Method and device for coating a metal strip with a coating material which is at first still liquid

A method of coating a metal strip with an initially still liquid coating material, comprising:

• passing the metal strip to be coated through a coating container filled with the liquid coating material;
• blowing excess parts of the still liquid coating material off the surface of the metal strip with the help of a blowing device after passage through the coating container;
• stabilising the metal strip, after leaving the blowing device, with the help of an electromagnetic stabilising device which is arranged downstream of the blowing device in the transport direction of the metal strip and which is supported on the blowing device;
• displacing the electromagnetic stabilising device relative to the blowing device in a plane transverse to the transport direction of the metal strip so that the actual position of the metal strip at least approximately corresponds with a predetermined target centre position in the slot of the electromagnetic stabilising device;
• and
• regulating the actual position of the metal strip to the predetermined target centre position by suitable displacement of the blowing device in a plane transverse to the transport direction of the metal strip;
• wherein deviation of the actual position of the metal strip from a predetermined target centre position in the slot of the blowing device is detected;
• the displacement of the blowing device is directly or indirectly detected relative to a pass line reference position;
• and
• the displacement of the electromagnetic stabilising device is carried out as a function of and in opposite direction to the detected displacement of the blowing device so that as a result the electromagnetic stabilising device remains at its original location.

A device for coating a metal strip with a liquid coating material, comprising:

• a coating container, which is fillable with the liquid coating material, for conducting through the metal strip to be coated;
• a blowing device, which is arranged above the coating container, for blowing excess parts of the still liquid coating material off the surface of the metal strip after conducting the metal strip through the coating container;
• an electromagnetic stabilising device, which is arranged above the blowing device and supported by the blowing device, for stabilising the metal strip after leaving the coating container and the blowing device;
• a first displacing device for displacing the electromagnetic stabilising device relative to the blowing device in the plane transverse to the transport direction (R) of the metal strip;
• a control device for controlling the first displacing device;
• a second displacing device for displacing the blowing device;
• and
• a regulating device for regulating the actual position of the metal strip to a predetermined target centre position of the metal strip in a slot of the blowing device by displacement of the blowing device with the help of the second displacing device in a plane transverse to the transport direction (R) of the metal strip;
• wherein a first detecting device is provided for detecting deviation of the actual positon of the metal strip from a predetermined target centre position in the slot of the blowing device;
• the second displacing device is constructed for displacing the blowing device as a function of the detected deviation of the actual position of the metal strip from a predetermined target centre position in the slot of the blowing device;
• a second detecting device is provided for detecting the displacement of the blowing device relative to a pass line reference position;
• and
• the control device is constructed for displacing the electromagnetic stabilising device as a function of and in opposite direction to the displacement, which is detected by the second detecting device, of the blowing device so that as a result the electromagnetic stabilising device remains at its original location.