Cut-to-Length Steel Advantages - Temper Stretch CTL: Temper Stretch Cut-to-Length Line

COMPELLING ADVANTAGES FOR COIL PROCESSORS

A Cut-to-Length coil processing line is a big investment. The rate of return is based on efficiency – how much product it runs in a given period of time – and on the quality of the product it produces.

Service centers and toll processors tend to buy ‘specialized’ CTL lines: anything from light gauge lines for surface sensitive products to heavy lines that level coiled plate. Specialized lines can provide competitive advantage for serving a niche market, but they may be inefficient (or just not capable) of running other products. Yes, that heavy duty line for coiled plate can also run light gauge . . . it’s just going to run it very slowly.

The Temper Stretch™ Cut-to-Length Line lets you produce a broad range of premium quality products to serve several markets AND run each of them at top speed. It operates more efficiently and enjoys a higher rate of return than conventional CTL lines. In other words, the Temper Stretch Cut-to-Length Line ‘stretches’ your capital investment to cover more market, more efficiently.

Versatility

The Temper Stretch™ CTL Line incorporates the best tools to get both heavy and light gauge material flat enough to satisfy the industry’s tightest tolerances. It can run both heavy and light gauge with virtually no changeover, and runs all thicknesses very efficiently at top attainable speeds. It provides a cold reduced surface on light gauge material (where it’s more important), and also masks coil breaks on light gauges (where coils breaks are more prominent).

Higher Efficiency

With the wide product range it can handle, the Temper Stretch CTL Line would always be running. But more importantly, it would always be running at top speed for the type of product being produced – up to 84 meters/min. for lighter gauges, whereas a heavy gauge Stretcher Leveler only line runs light gauge material at 30 – 35 meters/min. These factors combine for higher overall efficiency and fast payback for Temper Stretch CTL.

Premium Product Quality

It’s not enough for sheets to look flat, they must remain flat after cutting, shearing, punching, etc., and demand for this ‘premium’ product is growing. The Compact Temper Mill and Stretcher Leveler deliver stay-flat sheets cross a wide range of thickness, plus a premium temper passed surface on lighter gauges and removal of coil breaks. The ability to hold +/-0.15 mm length tolerance is another quality advantage few other CTL systems can offer.

Lower Capital Cost

The cost of a Temper Stretch CTL Line is 25% less than a CTL line built around a traditional large temper mill. And the Temper Stretch CTL Line handles a product range that might otherwise occupy multiple conventional CTL lines, so it represents a potentially even bigger savings in overall equipment cost and in building space.

Lower Operating Cost

If one Temper Stretch CTL Line replaces 2 conventional CTL lines, you’ll need fewer operators and material handlers and enjoy lower utilities expense. Maintenance expenses will also be less, and not just because there are fewer pieces of equipment. The Compact Temper Mill and Stretcher Leveler entail less maintenance than a large Temper Mill, and the fixed shear is much more reliable than an alternative rotary shear.

COMPARE PRICE, PERFORMANCE AND
CAPABILITY

The table below provides a side-by-side comparison of a Temper Stretch CTL line with a Stretcher Leveler CTL line and a traditional (large) Temper Pass CTL line. The values are based on lines capable of processing 1.9 to 12.7 mm (14 gauge to 1/2″) thick by 1829 mm (72″) wide material.

	Stretcher Leveler CTL Line	Temper Pass CTL Line	Temper Stretch CTL Lne
Speed for 1.9 mm (14 gauge) Material	36.5 mpm (120 fpm) using stretcher in loop mode	55 mpm (180 fpm) using temper mill many mills don't process material < 3mm	61 mpm (200 fpm) using small temper mill in loop mode
Speed for 12.7 mm (1/2") Material	24.4 mpm (80 fpm) using stretcher speed not as important for thick material	45.7 mpm (150 fpm) using temper mill speed not as important for thick material	24.4 mpm (80 fpm) using stretcher speed not as important for thick material
Length Tolerance for 3.4 mm (10 gauge) Material	±0.25mm (±0.010") using loop mode fixed shear provides close tolerances	±1.6mm (±0.062") with rotary shear rotary shear provides inferior tolerances	±0.25mm (±0.010") using loop mode fixed shear provides close tolerances
Length Tolerance for 12.7 mm (1/2") Material	±0.79mm (±0.031") using start-stop mode fixed shear provides close tolerances	±1.6mm (±0.062") with rotary shear rotary shear provides inferior tolerances	±0.79mm (±0.031") using start-stop mode fixed shear provides close tolerances
Cold Reduced Surface Finish	No has no temper mill	Yes** on both thin and thick material	Yes for thin material where surface look is important
Mask Coil Breaks	No has no temper mill	Yes** using temper mill	Yes using temper mill
Shape Performance on Thin Material	Very Good using stretcher leveler	Good** using temper mill	Excellent using stretcher leveler + possibly temper mill
Shape Performance on Thick Material	Excellent using stretcher leveler	Good using temper mill	Excellent using stretcher leveler
Level of Maintenance Required	Excellent due to stretcher leveler and fixed shear	High due to big temper mill and rotary shear	Moderate due to small temper mill and fixed shear
Price	Excellent – $8 Million based on budget quote	High – $18 Million based on actual cost	Moderate – $10.5 Million based on budget quote

** the Temper Mill CTL line in this study did not run thickness < 3.4mm (10 gauge) because of lengthy changeover time.