Abstract: A cut-to-length line for processing coiled sheet metal having a thickness of greater than 0.200 inches has an uncoiler, a descaler, and flattening machinery which may be a stretcher leveler or a temper mill. The line is operated in an advancement mode by (i) the advancing the sheet metal through the line; and (ii) descaling the sheet metal in the descaler. In one aspect, when a length of sheet metal to be stretch leveled is positioned in the stretcher leveler, the line may be operated in an idle mode by: (i) stopping the advancement of the sheet metal from the uncoiler through the descaler; (ii) stopping descaling of the sheet metal in the descaler; and (iii) stretch leveling the length of the sheet metal. When stretch leveling is complete, the line may be operated in the advancement mode.

Abstract: A control for a sheet metal processing line with a descaler includes sensors that adjust the spray blast pattern produced by impellers and the sheet advancement rate during descaling. The control may position a nozzle of the impeller so when a surface condition of the edge of the sheet is more favorable than that of the center of the sheet, the impeller spray concentration moves toward the center, and when a surface condition of the center of the sheet is more favorable than that of a respective edge of the sheet, the impeller spray concentration moves away from the center of the sheet. The control may raise the sheet advancement rate when the surface condition of the center of the sheet is more favorable than a standard, and lower the sheet advancement rate when a surface condition of the center of the sheet is less favorable than a standard.

Abstract: A cut-to-length steel coil processing line has an un-coiling reel, a temper mill, a stretcher leveler, a shearer, and a stacking apparatus arranged to sequentially process a continuous length of sheet metal. The line may be configured such that the continuous length of the sheet metal is directed from the uncoiling reel through the temper mill to the stacking apparatus without processing through the stretcher leveler when a determined thickness of the continuous length of sheet metal is at or below a selected measurement criteria. In the alternative, the line may be configured such that the continuous length of the sheet metal is directed from the uncoiling reel through the stretcher leveler to the stacking apparatus without processing through the temper mill when the determined thickness of the continuous length of sheet metal is greater than the selected measurement criteria.

Abstract: A control for a sheet metal processing line with a descaler includes sensors that adjust the spray blast pattern produced by impellers and the sheet advancement rate during descaling. The control may position a nozzle of the impeller so when a surface condition of the edge of the sheet is more favorable than that of the center of the sheet, the impeller spray concentration moves toward the center, and when a surface condition of the center of the sheet is more favorable than that of a respective edge of the sheet, the impeller spray concentration moves away from the center of the sheet. The control may raise the sheet advancement rate when the surface condition of the center of the sheet is more favorable than a standard, and lower the sheet advancement rate when a surface condition of the center of the sheet is less favorable than a standard.

Abstract: A cut-to-length steel coil processing line has an un-coiling reel, a temper mill, a stretcher leveler, a shearer, and a stacking apparatus arranged to sequentially process a continuous length of sheet metal. The line may be configured such that the continuous length of the sheet metal is directed from the uncoiling reel through the temper mill to the stacking apparatus without processing through the stretcher leveler when a determined thickness of the continuous length of sheet metal is at or below a selected measurement criteria. In the alternative, the line may be configured such that the continuous length of the sheet metal is directed from the uncoiling reel through the stretcher leveler to the stacking apparatus without processing through the temper mill when the determined thickness of the continuous length of sheet metal is greater than the selected measurement criteria.

Abstract: A method for descaling stainless steel includes providing a descaling apparatus having wheels configured to propel a scale removing media against the sheet metal. The wheels are positioned In such a way that the scale removing media propelled from one wheel does not substantially interfere with the scale removing media propelled from another wheel. The scale removing media propelled from each wheel extends across substantially an entire width of the length of the sheet metal, and the wheels are positioned adjacent opposite side edges defining the width of the sheet metal with the sheet metal centered between the wheels. In accordance with the method, a user is induced to install at least one of the descaling apparatuses in a push/pull sheet metal processing line and process stainless steel sheet metal in the line to substantially remove all scale from the surfaces of the stainless steel strip using the descaling apparatus.

Abstract: A metal processing apparatus comprises a scale breaker apparatus having a plurality of rollers positioned in a staggered arrangement and engaging first and second surfaces of sheet metal. The staggered arrangement creates clearances between the rollers of the first and second surface rollers sufficient to enable the sheet metal to conform to a portion of an outer periphery of at least one of the rollers while passing between the first and second surface rollers under a tensile force. The metal processing apparatus further comprises a recoiler adapted to coil the length of sheet metal. The recoiler subjects the sheet metal passing through the scale breaking apparatus to a tensile force sufficient to conform the sheet metal to a portion of the outer periphery of at least one of the rollers with a wrap angle sufficient to break scale from the sheet metal.

Abstract: A method is provided for removing iron oxide scale from sheet metal and producing a sheet metal surface with rust inhibitive properties. The sheet metal is advanced through the descaling cell and a slurry mixture is propelled against at least one of the top surface and bottom surface of the sheet metal across the sheet metal width as the material is advanced through the descaling cell. The rate of slurry impact against the at least one of the top surface and bottom surface of the sheet metal is controlled in a manner to remove substantially all of the scale from a surface of the sheet metal, and in a manner to create a passivation layer on the descaled surface of the sheet metal. The passivation layer comprises at least one of silicon, aluminum, manganese and chromium and inhibits oxidation of the descaled surface of the processed sheet metal.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of removing scale from the surfaces of processed sheet metal and tubular metal employs a scale removing medium propelled by counter-rotating pairs of wheels positioned in close proximity to the metal surfaces.

Abstract: A method is provided for removing iron oxide scale from sheet metal and producing a sheet metal surface with rust inhibitive properties. The sheet metal is advanced through the descaling cell and a slurry mixture is propelled against at least one of the top surface and bottom surface of the sheet metal across the sheet metal width as the material is advanced through the descaling cell. The rate of slurry impact against the at least one of the top surface and bottom surface of the sheet metal is controlled in a manner to remove substantially all of the scale from a surface of the sheet metal, and in a manner to create a passivation layer on the descaled surface of the sheet metal. The passivation layer comprises at least one of silicon, aluminum, manganese and chromium and inhibits oxidation of the descaled surface of the processed sheet metal.

Abstract: A method is provided for removing iron oxide scale from sheet metal and producing a sheet metal surface with rust inhibitive properties. The sheet metal is advanced through the descaling cell and a slurry mixture is propelled against at least one of the top surface and bottom surface of the sheet metal across the sheet metal width as the material is advanced through the descaling cell. The rate of slurry impact against the at least one of the top surface and bottom surface of the sheet metal is controlled in a manner to remove substantially all of the scale from a surface of the sheet metal, and in a manner to create a passivation layer on the descaled surface of the sheet metal. The passivation layer comprises at least one of silicon, aluminum, manganese and chromium and inhibits oxidation of the descaled surface of the processed sheet metal.

Abstract: A method is provided for removing iron oxide scale from sheet metal and producing a sheet metal surface with rust inhibitive properties. The sheet metal is advanced through the descaling cell and a slurry mixture is propelled against at least one of the top surface and bottom surface of the sheet metal across the sheet metal width as the material is advanced through the descaling cell. The rate of slurry impact against the at least one of the top surface and bottom surface of the sheet metal is controlled in a manner to remove substantially all of the scale from a surface of the sheet metal, and in a manner to create a passivation layer on the descaled surface of the sheet metal. The passivation layer comprises at least one of silicon, aluminum, manganese and chromium and inhibits oxidation of the descaled surface of the processed sheet metal.

Abstract: A method is provided for removing iron oxide scale from sheet metal and producing a sheet metal surface with rust inhibitive properties. The sheet metal is advanced through the descaling cell and a slurry mixture is propelled against at least one of the top surface and bottom surface of the sheet metal across the sheet metal width as the material is advanced through the descaling cell. The rate of slurry impact against the at least one of the top surface and bottom surface of the sheet metal is controlled in a manner to remove substantially all of the scale from a surface of the sheet metal, and in a manner to create a passivation layer on the descaled surface of the sheet metal. The passivation layer comprises at least one of silicon, aluminum, manganese and chromium and inhibits oxidation of the descaled surface of the processed sheet metal.

Abstract: A metal processing apparatus comprises a scale breaker apparatus having a plurality of rollers positioned in a staggered arrangement and engaging first and second surfaces of sheet metal. The staggered arrangement creates clearances between the rollers of the first and second surface rollers sufficient to enable the sheet metal to conform to a portion of an outer periphery of at least one of the rollers while passing between the first and second surface rollers under a tensile force. The metal processing apparatus further comprises a recoiler adapted to coil the length of sheet metal. The recoiler subjects the sheet metal passing through the scale breaking apparatus to a tensile force sufficient to conform the sheet metal to a portion of the outer periphery of at least one of the rollers with a wrap angle sufficient to break scale from the sheet metal.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of removing scale from the surfaces of processed sheet metal employs a scale removing medium propelled by counter-rotating pairs of wheels positioned in close proximity to the sheet metal surfaces.

Abstract: A method is provided for removing iron oxide scale from sheet metal and producing a sheet metal surface with rust inhibitive properties. The sheet metal is advanced through the descaling cell and a slurry mixture is propelled against at least one of the top surface and bottom surface of the sheet metal across the sheet metal width as the material is advanced through the descaling cell. The rate of slurry impact against the at least one of the top surface and bottom surface of the sheet metal is controlled in a manner to remove substantially all of the scale from a surface of the sheet metal, and in a manner to create a passivation layer on the descaled surface of the sheet metal. The passivation layer comprises at least one of silicon, aluminum, manganese and chromium and inhibits oxidation of the descaled surface of the processed sheet metal.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting residual oxide or scale present on a metal surface following pickling or mechanical processing of the metal surface to remove scale makes use of laser light that is reflected off of the metal surface, a reflection detector that detects the absolute reflectivity and polarization of the reflecting laser light, a roughness measurement sensor, and a computerized control system that uses combinations of the information from the three sensors to provide an indication of the scale remaining on the metal surface.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of removing scale from the surfaces of processed sheet metal and tubular metal employs a scale removing medium propelled by counter-rotating pairs of wheels positioned in close proximity to the metal surfaces.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of removing scale from the surfaces of processed sheet metal employs a scale removing medium propelled by counter-rotating pairs of wheels positioned in close proximity to the sheet metal surfaces.

Abstract: A method of removing iron oxide scale and cold reducing sheet metal leaves a wustite layer on the sheet metal. The iron oxide scale on the sheet metal generally comprises three layers prior to surface conditioning: a wustite layer, a magnetite layer, and a hematite layer. The wustite layer is bonded to a base metal substrate of the sheet metal. The magnetite layer is bonded to the wustite layer, and the hematite layer is bonded to the magnetite layer. Conditioning the surface of the sheet metal includes bringing a surface conditioning member into engagement with the surface of the sheet metal in a manner to remove substantially all of the hematite and magnetite layers from the surface, and in a manner to remove some but not all of the wustite layer from the surface. The portion of the wustite layer that remains bonded to the base metal substrate of the sheet metal protects the surface from oxidation, even after subsequent cold reduction of the sheet metal.