MODEL PREDICTIVE STRIP POSITION CONTROLLER

When the strip head (7) of a metal strip (1) runs out of a roll stand (2a), a lateral position (y) of the strip head (7) is detected by means of a detection device (8) at at least one location (P) lying between the roll stand (2a) and a device (8) arranged downstream of the roll stand. A strip position controller (10) is designed as a model predictive controller which ascertains a sequence of adjusting commands (uk) to be output one after the other in a work cycle (T) on the basis of the detected lateral position (y) of the strip head (7), and the sequence is used to adjust a respective roll gap wedge. The number of control commands (uk) define a prediction horizon (PH) of the strip position controller (10) in connection with the work cycle (T). The strip position controller (10) at leastsupplies the roll stand (2a) with the control command (u0) ascertained to be output next.