[dtengineering]

While I can't say that I have personally cut aluminum sheet on a table saw, that was going to be my first suggestion for this particular application. Given the following caveats, I see no fundamental reason why it would not work.

As pointed out the table saw can be quite dangerous if you don't know what you are doing. Not, perhaps, as dangerous as driving a car when you don't know what you are doing... but even experienced table saw users can be sometimes caught off-guard by the occasional kick back. Likewise, just as driving a car can be done reasonably safely with the appropriate level of skill and/or supervision, so can using a table saw.... it doesn't mean accidents will NEVER happen... but we should no more ban appropriately mature students from using the table saw than we should ban them from using a car. Skill and supervision are the keys here.

Jim's link provides a really neat idea on dealing with the high tooth speed... use a smaller diameter blade. With carbide teeth it should work just fine and I can't see any reason why it would be more dangerous than cutting a thick piece of acrylic, maple or teak, or even a large piece of plywood. The article cites an increased tendency for kickback, but normal table saw operations already require the user to make plans to mitigate kickback risks.

If you aren't experienced with a table saw, though... don't cut wood on it, let alone aluminum. All tools deserve respect, but the table saw demands it.

Jason

P.S. I'd expect it might be a bit loud....