ABSTRACT
Early cut-to-length lines were relatively simple machines that would flatten coil and cut it into approximate lengths. Over the years, many different line configurations were developed. As market requirements changed, new designs were required to meet these new demands. As a result, today' s systems are more sophisticated than ever before. In recent years, there has been a growing emphasis placed on the use of close-tolerance parts. Cut-to-length lines that can efficiently produce parts consistently within a specific tolerance eliminate the need to reshear the parts to bring them within specification. Immediate benefits are reduced labor and scrap costs, better fitting parts, and fewer problems in down-line secondary processing. Although there is a growing demand for closer and closer tolerances, there remains a great deal of confusion regarding the definition of a blank: What is the proper way to measure them? What types of CTL/blanking lines are best suited to produce the most accurate parts, and why?
