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

A method of processing a metal strip comprising:

• passing the metal strip adjacent a magnetic rotor, wherein the magnetic rotor is spaced apart from the metal strip by a first distance;
• detecting a first unwind tension in the metal strip downstream from the magnetic rotor;
• detecting a second unwind tension in the metal strip upstream from the magnetic rotor;
• and
• rotating the magnetic rotor to induce a magnetic field into the metal strip such that the metal strip is tensioned in an upstream direction or a downstream direction and a tension from the magnetic rotor reduces the second unwind tension while maintaining the first unwind tension,
• wherein the first unwind tension is detected at a roll gap of a first work stand and the second unwind tension is detected at an unroll point of the metal strip from an unwind coiler
• wherein the method further comprises:
• determining a tension at the unwind coiler;
• and
• determining the tension added by the magnetic rotor,
• wherein detecting the first unwind tension comprises calculating the tension at an entry of the work stand by summing the tension at the unwind coiler and the tension added by the magnetic rotor.