Eric Theis

As a consultant to the industry, the author has had the opportunity to discuss coil straightening and leveling with many people. In this article, he reviews 12 common misconceptions he has heard from those people.

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.

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

This is article is part 1 of a four-part series covering flatness and stability in cut-to-length, slitting, and tension leveling operations. This article covers how flat rolled metal gets unflattened, including the 3 categories of defects, how defects are created at hot and cold mills, and how coil processors also create defects.

Most flat-rolled coil processing operations use some sort of roller leveling technology. Operations people understand what these machines can do to improve the quality of the product they produce. In the competitive marketplace, customers demand and get more that just flat sheets or slit coils.