Industrial weaving: technologies and parameters

The appearance of the first fabrics corresponds to the period when mankind was able to practice agriculture (plant fiber) and animal husbandry (animal fiber), i.e. at the beginning of the Neolithic period (around 5,000 BC). To produce these fabrics, different types of weaving machines were invented .

The vertical weighted weaving machine, shown on an Egyptian vase in the MET Museum in New York, consists of a set of warp threads mounted on a horizontal bar supported by two vertical uprights. A series of weights are attached to the free ends of the wires, ensuring their tension. The warp threads are separated into two or more plies by means of several healds tied to crossbeams, each gripping one thread. Weaving machines with one or two healds enabled the manufacture of plain weave fabrics (first seen in the Neolithic period). From the Iron Age onwards, the appearance of two additional bars made it possible to manufacture twill weave fabrics.

Then the horizontal weaving machine (on the floor), of Egyptian origin, has been in use since 3,000 BC. The warp beam and fabric take-up roller are fixed to the floor by wooden sticks. The weft is inserted manually by the weaver. Later, with the advent of foot pedals, the selection of warp threads passing through the heddles of the various frames could be controlled with the feet. At this stage of production, the notions of drawing-in and frame selection have been mastered.

Finally, pull-weaving machines (ancestors of Jacquard's principle of selecting threads independently of each other) can produce much more elaborate patterns than those created on treadle weaving machines. The work is created by an assistant located above the weaving machine, who selects the warp threads corresponding to the design using a group of strings attached to these threads.

From the creation of the Jacquard mechanism in 1789 to the 2020s, technological advances have increased weaving machine production speeds, improved the quality of woven products and enabled us to adapt to the arrival of synthetic fibers (1935 for polyamide and 1941 for polyester). However, the basic principle of fabric creation, through the main steps of shedding, weft insertion and reed insertion, remains identical to the first gestures of mankind's first weavers.

The aim of this article is to review the basic principles of fabric creation on a weaving machine, and to detail the various elements that contribute to today's industrial production using the latest advanced technologies.