Abstract: A brake (26) employed to control web tension on a roll stand (10) is provided as a generator whose rotor shaft (38) is mounted on the roll stand's core-coupler spindle (16). The rotor (36) may be journaled in the generator's stator assembly (52) so that the spindle (16) supports the entire generator, and alignment problems that might otherwise require complicated flexible couplings, and excessive axial protrusion of the generator into service aisles are avoided. In another version, the generator stator (52) is mounted directly on the roll stand's arm (12) so that generator rotor-stator alignment is set by the journaling of the spindle (16) in the arm (12). Accurate web tension results from current feedback for control of the generator load.