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Abstract:
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Weaving manufacturers continue to demand higher production rates from their
weaving operations. To satisfy this desire, they have increasingly turned to air jet
weaving machines. The faster production speeds associated with the latest air jet
weaving machines place greater demands on filling yarns because there is less time
for each pick to be accelerated across the width of the warp sheet. The assumption
exists that current yarn quality is not high enough to withstand the tensile stress and
strain forces associated with the rapid acceleration using a stream of compressed air.
This research was conducted to determine if this assumption is valid by investigating
the influence of tested yarn properties on filling insertion performance at the higher
speeds capable with the newest air jet weaving technology. Utilizing 35/1 Ne, 50/50
polyester/cotton ring spun, rotor spun, and air jet spun filling yarns in the
construction of a 78 x 54 plain woven fabric on a full-scale Picanol OMNI air jet
weaving machine, this research attempted to provide the most practical, applicable
information to the largest number of air jet weaving manufacturers.
The results show that there are specific yarn properties that drive filling insertion
performance in high speed air jet weaving, and that currently the yarn quality does
exist to weave at speeds reaching 900 picks per minute. These properties and the
relationship between these properties and the insertion settings used to propel the
filling yarns are the most significant determinants of successful filling insertion at the
increased production rates demanded by weaving manufacturers.
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