Patent ID: 8291738

Claim:
A method of leveling metal strip having a thickness ≦1 mm, the method comprising the steps of: passing the strip in a travel direction through an upstream braking-roller set and a downstream tension-roller set and through a group of leveling rollers between the braking-roller set and the tension-roller set, the leveling rollers having a diameter equal to at least 500 times a thickness of the strip; applying to the strip a predetermined tension equal to at least 70% of a yield limit of the strip between the braking-roller set and the tension-roller set for stretch-bend or tension straightening; bending the strip between the leveling rollers to correct longitudinal curve; using leveling rollers of diameters that increase downstream in the travel direction and that are so great that the strip follows the curvature of the leveling rollers at the predetermined tension; setting a position of the leveling rollers and thus a depth of engagement of a leveling roller between two adjacent leveling rollers of the leveling-roller group, and holding the set depth the same during leveling of a strip and during leveling of strips of different thicknesses.