Unlike solid plate, foam aluminium can be locally crushed by clamping or uneven support. The cell walls can tear if tool engagement is aggressive or if the panel is allowed to vibrate near the cut line. Some products include skins or laminated faces, which adds another failure mode: local delamination or edge damage that affects bonding and assembly.
For many producers and converters, cutting is not only “making pieces smaller.” It is preparing edges for joining, sealing, or test specimen preparation, where consistent edge condition matters.