Novelis, Inc.

Andrew James Hobbis

David Anthony Gaensbauer

Rodger Brown

Antoine Jean Willy Pralong

Peter Knelsen

Natasha Iyer

William Beck

David Michael Custers

Jeffrey Edward Geho

Hansjuerg Alder

Stephen Lee Mick

Roberto Quintal

Mark Finn

Terry Lee

Robert Bruce Wagstaff

Michael R Kosmicki

Rajeev G Kamat

Michael Jackson Bull

Duane E Bendzinski

David Skingley Wright

ChangOok Son

Heinz Werner Becker

Rejean Lemay

Mehdi Shafiei

Steven L Mick

Alp Manavbasi

Paul David Nelson

Christophe Besson

Theresa Elizabeth MacFarlane

David Edward Gantzer

Curtis Eddie

Jeffery Edward Geho

David Gantzer

Changook Son

Michael Kosmicki

A rotating magnet heater for metal products, such as aluminum strip, can include permanent magnet rotors arranged above and below a moving metal strip to induce moving or time varying magnetic fields through the metal strip. The changing magnetic fields can create currents (e.g., eddy currents) within the metal strip, thus heating the metal strip. A magnetic rotor set can include a pair of matched magnetic rotors on opposite sides of a metal strip that rotate at the same speed. Each magnetic rotor of a set can be positioned equidistance from the metal strip to avoid pulling the metal strip away from the passline. A downstream magnetic rotor set can be used in close proximity to an upstream magnetic rotor set to offset tension induced by the upstream magnetic rotor set.

Rotating magnet heat induction

Systems and methods of non-contact tensioning of a metal strip during metal processing include passing the metal strip adjacent a magnetic rotor. The magnetic rotor is spaced apart from the metal strip by a first distance. The systems and methods also include tensioning the metal strip through the magnetic rotor by rotating the magnetic rotor. Rotating the magnetic rotor induces a magnetic field into the metal strip such that the metal strip is tensioned in an upstream direction or a downstream direction. In other aspects, rotating the magnetic rotor induces a magnetic field into the metal strip such that a force normal to a surface of the metal strip is applied to the metal strip.

Systems and methods for non-contact tensioning of a metal strip

A flatness control system includes a work stand of a finishing line, a plurality of actuators, a flatness measuring device, and a controller. The work stand includes a pair of vertically aligned work rolls. A first work roll of the pair of work rolls includes a plurality of flatness control zones configured to apply a localized pressure to a corresponding region on a substrate. Each actuator corresponds with a one of the plurality of flatness control zones. The flatness measuring device is configured to measure an actual flatness profile of the substrate. The controller is configured to adjust the plurality of actuators such that the localized pressures modify the actual flatness profile to achieve the desired flatness profile at the exit of the stand. The thickness and a length of the substrate remain substantially constant when the substrate exits the work stand.

Systems and methods for controlling flatness of a metal substrate with low pressure rolling

Systems and methods of threading a metal substrate on a rolling mill include receiving a coil of the metal substrate. The method also includes uncoiling the metal substrate from the coil while the coil and guiding the metal substrate to a work stand of the rolling mill with a threading system.

Systems and methods for threading a hot coil on a mill

Systems and methods of applying a texture on a substrate include applying a texture to the substrate with a work stand of a coil-to-coil process. The work stand includes an upper work roll and a lower work roll vertically aligned with the upper work roll. At least one of the upper work roll and the lower work roll includes the texture. Applying the texture includes applying, by the upper work roll and a lower work roll, a work roll pressure on an upper surface and a lower surface of the substrate. The method further includes adjusting a contact pressure parameter of the work stand such that the work stand provides a desired contact pressure distribution across the width of the substrate and a desired thickness profile of the edges of the substrate while an overall thickness of the substrate remains substantially constant.

Systems and methods for controlling surface texturing of a metal substrate with low pressure rolling

System and method for using fast response heaters to pre-heat metal before entering a metal treatment furnace, which may improve control over metal processing, especially in response to changes in material, mass flow rate, line speed, and/or desired treatment process. Fast response heaters may be used with control systems to adjust the output of the fast response heater based on operator inputs, direct or indirect sensing of process parameters, and/or the use of thermal models to quickly adjust fast response heater output while a metal treatment furnace remains at a constant temperature or slowly transitions into a new operating state. The resulting gains in process control result in higher quality products, reduced scrap, and increases in line speed and output.

Fast response heaters and associated control systems used in combination with metal treatment furnaces

Systems and methods of quenching a metal substrate include cooling a top surface and a bottom surface of the metal substrate until a strip temperature is cooled to an intermediate temperature. Cooling of the top surface of the metal substrate is discontinued when the strip temperature reaches the intermediate temperature, and cooling of the bottom surface of the metal substrate continues until the metal substrate reaches a target temperature, where the target temperature is less than the intermediate temperature.

Systems and methods for quenching a metal strip after rolling

Provided herein are systems and methods for removing a viscous material from a material article. In particular, a viscous material removal system can include a seal and a biasing mechanism. The viscous material removal system can also serve as a viscous material containment system. The systems can provide viscous material removal from planar and non-planar articles, as well as articles having surface irregularities or a topography including ridges and valleys. A method for removing viscous materials can include contacting the seal to the material article, maintaining contact of the seal across a width of the material article via the biasing mechanism, and passing the material article over the seal, thus removing the viscous material from the material article.

Systems and methods for removing viscous materials in metal article processing

A compact heat treatment line can include a short heating zone capable of rapidly bringing a metal strip to a suitable solutionizing temperature through the use of magnetic rotors, such as permanent magnet magnetic rotors. A fast and efficient soaking zone can be achieved as well, such as through the use of magnetic rotors to levitate the metal strip within a gas-filled chamber. Magnetic rotors can further levitate the metal strip through a quenching zone, and can optionally reheat the metal strip prior to final coiling. Magnetic rotors used to heat and/or levitate the metal strip can also provide tension control, can facilitate initial threading of the metal strip, and can cure coatings and/or promote uniformity of coatings/lubricants applied to the metal strip without overheating. Such a heat treatment line can provide continuous annealing and solution heat treating in a much more compacted space than traditional processing lines.

Compact continuous annealing solution heat treatment

A non-contact heating apparatus uses a series of rotating magnets to heat, levitate, and/or move metal articles therethrough. A first series of rotating magnets heats the metal article to a desired temperature. A second series of rotating magnets levitates the metal article within the heating apparatus and maintains desired tension in the metal article, including urging the metal article through the heating apparatus. The heating apparatus can extend sufficiently far to soak the metal article at the desired temperature for a desired duration. The rotating magnets can be positioned outside of an electrically non-conductive, heat resistant chamber filled with an inert or mildly reactive gas, through which the metal article passes in the heating apparatus.

Magnetic levitation heating of metal with controlled surface quality

Growing community of inventors

Bath, Canada

Andrew James Hobbis