Design and Characterization of a Novel Filling Yarn Insertion System for Weaving Machines

Abstract

Weaving is a textile manufacturing process in which weft yarns are inserted by machines through a gap in the warp yarns called a shed to form a woven fabric through interlacing. The filling insertion systems that are currently being used in the market have reached their maximum potential in terms of speed and production rate. There are also limitations that the current methods face such as a finite maximum width of woven fabric that can be produced which is caused by a limitation in machine width. Current weaving machines also produce too much noise pollution which may cause damage to the operator’s ears. These set maximums and limitations have led us to seek an alternative method to insert weft yarns into fabrics. In this study, electromagnetic force is being used as an alternative method for inserting weft yarn. In order to accomplish this, an electromagnetic launcher called a coil gun is used to launch a ferromagnetic projectile which would carry the weft yarn through the shed of the warp yarns in order to achieve the interlacing necessary to form a woven fabric. It is expected that this new method of weft insertion would reduce the energy costs that are associated with other weaving machines. The proposed design would be able to insert yarns at a higher rate than any of the current systems available in the market. The new system would eliminate the limits imposed on current machines due to a maximum effective machine width being reached. The proposed design would also eliminate the noise pollution associated with current machines due to the fact that the electromagnetic launching system makes very little noise when it is fired.