Contactless looper for metal processing and related methods

A processing line for a metal substrate, the processing line comprising a contactless looper configured to impart a deflection in the metal substrate moving in a processing direction without contacting the metal substrate, the contactless looper comprising:

• an entrance;
• an exit;
• and
• at least one deflection device between the entrance and the exit, wherein the contactless looper defines a passline from the entrance to the exit for the metal substrate, wherein the entrance defines a base height of the passline, and wherein the looper vertically offsets the passline such that a position of the passline at the at least one deflection device is offset from the base height.

A method of processing a metal substrate moving in a processing direction with a contactless looper, the method comprising:

• receiving the metal substrate at an entrance of the contactless looper along a passline;
• imparting a deflection in the metal substrate with the looper as the metal substrate is moving in the processing direction and without contacting the metal substrate, wherein the deflection is in the processing direction;
• and
• passing the metal substrate out an exit of the contactless looper.