Abstract: The invention relates to a device for hot-dip coating a metal strand (1), especially a steel strip, in which the metal strand (1) is vertically guided through a container (3) accommodating the molten coating metal (2) and through a guide channel (4) disposed upstream thereof. The inventive device comprises at least two inductors (5) disposed at both sides of the metal strand (1) in the area of the guide channel (4) that are used to generate an electromagnetic field for retaining the coating metal (2) in the container (3), and at least one sensor (6, 6?) for detecting the position (s) of the metal strand (1) in the area of the guide channel (4).

Abstract: A method for the treatment of sheets which are rolled to final dimensions in a roll stand, subsequently undergoing on-line cooling, straightening and heat treatment for homogenization and influencing of microstructure. To improve the heat treatment, the heat treatment is carried out online such that it is decoupled from the preceding cooling and straightening, while taking into account the speed at which the sheet exits from the final workstation upstream, the time at which the heat treatment begins is selected in such a way that the sheet has completely left this final workstation before the sheet is subjected to the heat treatment.

Abstract: A method for hot dip coating a metal strand includes passing the metal strand vertically through a coating tank that contains molten coating metal and through a guide channel upstream of the coating tank. A electromagnetic field is generated by inductors on both sides of the metal strand and an electromagnetic field superposed on the electromagnetic field of the inductors is generated by supplementary coils on both sides of the metal strand. A center position of the metal strand in the guide channel is stabilized by: (a) measuring the position of the metal strand in the guide channel; (b) measuring the induced current in the inductors; (c) measuring the induced current in the supplementary coils; and (d) influencing the induced current in the supplementary coils as a function of all of the parameters measured in steps (a) to (c).

Abstract: To improve and further develop the heat treatment of the weld and the joining weld regions (6, 7) before and behind the actual welding by means of a laser, which is carried out during welding of steel sheets (2) to minimize the risk of crack formation or alteration of the microstructure in the region of the weld, it is proposed according to the invention that the heating of the region of the weld (6, 7) be carried out by means of a multiply stepped line inductor (4, 5) which can be set in a defined way and has zones of different power densities and is configured with a multiple division of its conductor loop lengths and/or with different plating of the conductor loops and/or with a plurality of spacing steps from the steel strip (2). Here, a steeper temperature rise occurs in the first heating stage than in the subsequent heating stage.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for hot-dip coating a metal strand (1), especially a steel strip, according to which the metal strand (1) is vertically guided through a container (3) accommodating the molten coating metal (2) and through a guide channel (4) disposed upstream thereof. An electromagnetic field is generated in the area of the guide channel (4) by means of at least two inductors (5) disposed at both sides of the metal strand (1) to retain the coating material (2) in the container (3). In order to stabilize the metal strand (1) in a center position in the guide channel (4), an electromagnetic field, superimposing the electromagnetic field of the inductors (5), is generated by means of at least two additional coils (6) disposed at both sides of the metal strand (1).