It helps to understand the nature of the input material and how it got that way. Most strip or coiled material begins its final processing phase as a slab. The slab was reduced to the final gauge by rolling, then wound into a large coil. It has grown greatly in length and nominally in width. High internal stresses in the material are often created during the rolling process.

The internal stresses often vary from the outer wraps to the inner wraps and from the center to the edges. The strip is unwound, slit to width and rewound. Center slit material often yields the best material, edge cuts often yield the worst. When the internal stresses are not balanced, the slit material will have camber. The greater the stress imbalance, the worse the camber. In some instances, additional processing will be necessary to balance the internal stresses and eliminate camber. Poor material is a leading cause of difficulty in tracking the strip through the entire system. Camber problems will consume your profits!

To avoid many coil-handling problems, insist on quality material, reject that which does not meet your standards, and use the proper uncoiling system.