An apparatus and method for safely and efficiently polishing the work rolls of a metal sheet or plate leveler. The apparatus includes a support and one or more polisher assemblies to be inserted between the upper and lower work rolls of the leveler, for simultaneously polishing the upper and/or lower work rolls of the leveler during the rotation of the work rolls.

A cold rolling apparatus includes: a heating device configured to heat a sequentially transferred steel sheet; a cold rolling mill configured to sequentially cold-roll the steel sheet after being heated; a meandering-movement correction device arranged on an upstream side of the heating device in a transfer direction of the steel sheet, and configured to correct a meandering movement of the steel sheet transferred toward the heating device; and a meandering-movement suppression device arranged between the heating device and the cold rolling mill, and configured to suppress a meandering movement of the steel sheet attributed to the cold rolling of the steel sheet by using the cold rolling mill.

A closed loop roller leveler assembly for measuring flatness of a strip, having a roller leveler, a flatness sensor, and at least one arm operatively connected to the flatness sensor to raise and lower the flatness sensor. The flatness sensor has a plurality of sensor rolls, at least one load cell, and at least one laser sensor which is mounted on a positioner which oscillates the laser sensors across a width of the strip.

A device to level a metal plate fabricated from high-strength steel material includes a frame, a leveling station and a draw device. The leveling station includes a plurality of upper and lower rollers in parallel arrangement and defining a serpentine path. A plunge depth is defined based upon a difference between a top-dead-center point of the lower rollers and a bottom-dead-center point of contiguous upper rollers. A longitudinal spacing and the plunge depth are configured such that the upper rollers and the lower rollers are disposed to impart a bend radius on the metal plate as the metal plate is drawn, via the draw device, through the serpentine path such that the metal plate conforms to the outer peripheral surfaces of the upper rollers and the lower rollers. The bend radius is selected to achieve plastification of the metal sheet.

A method for improving the flatness of a rolled sheet or strip includes the application of differential cooling. A cooling agent can be selectively applied along the width of the strip. More cooling can be applied to the edges of the strip, where tension is greatest, to increase tension at the edges. The strip can be allowed to lengthen at these edges, which can improve flatness. In some embodiments, a closed loop flatness control system is used to measure the flatness of a strip and automatically adjust the differential cooling based on the measurement.

A device to level a metal plate fabricated from high-strength steel material includes a frame, a leveling station and a draw device. The leveling station includes a plurality of upper and lower rollers in parallel arrangement and defining a serpentine path. A plunge depth is defined based upon a difference between a top-dead-center point of the lower rollers and a bottom-dead-center point of contiguous upper rollers. A longitudinal spacing and the plunge depth are configured such that the upper rollers and the lower rollers are disposed to impart a bend radius on the metal plate as the metal plate is drawn, via the draw device, through the serpentine path such that the metal plate conforms to the outer peripheral surfaces of the upper rollers and the lower rollers. The bend radius is selected to achieve plastification of the metal sheet.

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.

A method uses a device to level a metal plate fabricated from high-strength metal material. The method includes providing a serpentine path between a plurality of upper and lower rollers in parallel arrangement to define a longitudinal spacing. The upper and lower rollers are positioned relative to one another such that a plunge depth is defined based upon a difference between a top-dead-center point of the lower rollers and a bottom-dead-center point of contiguous upper rollers, and a longitudinal spacing and the plunge depth are configured such that the upper rollers and the lower rollers are disposed to impart a bend radius on the metal plate as the metal plate is drawn through the serpentine path such that the metal plate bends about the outer peripheral surfaces of the upper and lower rollers. The bend radius is selected to achieve a desired plastification of the metal sheet.

A method for improving the flatness of a rolled sheet or strip includes the application of differential cooling. A cooling agent can be selectively applied along the width of the strip. More cooling can be applied to the edges of the strip, where tension is greatest, to increase tension at the edges. The strip can be allowed to lengthen at these edges, which can improve flatness. In some embodiments, a closed loop flatness control system is used to measure the flatness of a strip and automatically adjust the differential cooling based on the measurement.

An apparatus and method for safely and efficiently polishing the work rolls of a metal sheet or plate leveler. The apparatus includes a support and one or more polisher assemblies to be inserted between the upper and lower work rolls of the leveler, for simultaneously polishing the upper and/or lower work rolls of the leveler during the rotation of the work rolls.