Abstract A thin metal strip is made by hot-rolling a strip workpiece, stretch-bend leveling the hot-rolled strip workpiece immediately after hot-rolling it, tensioning the strip workpiece with a predetermined tension while stretch-bend leveling it, and thereafter coiling up the workpiece. In addition the workpiece is rapidly cooled immediately after stretch-bend leveling it and before coiling it up. Thus the workpiece is stretch-bend leveled before it cools so it can be treated while still about 1100° C., at which temperature it is still very plastic. The workpiece can therefore be deformed greatly while under modest tension, so as to produce a very thin product that is very uniform. The tension in the strip merely serves to keep the workpiece looped over as much an arc as possible around the stretch-bending rolls.
A method of making thin steel strip, the method comprising the steps of: hot-rolling a strip workpiece to a thickness of at most 1.5 mm, a width of at least 600 mm, full plasticity, and a temperature of about 1100° C.; stretch-bend leveling the hot-rolled strip workpiece immediately after hot-rolling it and while the workpiece is still about 1100° C. and very plastic; measuring the width and thickness of the strip workpiece; tensioning the strip workpiece with a predetermined tension while stretch-bend leveling it in accordance with the measured width and thickness of the strip; rapidly cooling the workpiece immediately after stretch-bend leveling it; and thereafter coiling up the workpiece.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
110 words
A method of making thin steel strip, the method comprising the steps of: hot-rolling a strip workpiece to a thickness of at most 1.5 mm, a width of at least 600 mm, full plasticity, and a temperature of about 1100° C.; stretch-bend leveling the hot-rolled strip workpiece immediately after hot-rolling it and while the workpiece is still about 1100° C. and very plastic; measuring the width and thickness of the strip workpiece; tensioning the strip workpiece with a predetermined tension while stretch-bend leveling it in accordance with the measured width and thickness of the strip; rapidly cooling the workpiece immediately after stretch-bend leveling it; and thereafter coiling up the workpiece.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The strip-making method defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of: transversely bending the strip immediately before rapidly cooling it.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The strip-making method defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of: transversely bending the strip immediately after rapidly cooling it.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The strip-making method defined in claim 1 wherein the tension applied to the strip as it is being stretch-bend leveled is insufficient to reduce its width.