Editor's Note: This article is Part II of a four-part series covering flatness and stability in cut-to-length, slitting, and tension leveling operations. This article discusses flattening solutions and the anatomy of a bend. Part I, which appeared in the October issue of The FABRICATOR®, discussed how flat-rolled metal gets unflat; Part III in the December issue will address how coil processors can make metal flat so it stays that way; and Part IV in the January 2003 issue will discuss new applications and options in leveling equipment.

In the 1980s, when CNC machinery evolved, tube fabricators made the transition from manually forming each part to allowing a machine to form the parts unassisted. Now in the age of Windows®-based computers and brushless electric servo drives, these machines can seem like relics. But don't take them to the scrap heap just yet.

At military installations across the country, repair personnel struggle to stretch the life spans of vital pieces of equipment. Sometimes welding can extend the life of damaged components in aircraft, tanks, and other military vehicles. But in some cases, high–temperature welding processes do more harm than good, warping and weakening delicate metal components. Previously such components would be classified as irreparable and replaced with pricey new parts.

Editor's Note: This is the second installment of a two-part article. Part I covers the properties, characteristics, and applications of aluminum as a structural metal. Part II explores the use of structural aluminum in the design of the U.S. Botanic Garden's conservatory in Washington, D.C.

The best way to eliminate defects in coil shape is to buy prime material. What you get out of any leveler, flattener, or tension leveler is affected by the flatness of the material you put into it.