Slitting Line FAQ's

Frequently Asked Questions About Slitting Lines

What is a Slitting Line?

A slitting line takes a master coil and makes longitudinal cuts to produce narrower, predetermined widths. The line is usually made up of three main parts—an uncoiler, slitter, and recoiler. The uncoiler feeds material through the nip between the two cutting wheels positioned above and below the feed and is then rewound into the smaller coils (called “mults”) onto the recoiler. Part art, part science, the slitting process performs an essential function in preparing material for downstream use such as metal stamping or tube forming before shipping to its final destination.

Slitting lines can cover a variety of cutting needs from 6” to 96” wide, 5 ton to 60-ton capacity coils, and from .006” to 1.00” thick material. Processing speeds can be anywhere from 100 to 2,000 feet per minute, depending on material thickness and yield strength.

What is the Slitting Line Process?

A strip of metal unwinds from the uncoiler and is sent to the line for processing at the speed and direction best suited for the type of material & thickness. As opposed to a cut-to-length (CTL) process that cuts strips of metal to a specified width and length, the slitting process takes a master coil of material and breaks it down into smaller coils with specific diameters only before being sent to the recoiler.

The recoiler then winds the slit strips of metal onto a spool-shaped device. One feature of a recoiler is an expanding mandrel that can control the strip rate and direction as it rewinds into mults.

What are Mults Used For?

Once the mults are cut and sent to their final destination, industries use them for various purposes. Slit steel coils can be used to manufacture pipes of different sizes and lengths. Some coils end up as vehicle frames, car seat frames, and other automotive parts. Likewise, manufacturers use slit coils in the building of railroad equipment and cars or anything that needs solid framing and parts manufacturing, including components for the agricultural and aerospace industries. And, while not necessarily a manufacturing use, mults have been used in numerous large-scale community art projects and sculptures.

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