The invention relates to a roller leveler (1) having a set of upper and lower flattening rollers (2), wherein each flattening roller (2) is provided with a rotary drive (3) actuated by leveler control (4) for rotating the flattening roller (2) to advance a to-be-flattened metallic flat material in a forward direction (F) and, thereby, flatten the flat, metallic material. To achieve an improved and optimal flattening result, the invention proposes that each flattening roller (2) has a first rotary drive (L.sub.1, L.sub.2 . . . L.sub.n) for driving one axial end of the flattening roller (2), and a second rotary drive (R.sub.1, R.sub.2 . . . R.sub.n) for driving one axial end of the flattening roller (2) and a second rotary drive (R.sub.1, R.sub.2 . . . R.sub.n) for driving the other end of the flattening roller, wherein the leveler controller (4) is designed to apply a parameter determining the direction of rotation of the flattening roller (2) to the first and second rotary drives (L.sub.1, L.sub.2 . . . L.sub.n, R.sub.1, R.sub.2 . . . R.sub.n) individually based on a pre-set value. The invention also relates to a method of operating a roller leveler of this kind.

The invention relates to a roller leveler (1) having a set of upper and lower flattening rollers (2), wherein each flattening roller (2) is provided with a rotary drive (3) actuated by leveler control (4) for rotating the flattening roller (2) to advance a to-be-flattened metallic flat material in a forward direction (F) and, thereby, flatten the flat, metallic material. To achieve an improved and optimal flattening result, the invention proposes that each flattening roller (2) has a first rotary drive (L.sub.1, L.sub.2 . . . L.sub.n) for driving one axial end of the flattening roller (2), and a second rotary drive (R.sub.1, R.sub.2 . . . R.sub.n) for driving one axial end of the flattening roller (2) and a second rotary drive (R.sub.1, R.sub.2 . . . R.sub.n) for driving the other end of the flattening roller, wherein the leveler controller (4) is designed to apply a parameter determining the direction of rotation of the flattening roller (2) to the first and second rotary drives (L.sub.1, L.sub.2 . . . L.sub.n, R.sub.1, R.sub.2 . . . R.sub.n) individually based on a pre-set value. The invention also relates to a method of operating a roller leveler of this kind.

A warpage correction apparatus for a metal strip to be used in a continuous plating facility for the metal strip includes a sink roll disposed downstream of a fixed roll, configured to change the conveying direction of the metal strip, with respect to a conveying direction of the metal strip and inside a molten metal pot for plating, and a correction roll disposed between the fixed roll and the sink roll and configured to correct warpage of the metal strip. A ratio D3/D1 of a diameter D3 of the sink roll to a diameter D1 of the fixed roll is not less than 1.5.

A warpage correction apparatus for a metal strip to be used in a continuous plating facility for the metal strip includes a sink roll disposed downstream of a fixed roll, configured to change the conveying direction of the metal strip, with respect to a conveying direction of the metal strip and inside a molten metal pot for plating, and a correction roll disposed between the fixed roll and the sink roll and configured to correct warpage of the metal strip. A ratio D3/D1 of a diameter D3 of the sink roll to a diameter D1 of the fixed roll is not less than 1.5.

A metal strip leveler (B): the strip has a thickness (e) subject to a stress distribution. The leveler includes a row of upper rolls (1, 3, 5, 7, 9 . . . ) and a row of lower rolls (2, 4, 6, 8, 10 . . . ) having parallel axes, are longitudinally offset in a direction of line of passage (lp) and are offset in height, to define, by vertical imbrication (overlapping) of the rolls, an undulating path of the strip between the rolls. The imbrication occurs because the rows of rolls are interleaved partially to create an undulating path for the strip. At least two upper rolls ([1, 3]; [5, 7]) and two lower rolls ([2, 4]; [6, 8]) are arranged respectively above and below the line of passage, such that they form three vertical imbrication gaps. Those gaps have a profile of non-linear imbrication values (Imbr) that are either convex or concave with respect to a profile of linear imbrication values (Imbr_lin) in the direction of the line of passage.

A roll feeder is usable to intermittently feed a coiled material. The roll feeder includes a paired first roll and second roll, a meandering detector, a pressing component, and a controller. The paired first roll and second roll are disposed so as to clamp the coiled material. The paired first roll and second roll are configured to feed the coiled material in a conveyance direction. The meandering detector is configured to detect meandering of the coiled material from a specific conveyance position in a width direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the coiled material. The pressing component is configured to press the first roll against the coiled material being conveyed. The controller is configured to control the pressing component so as to correct the meandering based on detection by the meandering detector.

A roll feeder is usable to intermittently feed a coiled material. The roll feeder includes a paired first roll and second roll, a meandering detector, a pressing component, and a controller. The paired first roll and second roll are disposed so as to clamp the coiled material. The paired first roll and second roll are configured to feed the coiled material in a conveyance direction. The meandering detector is configured to detect meandering of the coiled material from a specific conveyance position in a width direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the coiled material. The pressing component is configured to press the first roll against the coiled material being conveyed. The controller is configured to control the pressing component so as to correct the meandering based on detection by the meandering detector.

A stretch rolling method and a stretch rolling unit can roll out any gripping ends and uses the narrowest possible installation space. In the stretch rolling method, a workpiece is successively fed to at least two passes of a stretch rolling unit of a gripping device, wherein the vvorkpiece is rotated by 180 about an axis of rotation lying perpendicular to the main direction of extent of the workpiece between the first pass of the two passes and the second pass of the two passes.

A stretch rolling method and a stretch rolling unit can roll out any gripping ends and uses the narrowest possible installation space. In the stretch rolling method, a workpiece is successively fed to at least two passes of a stretch rolling unit of a gripping device, wherein the vvorkpiece is rotated by 180 about an axis of rotation lying perpendicular to the main direction of extent of the workpiece between the first pass of the two passes and the second pass of the two passes.

A method of progressive processing includes feeding a strip-shaped sheet to a press machine; pressing the strip-shaped sheet with the press machine; and joining the strip-shaped sheet with a new strip-shaped sheet by applying a tape over an end of the strip-shaped sheet located in a direction opposite a direction in which the strip-shaped sheet is fed and an end of the new strip-shaped sheet located in a direction in which the new strip-shaped sheet is fed.