Patent ID: 6732561
Filing Date: 2004-05-11
Classification: B21D

Abstract:
A method of processing sheet metal comprising the steps of:providing a tension-leveling apparatus including a first set of bridle rollers adapted to receive sheet metal from an upstream coil and a second set of bridle rollers downstream of the first set of bridle rollers, the tension-leveling apparatus also including a set of leveling rollers between the first and second sets of bridle rollers; providing a surface conditioning apparatus having at least one rotating conditioning member located between the set of leveling rollers and the second set of bridle rollers; engaging the sheet metal with the tension-leveling apparatus in a manner to subject a portion of the sheet metal between the first and second sets of bridle rollers to a tensile force that is sufficient to flatten the portion of the metal sheet, the engaging including leveling the portion of the sheet metal between the first and second sets of bridle rollers by engaging said portion with the leveling rollers in a manner so that the portion of the sheet metal is made to conform to surfaces of the leveling rollers while being subjected to the tensile force, thereby reducing internal residual stresses in said portion; and conditioning a surface of the portion of the sheet metal with the surface conditioning apparatus by bringing the at least one rotating conditioning member into engagement with the surface of the portion of the sheet metal in a manner to remove scale from the surface.