Patent ID: 6327883
Filing Date: 2001-12-11
Classification: B21B

Abstract:
A method of flattening metal strip to produce a product with limited waviness and camber, said method comprising the steps of:(a) applying tension to metal strip over a length thereof during travel of the metal strip along a processing line;(b) subjecting said metal strip over said length and while under said tension to at least one plastic deformation operation selected from rolling, leveling and/or stretching with a degree of plastic deformation varying across a width of the metal strip;(c) subjecting said metal strip within said length to zone-wise selective temperature modification at respective longitudinal zones across said width of the strip to establish a temperature distribution in said strip across said width and influence a tension distribution thereacross; and(d) adjusting said tension distribution by controlling said temperature distribution to maximize a degree of planarity imparted to said strip, said temperature distribution being established in step (c) subsequent to said plastic deformation operation.