Stretch leveler for steel and other metal strip

A stretch leveler for metal strip having a thickness range of substantially 0.1 to 4 mm between a minimum thickness and a maximum thickness and a strip width range between a minimum width and a maximum width, said stretch leveler comprising:

• a brake roll set having a plurality of brake rolls around which a traveling metal workpiece strip passes for exerting a drag upon said traveling metal workpiece strip;
• a traction roll set spaced from said brake roll set and having a plurality of traction rolls around which said traveling metal workpiece strip passes for exerting traction upon said traveling metal workpiece strip;
• and
• a driven roll engaging said traveling metal workpiece strip between said brake roll set and said traction roll set and defining a first leveling stretching zone between said brake roll set and said driven roll and a second leveling stretching zone between said driven roll and said traction roll set such that each of said zones has a length which is at least 0.5 times said maximum strip width.