Chicago Steel

Tension Leveling Services

Cleaning

A necessary part of the tension leveling process is cleaning and drying the strip. Material runs through a 34-foot alkaline cleaner. The alkaline cleaner is heated up to 150 degrees and sprayed onto the surface of the strip under pressure through spray headers. The alkaline cleaner will take off most of the oil and anything that might be loose on the surface of the strip. After material is alkaline cleaned, it is rinsed in a fresh water spray to remove any residual cleaner and dried to remove any moisture from the strip.

Oiling

At Chicago Steel, we re-oil material through a Peabody Electrostatic Spray Oiler. This process takes place at the exit end of the tension level line. The spray oiler consists of:

  • Two blades on the top and bottom
  • Oils and pre-lubes are applied in precise amounts

Levels are measured in milligrams per square foot per side. Once complete, the material is re-rolled.

Paper Interleaving

We have the ability to apply paper interleaving upon exiting the line as well as removing paper interleaving at the entry end of the line. The process of interleaving is intended to protect the surfaces of Aluminum, Stainless Steel or Painted Coils from lap to lap abrasion, which might occur in the coiling process. Paper Interleaving is most readily available in 36″, 48″, 60″ & 72″ paper sizes.

Side Trimming

Chicago Steel has the ability to do side trimming at the entry end of the tension level line. The line can do side trimming within a thickness range of .015 through .080 and remove a minimum of 3/8″ per side through a maximum of 2-1/2″ per side.

Please note: Anything below a minimum of 3/8″ or over a maximum of 2-1/2″ is subject to Inquire Only, but we have removed as much as 3″ per side and we can offset the side trimmer to remove more from one side than the other.

Staggerwinding

Staggerwinding is a very slow, gradual movement of the exit reel approx. 3/8″ in one direction & back and then 3/8″ in the other direction & back for 3/4″ overall controlled oscillation or stagger. Maximum stagger is 2-1/2″ in either direction. Staggerwinding is very useful when trying to minimize re-distortion in the strip from a build-up condition. Re-distortion is minimized by offsetting the build-up in the strip. Build-up can be heavy coating at a specific spot across the width of the strip or it can be thicker metal (a ridge) at a specific spot across the width of the strip.