Abstract: System and method for using fast response heaters to pre-heat metal before entering a metal treatment furnace, which may improve control over metal processing, especially in response to changes in material, mass flow rate, line speed, and/or desired treatment process. Fast response heaters may be used with control systems to adjust the output of the fast response heater based on operator inputs, direct or indirect sensing of process parameters, and/or the use of thermal models to quickly adjust fast response heater output while a metal treatment furnace remains at a constant temperature or slowly transitions into a new operating state. The resulting gains in process control result in higher quality products, reduced scrap, and increases in line speed and output.

Abstract: System and method for using fast response heaters to pre-heat metal before entering a metal treatment furnace, which may improve control over metal processing, especially in response to changes in material, mass flow rate, line speed, and/or desired treatment process. Fast response heaters may be used with control systems to adjust the output of the fast response heater based on operator inputs, direct or indirect sensing of process parameters, and/or the use of thermal models to quickly adjust fast response heater output while a metal treatment furnace remains at a constant temperature or slowly transitions into a new operating state. The resulting gains in process control result in higher quality products, reduced scrap, and increases in line speed and output.

Abstract: System and method for using fast response heaters to pre-heat metal before entering a metal treatment furnace, which may improve control over metal processing, especially in response to changes in material, mass flow rate, line speed, and/or desired treatment process. Fast response heaters may be used with control systems to adjust the output of the fast response heater based on operator inputs, direct or indirect sensing of process parameters, and/or the use of thermal models to quickly adjust fast response heater output while a metal treatment furnace remains at a constant temperature or slowly transitions into a new operating state. The resulting gains in process control result in higher quality products, reduced scrap, and increases in line speed and output.

Abstract: System and method for using fast response heaters to pre-heat metal before entering a metal treatment furnace, which may improve control over metal processing, especially in response to changes in material, mass flow rate, line speed, and/or desired treatment process. Fast response heaters may be used with control systems to adjust the output of the fast response heater based on operator inputs, direct or indirect sensing of process parameters, and/or the use of thermal models to quickly adjust fast response heater output while a metal treatment furnace remains at a constant temperature or slowly transitions into a new operating state. The resulting gains in process control result in higher quality products, reduced scrap, and increases in line speed and output.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the invention include a method and apparatus for cooling a metal strip that is being advanced in a generally horizontal fashion. The method involves delivering a coolant liquid onto a lower surface of the strip from below across the entire width of the strip, preventing the coolant liquid from contacting the upper surface of the strip, and optionally subsequently removing the coolant liquid from the lower surface. The coolant liquid is prevented from contacting the upper surface by forming a gas-directing channel immediately above the upper surface of the strip adjacent to one or preferably both lateral edges of the strip and forcing a gas through the channel in a direction generally away from a center of the strip towards the one or both lateral edges to deflect coolant liquid away from the upper surface of the strip. The apparatus provides means for carrying out these steps.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the invention include a method and apparatus for cooling a metal strip that is being advanced in a generally horizontal fashion. The method involves delivering a coolant liquid onto a lower surface of the strip from below across the entire width of the strip, preventing the coolant liquid from contacting the upper surface of the strip, and optionally subsequently removing the coolant liquid from the lower surface. The coolant liquid is prevented from contacting the upper surface by forming a gas-directing channel immediately above the upper surface of the strip adjacent to one or preferably both lateral edges of the strip and forcing a gas through the channel in a direction generally away from a center of the strip towards the one or both lateral edges to deflect coolant liquid away from the upper surface of the strip. The apparatus provides means for carrying out these steps.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for coating a major surface of a strip article advancing past and in contact with an applicator roll by supplying coating material to the applicator roll for transfer to the strip surface while urging a metering roll against the applicator roll to impart a coating profile to the coating material on the applicator roll before the coating material having that profile is transferred to the strip surface, wherein the metering roll is subjected to a force for bending the axis of the metering roll convexly toward the applicator roll, thereby to compensate for deflection of the metering roll that would otherwise tend to cause nonuniformity of applied coating weight across the width of the strip.

Abstract: The invention is particularly directed to the problem of creep deformation in a coiled aluminum strip, which occurs during coiling and for a period thereafter. The problem arises because the profile of the strip across its width is not flat, and is in fact usually thicker in the middle than at the edges (positive crown). To compensate for this, the invention provides that the spool onto which the coil is wound is adapted to provide more support to the strip in the center than at the edges, by making the central portion of the spool of a greater diameter than the end portions of the spool. A strip having a positive crown which is wound onto such a spool was found to exhibit significantly reduced creep strain, leading to reduced creep deformation.

Abstract: The invention is particularly directed to the problem of creep deformation in a coiled aluminum strip, which occurs during coiling and for a period thereafter. The problem arises because the profile of the strip across its width is not flat, and is in fact usually thicker in the middle than at the edges (positive crown). To compensate for this, the invention provides that the spool onto which the coil is wound is adapted to provide more support to the strip in the center than at the edges, by making the central portion of the spool of a greater diameter than the end portions of the spool. A strip having a positive crown which is wound onto such a spool was found to exhibit significantly reduced creep strain, leading to reduced creep deformation.