veneered boardsProject spec
Construction, grain direction and adhesive are checked before routing
Composites & Cladding
Aluminium composite panel (ACM)3–4mm
Profile cutting and V-grooves for folded trays, returns and cladding
HPL & compact laminate6–13mm
Durable panels for fit-out, wet-area and exterior applications
Solid-surface sheetProject spec
Counters, feature panels and joinery details with confirmed tooling
Other composite panelsSelected types
Core material, dust and edge requirements must be reviewed first
Plastics & Foam
Acrylic, polycarbonate & HDPE3–25mm typical
Machined edges, holes and pockets where a laser is not the right process
UHMW & engineering plasticsSheet stock
Industrial parts, templates and durable flat components
Foam PVCSheet stock
Rigid signage panels that must never be put on a laser
Foam boards & lightweight coresProject spec
Props, display components and shaped pieces after hold-down review
PVC and foam PVC are never laser cut. Light flexible sheet may suit the digital knife; flame-polished cast acrylic belongs on the CO2 laser; sheet metal moves to the fiber laser.
If a material is not listed, send its technical data sheet, thickness and intended finish. We would rather confirm the core, coating and tooling requirement than assume two sheets sold under a similar trade description will machine the same way.
Choosing the Process
Which cutting process should you use?
Send the material, thickness, edge requirement and machining notes. We will quote the process that fits the job. The table is a starting point; finish, geometry and later assembly can be just as important as the material name.
| Capability | CNC Router | CO2 Laser | Fiber Laser | Digital Knife |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACM & rigid composites | Excellent | No | No | No |
| Timber, plywood & MDF | 6–32mm | Up to 20mm | No | Light sheet only |
| Marine plywood | Yes | Never | No | No |
| Acrylic & plastics | Machined edge | Polished acrylic | No | Thin grades |
| Foam PVC | Rigid panels | Never | No | Light sheet |
| Pockets, rebates & V-grooves | Excellent | No | No | Creasing only |
Quote preparation
What makes a CNC quote accurate?
Start with the exact material and grade, sheet thickness, finished quantity and whether Platinum is supplying the stock. Include a 1:1 vector drawing with closed paths and clearly named layers for through-cuts, holes, pockets, rebates and V-grooves. Each partial-depth operation needs its intended depth.
Also identify the visible face, critical dimensions, required edge finish and how the parts fit or fold later. Those details help us check tool radius, clearances, hold-down and part orientation before programming. If the design is still a sketch, send the dimensions and marked-up reference so the required drawing work can be allowed for in the quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions before we quote
Related Services
Other cutting services in our workshop
Cutting Services
Compare CNC, CO2, fiber and digital-knife processes across the workshop.
CO2 Laser Cutting
Flame-polished cast acrylic edges, timber cutting and engraving for display-grade work.
Fiber Laser Cutting
Mild steel, stainless, aluminium and brass sheet cut on the metal side of the workshop.
Digital Knife Cutting
Printed vinyl, foam, felt, rubber and packaging boards cut without heat.
Next Step
Send the file, material and machining notes.
Include the material, thickness, finished size, quantity and every operation required: through-cuts, holes, pockets, rebates or V-grooves. Mark the visible face and critical dimensions so tooling and fold direction can be checked before we quote.