System for trimming a continuously moving metal strip

摘要

A strip is displaced longitudinally with its edges parallel to a stationary machine centerline at a predetermined travel speed through a monitoring station and through a trimming station spaced downstream from the monitoring station and equipped with a pair of transversely offset trimming heads. The transverse offset of the strip edges relative to the machine centerline is continuously monitored at the monitoring station and respective outputs corresponding to the transverse offsets between the respective edges and the machine centerline at the monitoring station are produced. The time the strip takes to travel from the monitoring station to the trimming station is calculated based on the strip travel speed and the longitudinal spacing between the stations. The trimming heads are transversely displaced in accordance with the calculated time and the respective transverse edge offset such that the heads remain in contact with the strip. Continuous edge portions are thus cut from the strip with the heads.