Non-Contact Magnetic Steering

A method of steering a moving metal strip, comprising:

• passing a metal strip in a direction of travel along a desired passline of processing equipment, the metal strip adjacent to first and second rotors laterally offset from a centerline of the metal strip and spaced apart from a surface of the metal strip;
• rotating each of the first and second rotors about respective first and second axes of rotation to induce a changing magnetic field at the moving metal strip, the first and second axes of rotation intersecting a plane perpendicular to the direction of travel of the metal strip;
• and
• generating a force in the moving metal strip in response to the changing magnetic fields to steer the centerline of the metal strip towards a centerline of the desired passline of the processing equipment.

A method of modifying processing equipment for magnetic rotor steering, the method comprising:

• removing a section of outer wall from the processing equipment;
• replacing the section of outer wall with a recessed section having a horizontal wall and at least one vertical wall;
• and
• positioning first and second magnetic rotors of a magnetic rotor steering device within the recessed section such that the first and second magnetic rotors are opposite the horizontal wall from an interior of the processing equipment, the first and second magnetic rotors rotating about respective first and second axes of rotation intersecting a plane perpendicular to a direction of travel of a metal strip moving through the interior of the processing equipment along a desired passline of the processing equipment, the first and second axes of rotation being laterally offset from a centerline of the metal strip at the plane.