In a method and a device for correcting meandering of a strip material in an apparatus that performs conveyance of the strip material at a non-contact state by floating a continuously traveling strip material by a floater group, the strip material is tilted by forcibly changing a height position in the widthwise direction of the strip material in at least one of a zone between the most upstream floater in the floater group and a conveyance roll located immediately upstream of such a floater, a zone between two adjacent floaters, and a zone between the most downstream floater in the floater group and a conveyance roll located immediately downstream of such a floater, whereby the height position in the widthwise direction of the strip material above the floater is changed and a static pressure applied to the strip material above the floater is changed to correct meandering thereof.

In a method and a device for correcting meandering of a strip material in an apparatus that performs conveyance of the strip material at a non-contact state by floating a continuously traveling strip material by a floater group, the strip material is tilted by forcibly changing a height position in the widthwise direction of the strip material in at least one of a zone between the most upstream floater in the floater group and a conveyance roll located immediately upstream of such a floater, a zone between two adjacent floaters, and a zone between the most downstream floater in the floater group and a conveyance roll located immediately downstream of such a floater, whereby the height position in the widthwise direction of the strip material above the floater is changed and a static pressure applied to the strip material above the floater is changed to correct meandering thereof.

The invention relates to a method for controlling a metal strip to be heat-treated, contained in a continuously operated heat treatment furnace and proceeding in an essentially horizontal direction and suspended position in a zone arranged between elements meant for supporting the metal strip when said metal strip is being cooled. The trajectory of the metal strip is measured by a measuring device, and on the basis of the obtained measurement results, the metal strip is subjected to a controlled cooling agent jet, so that the trajectory of the metal strip, at least in the zone located between the elements meant for supporting the metal strip, is made to proceed in between devices installed around the trajectory and meant for conveying the cooling agent.

The invention relates to a method for controlling a metal strip to be heat-treated, contained in a continuously operated heat treatment furnace and proceeding in an essentially horizontal direction and suspended position in a zone arranged between elements meant for supporting the metal strip when said metal strip is being cooled. The trajectory of the metal strip is measured by a measuring device, and on the basis of the obtained measurement results, the metal strip is subjected to a controlled cooling agent jet, so that the trajectory of the metal strip, at least in the zone located between the elements meant for supporting the metal strip, is made to proceed in between devices installed around the trajectory and meant for conveying the cooling agent.

The present invention relates to a nozzle system for a band floating system for floatingly guiding a band-shaped material. A nozzle body, which has, along a conveying direction of the band-shaped material, which is conveyable within a band running plane, a front edge area and a rear edge area opposite to the front edge area. A front gas nozzle arrangement is arranged at the front edge area such that a front gas jet is flowable in the direction towards the band running plane for forming a nozzle floating field for the band-shaped material. A rear gas nozzle arrangement is arranged at the rear edge area such that a rear gas jet is flowable in the direction towards the band running plane for forming the nozzle floating field for the band-shaped material. A nozzle arrangement is arranged in the conveying direction in front of the front gas nozzle arrangement or behind the rear gas nozzle arrangement, wherein the nozzle arrangement is configured such that a liquid fluid is flowable in a fluid jet into the nozzle floating field in the direction towards the band running plane for temperature-controlling the band-shaped material.

A method for continuously solution heat-treating aluminium alloy sheet by continuously moving heat-treatable 7000-series aluminium alloy sheet through a continuous heat-treatment furnace arranged to heat the moving aluminium sheet to a set soaking temperature (T.sub.SET) in the temperature range of 370 C. to 560 C., the continuous heat-treatment furnace has an entry section and an exit section, the moving aluminium sheet moves substantially horizontally through the continuous heat-treatment furnace, and the moving aluminium sheet is rapidly cooled on leaving the exit section, and before or near the entry section of the continuous heat-treatment furnace the moving aluminium sheet is pre-heated to a temperature of 5 C. to 100 C. below the T.sub.SET using an average heat-up rate as function of the sheet thickness of at least Y=31.Math.ln(X)+50, wherein Y is the heat-up rate in C./sec and X is the sheet thickness in mm.

A method for continuously solution heat-treating aluminium alloy sheet by continuously moving heat-treatable 7000-series aluminium alloy sheet through a continuous heat-treatment furnace arranged to heat the moving aluminium sheet to a set soaking temperature (T.sub.SET) in the temperature range of 370 C. to 560 C., the continuous heat-treatment furnace has an entry section and an exit section, the moving aluminium sheet moves substantially horizontally through the continuous heat-treatment furnace, and the moving aluminium sheet is rapidly cooled on leaving the exit section, and before or near the entry section of the continuous heat-treatment furnace the moving aluminium sheet is pre-heated to a temperature of 5 C. to 100 C. below the T.sub.SET using an average heat-up rate as function of the sheet thickness of at least Y=31.Math.ln(X)+50, wherein Y is the heat-up rate in C./sec and X is the sheet thickness in mm.

The invention relates to a device for continuous treatment of a metal strip (1), in particular a metal strip consisting of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, or consisting of a non-ferrous metal or a non-ferrous metal alloy, said device comprising at least one temperature control device (2) through which the metal strip (1) is guided in a floating manner, and comprising at least one strip position regulation unit (7), by means of which the position of the metal strip (1) can be controlled or regulated on the belt movement plane (E) and transversely to the strip running direction (B), wherein the temperature control device (2) has at least one entry-side heating section (3) and an exit-side cooling section (4). The invention is characterised in that the strip position regulation unit (7) that works in a contactless manner has at least one contactless strip position detection element (12) and at least one linear motor (13) and is arranged within the heating section (3) or between the heating section (3) and the cooling section (4).

The invention relates to a device for continuous treatment of a metal strip (1), in particular a metal strip consisting of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, or consisting of a non-ferrous metal or a non-ferrous metal alloy, said device comprising at least one temperature control device (2) through which the metal strip (1) is guided in a floating manner, and comprising at least one strip position regulation unit (7), by means of which the position of the metal strip (1) can be controlled or regulated on the belt movement plane (E) and transversely to the strip running direction (B), wherein the temperature control device (2) has at least one entry-side heating section (3) and an exit-side cooling section (4). The invention is characterised in that the strip position regulation unit (7) that works in a contactless manner has at least one contactless strip position detection element (12) and at least one linear motor (13) and is arranged within the heating section (3) or between the heating section (3) and the cooling section (4).

An apparatus for continuously treating metal strip of aluminum, an aluminum alloy, a nonferrous metal, or a nonferrous-metal alloy, has at least one heat-treatment device through which the metal strip passes in a strip-travel plane in a travel direction without contact from an upstream inlet end to a downstream outlet end and having a heating zone at the upstream end and a cooling zone formed by a row extending in the direction of at least two cooling subzones. A strip-centering device between the cooling subzones adjusts a position of the metal strip in the strip-travel plane and transverse thereto.