ADVANCES IN WEAVING TECHNOLOGY AND LOOMS

<html> <head><script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/bundle-playback.js?v=HxkREWBo" charset="utf-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/wombat.js?v=txqj7nKC" charset="utf-8"></script> <script>window.RufflePlayer=window.RufflePlayer||{};window.RufflePlayer.config={"autoplay":"on","unmuteOverlay":"hidden"};</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/ruffle/ruffle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> __wm.init("https://web.archive.org/web"); __wm.wombat("http://www.pdexcil.org:80/news/40N1002/advances.htm","20101129031824","https://web.archive.org/","web","/_static/", "1291000704"); </script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/banner-styles.css?v=S1zqJCYt" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/iconochive.css?v=3PDvdIFv" />  <title>ADVANCES IN WEAVING TECHNOLOGY AND LOOMS</title> </head> <body> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <table width="600" border="0"> <tr> <td> <p align="center"><strong><font color="indigo" face="" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: peachpuff"><font face="Book Antiqua">ADVANCES IN WEAVING TECHNOLOGY AND LOOMS </font> </font></strong><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="center"><b><font color="maroon"><font face="Book Antiqua">S. Rajagopalan</b> </font></font><font face="Book Antiqua"><font color="maroon"> <br><i>S.S.M. College of Engineering, Komarapalayam.</i> </font></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><b><font face="Book Antiqua">Introduction </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></b>The weaving is a process of formation of fabric with interlacement of two or more sets of yarns using a stable machine called loom. Human beings have started using the woven fabrics since the drawn of history. If we exclude the stone age period, we may conveniently say the history of civilization is also, to some extent, the history of weaving. Aitken says there is evidence that the Egyptians made woven fabrics over 6000 years ago. Though primitive civilizations used coarser threads to make fabrics which were crude and coarse, there are references of fine fabrics made from filament of silk in China. Silk was one of the most important product in China 4000 years ago. In India too, there existed some of the finest hand woven fabrics. There are some references in Tamil literature, that the great poet, Thiruvalluvar was a hand loom weaver. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><b><font face="Book Antiqua">Development of Handlooms </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></b>It is still not certain when the weaving process was introduced to human society. It is clear from many historical records that weaving originated long before the time of Jesus Christ. Except few activities else where, the major developments in textile took place in England. In England the major shift from agriculture to woolen industry came in the 14th century. During all these years and a few hundred years after 14th century, the cloth was produced on hand-looms which were not equipped with fly shuttle. Prior to Industrial Revolution, woven fabrics was produced by atleast two people employed on loom. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">In 1733, John Kay invented the fly shuttle which enabled weft to be inserted more rapidly. John Kay, a weaver, further incorporated a mechanism with which, a weaver could sit at the centre of the loom and merely pull the handle to make the shuttle move from one end of the fabric to insert a weft thread. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">As a result of increased weaving speed, the hand spinning method of yarn production could not meet the requirement of fly shuttle looms and subsequently the mechanical spinning also developed rapidly in Britain with Hargreave's spinning Jenny (1770), Ark Writh's spinning machine (1769) and cromption spinning mule (1779). The development of the mechanical spinning system induced further developments in the loom. Edmund Cart Wright, an English clergy man, invented a so called powerloom which could be operated from a single point by two strong man. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><b><font face="Book Antiqua">Development in Powerloom </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></b>Earlier version of powerloom were run by two man. Fortunately steam power was available by 1765. Soon powerlooms were driven by steam and most of the wooden parts were replaced with iron. After the steam engine and cast iron in early 1800, great attention was paid to increasing productivity of the machine. To help achieve the increase in productivity, William Radeliffe patented a dressing frame in 1803 for sizing and drying the warp threads prior to winding on to a weavers beam. Fast development in the loom took place and by 1821 there were over 50,000 looms in operation in some 32 mills in the north of England. In just over 10 years from that date, the number had increased to some 1,00,000 and the basic loom had almost developed to the machine we know today. Also between 1819 and 1842 the average speed of the powerloom had increased from 60 to 140 picks per minute with the rise on productivity, as a result England became world's richest industrial power. </font></p> <p align="justify"><b><font face="Book Antiqua">Developments in Automatic Loom </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></b>Traditional looms then were stopped every few minutes in order to replace the empty weft pirns or cop in the shuttle and this limited the number of looms, a weaver could operate to about four. James Northrop, an English man who emigrated to America and worked for the Draper Corporation, completed an automatic weft transfer system which replaced the weft pirn in the shuttle without slowing or stopping the loom in 1889. This mechanism enabled the weaver to tend 16 looms. The Northrop Automatic looms quickly came to use in America, so that by 1930, 90% of the American looms were automatic compared with only 5% in Britain. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">Similar developments took place elsewhere also, Ruti, a major loom maker of Switzerland manufactured automatic bobbin changing Northrop loom in 1898. In Japan also, Toyoda, Sakamoto, Tsudakoma, etc also developed shuttle looms with automatic weft transfer. After World War II, more productivity and efficiency were essential to overcome increasing labour costs in Western countries. It was also realised that more productivity is the key to reducing manufacturing costs of the loom. All attempts were concentrated to studying various factors affecting speed of the loom and the loom with higher speed were made available. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><b><font face="Book Antiqua">Limitations of Shuttle Looms </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></b>Despite the relatively high speed and efficiencies in loom with conventional picking, productivity of these machines will continue to be limited as long as their fundamental constructions involved the use of a shuttle propulsion. Vincent has shown that the power required for picking is proportional to the cube of the loom speed. If the loom speed is increased from 200 to 300 picks per minute, the power requirement would increase by a factor of (3/2)3 i.e. 3.4 times approximately. This results in following disadvantages </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">1. Greater strain imposed on the picking mechanism, thus rendering it liable to frequent failure. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">2. Greater amount of noise and vibration. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">3. Because of superior energy in shuttle, greater strain is again imposed on the checking mechanism. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">4. The movement of shuttle will be more difficult to control and there will be a greater possibility of its ejection from the loom. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">The dynamic problems created by the picking and checking mechanism and the inherent process of pirn winding for shuttle looms had encouraged the loom makers to develop alternative means of weft insertion in which heavy shuttle is not projected forwards and backwards across the width of the loom. It is customary to refer these looms as shuttleless looms. The various shuttleless loom that have been developed over a period of about 50 years can be classified into various groups.  </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">* Projectile Looms </font></p> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">* Rapier Looms </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">* Fluid Jet Looms </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">* Multiphase Looms </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><b><font face="Book Antiqua">Advances in Weaving Technology </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></b>The emphasis on productivity and quality has developed the weaving technology very much and as a result the working hours required to weave fabric from loom have been reduced from about 20 to 0.25 during the last 125 years, and in the last 50 years there has been a reduction of 95% in operative hours per standard unit produced. Majority of the developments are taking place on the shuttleless looms in the following directions : </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">1. To increase productivity of the loom. <br>2. To make the looms more flexible for different kinds of fabric. <br>3. To reduce the down time for changing style, etc. <br>4. Application of electronic control mechanisms to increase automation <br>5. Development of accessories such as dobby, jacquards, etc. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">In addition to these, the newer looms are simple in design, the motions are more reliable, consumes less energy and have lower maintenance cost. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><b><font face="Book Antiqua">Productivity </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></b>The production rates of the various types of looms are presented for comparison in Table -1:  </font></p><font face="Book Antiqua"> <p align="center"><b><font face="Book Antiqua">Table - 1 </font> <p align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">Production Rate of Various Types of Looms </font> </p> <p align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" height="378" style="HEIGHT: 378px; WIDTH: 544px" width="92.2%"> <tbody> <tr> <td><strong><font face="Book Antiqua">Loom Type</strong></font> </td> <td><strong><font face="Book Antiqua">Available width in cm</strong></font></td> <td><strong><font face="Book Antiqua">Speed in rpm</strong></font></td> <td><strong><font face="Book Antiqua">Weft insertion Rate(picks per minute)</strong></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong><font face="Book Antiqua">Projectile</strong></font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td></tr> <tr> <td><strong><font face="Book Antiqua">Sulzer Ruti</strong></font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td></tr> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">P7100</font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">190-540</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">320</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">1100-1200</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td></tr> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">P7200</font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">190-540</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">430</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">1500</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td></tr> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">STB Russia</font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">180-330</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">300</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">750</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <tr> <td><strong><font face="Book Antiqua">Rigid Rapier</strong></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> </div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> </div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> </div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td></tr> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">SACM</font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">150</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">550</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">1100</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td></tr> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Dornier</font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">150-400</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">460</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">1000</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td></tr> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">GUNNE</font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">230</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">330</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">1200</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td></tr><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <tr> <td><strong><font face="Book Antiqua">Flexible Rapier</strong></font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Somet</font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">165-410</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">550</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">1300</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Vamatex</font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">160-380</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">510</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">1300</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td></tr> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Sulzer Ruti</font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">110-280</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">325</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">1200</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Nuovo Pignone</font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">220-420</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">440</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">1000</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <tr> <td><strong><font face="Book Antiqua">Water Jet</strong></font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td></tr> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Metor SPA</font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">230</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">1000</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">1600</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Nisson</font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">150-210</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">1000</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">2000</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Tsudakoma</font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">150-210</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">1000</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">2000</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <tr> <td><strong><font face="Book Antiqua">Air Jet</strong></font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Sulzer Ruti</font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">upto 300</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">750</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">1600</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Picanol Omni</font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">190-380</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">800</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">1800</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Picanol Delta</font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">190</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">1100</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">2000</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Toyoda</font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">150-330</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">850</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">2000</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Tsudakoma</font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">150-340</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">1000</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">2200</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Lakshmi Ruti</font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">190</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">500</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">1200</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Dornier</font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">430</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">600</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">2520</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <tr> <td><strong><font face="Book Antiqua">Linear Multiphase</strong></font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Elitex</font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">About 190</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">1100-1600</font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">2000-3000</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <tr> <td><strong><font face="Book Antiqua">Drum type Multiphase</strong> </font> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Sulzer M8300</font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">190</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">3230</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">6088(Plain)</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">170</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">2430</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">4118(Twill)</font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td></tr> </table></b><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></p></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">Out of these single phase looms, Air jet loom is having maximum speed and maximum weft insertion rate. Because of the very high quality of yarn required, the yarn must be of very high standard, otherwise the loom stoppages due to warp breaks and weft breaks will be high. The efficiency achieved will be in the order of 93 to 95%. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">Other looms like projectile and repair will give an efficiency of about 90 to 95%. The cover of the fabric in air jet will not be as good as projectile and rapier looms. Efficiency in multiphase loom is in the order of 90 to 95%</font></p> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font><font face="Book Antiqua">These are the speeds obtained by the weavers at commercial level. The main reason for targeting higher productivity is to reduce the cost of production, especially labour cost. The increase in speed is being achieved the improvement in all major functional parts of the modern looms</font></p> <p align="center"><strong><font face="Book Antiqua">Table-2</strong></font></p> <p align="center"><strong><font face="Book Antiqua">Variety of Fabrics Woven on Specific Looms</strong></font></p> <p align="center"> <table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" height="951" style="HEIGHT: 951px; WIDTH: 568px" width="96.27%"> <tbody> <tr> <td><strong><font face="Book Antiqua">Loom Type</strong></font></td> <td><strong><font face="Book Antiqua">Weft selection</font></strong></td> <td><strong><font face="Book Antiqua">Field of application</font></strong></td></tr> <tr> <td><strong><font face="Book Antiqua">Projectile</strong></font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td></tr> <tr> <td><strong><font face="Book Antiqua">Sulzer Ruti</strong></font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td></tr> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">P7100</font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">4 colours</font></div></td> <td> <p><font face="Book Antiqua">Sheeting dress material filament weaving</font></p></td></tr> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">P7200</font></td> <td> <div align="center"> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">4 colours</font></div></div></td> <td> <div align="center"> </div></td></tr> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">STB Russia</font></td> <td> <div align="center"> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">4 colours</font></div></div></td> <td> <div align="center"> </div></td> <tr> <td><strong><font face="Book Antiqua">Rigid Rapier</strong></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> </div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> </div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td></tr> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">SACM</font></td> <td> <div align="center"> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">up to 4 colours</font></div></div></td> <td> <p><font face="Book Antiqua">Yarn dyed fancy fabric manufactured such as Suiting,shirting smaller batch production</font></p></td></tr> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Dornier</font></td> <td> <div align="center"> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">up to 16 colours</font></div></div></td> <td> <div align="center"> </div></td></tr> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">GUNNE</font></td> <td> <div align="center"> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">up to 6 colours</font></div></div></td> <td> <div align="center"> </div></td></tr><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <tr> <td><strong><font face="Book Antiqua">Flexible Rapier</strong></font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Somet</font></td> <td> <div align="center"> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">up to 8 colours</font></div></div></td> <td> <p><font face="Book Antiqua">spun & filament dress material</font></p></td> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Vamatex</font></td> <td> <div align="center"> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">up to 8 colours</font></div></div></td> <td> <div align="center"> </div></td></tr> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Sulzer Ruti</font></td> <td> <div align="center"> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">up to 8 colours</font></div></div></td> <td> <div align="center"> </div></td> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Nuovo Pignone</font></td> <td> <div align="center"> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">up to 8 colours</font></div></div></td> <td> <div align="center"> </div></td> <tr> <td><strong><font face="Book Antiqua">Water Jet</strong></font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td></tr> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Metor SPA</font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">Single colour</font></div></td> <td> <p><font face="Book Antiqua">Weaving of filament,twisted & texturised filament sarees,dress materials</font></p></td> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Nisson</font></td> <td> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">Weft mix,1*1,2*2</font></div></td> <td> <div align="center"> </div></td> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Tsudakoma</font></td> <td> <div align="center"> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">Weft mix,1*1,2*2</font></div></div></td> <td> <div align="center"> </div></td> <tr> <td><strong><font face="Book Antiqua">Air Jet</strong></font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"> </font></td> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Sulzer Ruti</font></td> <td> <div align="center"> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">up to 3 colours</font></div></div></td> <td> <p><font face="Book Antiqua">Light gauge & sheeting,spun & filament fabric corduroy</font></p></td> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Picanol Omni</font></td> <td> <div align="center"> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">6 colours</font></div></div></td> <td> <div align="center"> </div></td> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Picanol Delta</font></td> <td> <div align="center"> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">2 colours</font></div></div></td> <td> <div align="center"> </div></td> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Toyoda</font></td> <td> <div align="center"> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">6 colours</font></div></div></td> <td> <div align="center"> </div></td> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Tsudakoma</font></td> <td> <div align="center"> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">6 colours</font></div></div></td> <td> <div align="center"> </div></td> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Lakshmi Ruti</font></td> <td> <div align="center"> <div align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">2 colours</font></div></div></td> <td> <div align="center"> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">Today the market particularly demands wide variety as much as possible at the lowest possible cost. These machines provide the feature such as : </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">- The possibility of weaving more difficult products in terms of yarn employed and also in combinations. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">- Application potential in all weaving sectors. </font> <p align="justify"><i><font face="Book Antiqua">(Sulzer Ruti 6300 rapier loom will weave not only fashion, fabrics with us many as 8 weft colours but also furnishing fabrics, simple print base fabrics and denims as efficiently as light to heavy weight industrial fabrics.)</i> </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">The terry plus airjet terry weaving machines of Gunne not only permit greater pile height and heavier fabrics, it also offers greater flexibility in operation with the ability to change the fabric width and pile height. On the machine the drawing width can be changed using the same reed, simply by shifting the weft stop motion and the weft cutter. The pile height is programmable within the same fabric. Special fabric constructions with different pile heights on front and back are also possible. For Sulzer P7300 projectile looms a variety of back rest roller and cloth take up systems are available to suit the density and the type of fabric woven. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><b><font face="Book Antiqua">Minimum Down Time </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></b>Many of the weaving machine manufacturers offer quick style change (QSC) system. The basic idea of these developments is to prepare module outside the weave room and keep them ready for a switch over with empty module in the weaving machine. Dornier demonstrated quick style changes from a fine worsted fabric to a pure cashmere fabrics in less than 30 minutes. Similarly, almost all major weaving machine makers offer their own version of QSC. Dornier offers Fast Dobby Change (FDC) which allows a mill exchange a dobby shedding for a cam drive when a basic style is being woven and higher shedding machine speeds are possible. The exchange times is not more than 1.5 hours per occurrence. The saving in time with QSC in Picanol is illustrated with an example in Table-3 </font></p> <p align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua"><b>Table-3 Average Loom Stoppage Time (in minutes)</b> </font></p> <p> <table align="center" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" width="75%"> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"><strong>Stop factor</strong></font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"><strong>With QSC system</strong></font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"><strong>Without QSC system</strong></font></td></tr> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Waiting time</font> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">5</font> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">5</font></td><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Loom unloading</font> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">10</font> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">40</font></td><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Trolley waiting time</font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">10</font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">40</font></td></tr> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Loom loading</font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">8</font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">25</font></td></tr> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Reed,hardness locking</font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">6</font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">60</font></td></tr> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">New style setting</font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">15</font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">15</font></td></tr> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Loom restart</font> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">5</font> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">25</font></td><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Interference loss</font> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">4</font> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">12</font></td><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <tr> <td><strong><font face="Book Antiqua">Total</font></strong></td> <td><strong><font face="Book Antiqua">74</font></strong></td> <td><strong><font face="Book Antiqua">203</font></strong></td></tr></table></p> <p><font face="Book Antiqua">The down time is getting reduced to about one third with Quick Style Change (QSC) system.</font></p> <p align="justify"><b><font face="Book Antiqua">Electronic Control Mechanism : </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></b>The use of central microprocessor control system and automatic functional with bidirection communication and diagnostic features are the common features of most of these latest weaving machines. Sulzer Ruti P7100 with central microprocessor control, electronically controls progressive weft break, automatic weft feed backup which switches over to a feeder head with intact weft intact weft thread in the event of weft break, at the same time informing the weaver an optical automatic weft break repair and package handling system. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">In repair machines electronic control weft tensioner reduces the yarn tension specially during insertion. The opening and closing time can be selected according to the material usually at yarn pick up. Automatic package switching device prevents the machine from being stopped in the event of a weft break between the package and the weft feeder. The microprocessor switches over immediately to a reduced number of packages in the circle, so that the machine continues to run. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">Electronically controlled warp let off and cloth take up units ensure high degree of fabric regularity and prevent all kinds of start and stop marks. Electronic monitoring control system have simplified the communication with the machine and facilitate its easy handling by any one concerned with the operation of the machine e.g. weaver, technical, maintenance, personnel, etc. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">In airjet weaving machine electronic let-off maintains consistent warp tension from full beam to empty beam. Electronic cloth take up generates a pick density resolution of 0.1 picks/cm and holds it constant, under all operating conditions. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">In terry plus airjet terry weaving machine of Gunne Web Machinen Fabric GMBH & Co. The microprocessor monitors the entire insertion cycle and keeps all the different elements perfectly synchronized. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><b><font face="Book Antiqua">Other Developments </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">(a) Tuck-in-Devices </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></b>Some of the important development are new tuck in motions based on pneumatic. The principle of pneumatic trucking in is the use of air to hold the filling end and then forcing the filling end to be tucked in, in the next shed, by air. In airjet weaving the automatic weft repairer which repairs the weft break and starts the machine automatically is made simple by using mechano pneumatic device. It is a positive factor in higher weaver allocation and increased efficiency. Dornier exhibited their pneumatic tucker on two airjet weaving machines (LTN F8/J and LWV2/E). Tsudokama demonstrated their ZNT needleless tuck-in on two airjet weaving machine. Somet showed its patented tucking motion on a clipper airjet machine. Elimination of tuck in needle by pneumatic tuck in motion enables the loom run much faster as compared to mechanical devices. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><b><font face="Book Antiqua">(b) Electronic Jacquard Head </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></b>Grosse has introduced its patented UniShed positive electronic jacquard head. The shed formation in the UniShed is achieved by leaf spring. Each leaf spring is connected to a heddle that controls one warp end. The leaf springs which are controlled by actuators control the bottom shed as well as the top shed (positive shed type). The dimensions of the jacquard head and the individual control of each heddle (warp end) allow the heddles to be set vertically. These settings permit the elimination of harness cords, hooks, magnets, pulleys, pull down springs and more significantly, the gantry. The jacquard head is mounted directly on the side frame of the weaving machine, thus allowing quick style changes. </font></p> <p align="justify"><b><font face="Book Antiqua">(c) Jacquard Shedding Mechanism </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></b>Staubli's Unival 100 electronic jacquard shedding mechanism offers a new concept. The shed formation is achieved by controlling each individual warp end with a stepping motor. The harness cord / warp end selection is performed electronically and hence fabric design is achieved in the same way as any electronic jacquard system. The design of the Unival 100 permits the elimination of hook and the gantry. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><b><font face="Book Antiqua">(d) Weft Package Handling </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></b>Complete automatic weft package handling, loading the package frame and package changing can be incorporated on Sulzer Ruti projectile weaving machines and Tsudakoma Airjet weaving machines. These include automation equipment for detecting the broken picks with drawing it from the open shed, correcting the cloth fell position and restarting the machine. The entire cycle is completed in about 12 seconds. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><b><font face="Book Antiqua">(e) A Loom Developed by SITRA</b> </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">The modern shuttleless looms not only produce faster, but also the cloth produced by these looms possess much better quality as compared to conventional looms. The main problem faced by the decentralized weaver is that imported shuttleless looms are very expensive. In order to overcome this disadvantage to a decentralized sectoer SITRA has developed a low cost rapier shuttleless loom with a likely price tag of around Rs. 3.5 lakhs. The major advantages of this loom as compared to ordinary loom are: </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">- the speed of the machine can be increased by 25%. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">- when the four colour weft is used, the speed increase will be more than 40% compared to drop box loom. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">- weaving defects in fabric will be considerably reduced. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">- since rapier machine feed weft yarn from cone, the process of pirn winding is eliminated. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">- 10 to 15% increase in efficiency is possible when compared to ordinary power looms. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">- higher work assignment is possible. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">- because of low cost, power loom units can afford to install this machine. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">SITRA has licensed M/s. Industrial Engineering Works (Ganga looms), Bangalore to manufacture this machine. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><b><font face="Book Antiqua">(f) Other Attachments </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></b>To achieve minimum defects in fabrics, with increase in loom efficiency and to meet the requirements of export quality fabric, the following additional motions may be installed in ordinary power looms. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">1. Electronic weft feelers. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">2. Electro mechanical weft fork. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">3. Electronic warp stop motion. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">4. Sudden brake motion. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">5. Positive let off motion. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">These devices will increase the productivity, reduce fabric defects due to double picks, weft cracks, starting marks, broken picks, uneven pick density, etc. The approximate cost of these attachments is given Table 4. </font> <p align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="center"><b><font face="Book Antiqua">Table 4 </font> <p align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="center"><font face="Book Antiqua">Various Attachments and Their Costs </font></b></p> <p> <table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" height="123" style="HEIGHT: 123px; WIDTH: 565px" width="95.76%"> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Sr No</font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Name of the attachment</font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Approximate cost</font></td></tr> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">1</font> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Electronic weft feelers</font> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">2000/-</font></td><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">2</font> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Centre weft fork</font> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">4000/-</font></td><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">3</font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Electrical warp stop motion</font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">4000/-</font></td></tr> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">4</font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Brake mechanism</font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">4000/-</font></td></tr> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">5</font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">Positive let off motion</font></td> <td><font face="Book Antiqua">9000/-</font></td></tr> <tr> <td><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td> <div align="right"><b><font face="Book Antiqua">Total</b></font></div><font face="Book Antiqua"></font></td> <td><b><font face="Book Antiqua"><font> 23,000/- </font></font></b><font></font></td></tr></table><font></font></p> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">The advantage derived like minimum defects, increase in production, improved quality and increase in efficiency will enable the manufacturer to recover the amount invested in a very short period. Moreover the loom allotted to a weaver can also be increased depending on the variety woven. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">So the improve quality, production, efficiency and to face competition when textiles will be available from other countries also, the manufacturers have to expeditiously modernize and tune up the operational efficiency of their existing loom.</font></p> <p align="justify"><b><font face="Book Antiqua">References</b> </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">1. Shuttle Looms - Its Present Status by A. I. Thakkar. NCUTE Pilot Programme on Weaving I - Shuttle looms Page. 47. (NCUTE, New Delhi, 1999) </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">2. Vincent J. J. Journal of Textile Institute, vol. JTI, 50 1959 Page 261. </font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua"></font> <p align="justify"><font face="Book Antiqua">3. Weaving - A Special Feature by Dr. Arindam Basu, SITRA in Indian Textile Journal ITJ, June 2002. P. 23. </font></p> <p align="justify"> </p></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="center"><a href="index.htm"><img src="/web/20101129031824im_/http://www.pdexcil.org/news/40N1002/back1.gif" border="0"></a></p> </body> </html>

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