Leveler – Stretcher Leveler – 74″

A stretcher leveler is a type of metal flattening machine that is used to produce flat, stress-free sheet metal. It works by stretching the metal along its length in a controlled manner, without thinning it out or inducing any new warping or distortion.

The process begins with the sheet metal being fed into the stretcher leveler, which consists of a series of rollers arranged in a pattern that stretches the metal as it passes through the machine. The metal is stretched along its length in a controlled manner, which helps to eliminate any existing warping or distortion and produce a flat sheet of metal.

One of the key benefits of using a stretcher leveler is that it produces a flat sheet of metal with a high degree of flatness and without inducing thinning or distortion. This makes it ideal for applications where flatness and dimensional stability are critical, such as in the production of high-strength steel for automotive and aerospace applications.

Stretcher levelers are typically used for thicker gauge materials, ranging from 1/8 inch to 1 inch thick, although some machines can handle thinner materials as well. They are widely used in the metalworking industry for a variety of applications, including the production of sheet metal products, such as enclosures, brackets, panels, and covers in the electrical industry.

Corrective, precision, and stretcher levelers are all used to flatten and straighten sheet metal, but they are designed for different applications.

A corrective leveler is used to fix material that has already been produced with warping or distortion. It uses rollers to bend the metal in the opposite direction of the existing distortion to effectively flatten it out. This process is also called “unbending”. Corrective levelers are often used for materials that have been damaged or have undergone thermal processing.

A precision leveler is used to level material that has not yet been warped or distorted. It uses rollers to gradually and precisely flatten the material to a desired level of flatness, without inducing new warping or distortion. Precision levelers are often used for high-precision applications such as aerospace, electronics, and medical industries.

A stretcher leveler is used to stretch the material along its length, without thinning it out or inducing any new warping or distortion. It uses rollers to stretch the material in a controlled manner, making it flatter and straighter. Stretcher levelers are often used for materials that are prone to springback or require a high degree of flatness, such as high-strength steel.

The main differences between these three types of levelers are their capabilities and the applications for which they are best suited. Corrective levelers are used to fix existing warping or distortion, precision levelers are used for high-precision applications, and stretcher levelers are used to produce flat material with a high degree of flatness and without inducing thinning or distortion.