Near-Net Shape Fabric Weaving Loom with Programmable Weft Insertion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current composite fabric manufacturing methods result in significant material waste, particularly in the aircraft and automotive industries, due to the need for cutting and shaping fabrics after weaving, which leads to inefficiencies and wastage of expensive materials like carbon and Kevlar fibers.
Innovation Solution
A method for weaving near-net shape fabrics using a loom with a warp delivery unit, heddles, and programmable weft insertion means that allows for the precise cutting and placement of weft yarns to match the final product shape, minimizing waste by adjusting yarn length and position dynamically during the weaving process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If weft yarns are inserted with fixed length through the whole fabric width in classical looms, then the weaving process is simple and continuous, but material waste increases significantly due to cutting away portions that will be removed later
Solution Approach 1:
The loom is transformed from a static system with fixed weft yarn length to a dynamic system where weft yarn length and position can be varied for each pick. The control unit enables dynamic adjustment of weft insertion parameters, allowing the fabric to be woven in near-net shape that matches the final product geometry, thereby minimizing material waste without requiring post-weaving cutting operations
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameters of weft yarn insertion by allowing variable length and position for each pick rather than fixed parameters. The control unit stores and retrieves specific parameters (length, position) for each pick, enabling precise control over where and how long each weft yarn is inserted, thus creating fabric that closely matches the final product shape and reducing material waste
2Loss of substance
If weft yarns are cut to fit the final product shape, then material waste is reduced, but the weaving process loses flexibility and requires complex cutting operations
Solution Approach 1:
The final shaping of the fabric is performed preliminarily during the weaving process itself rather than as a subsequent cutting operation. By programming the loom to insert weft yarns with specific lengths and positions for each pick, the fabric acquires its near-net shape directly during weaving, eliminating the need for post-weaving cutting and maintaining high production efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical cutting operation is replaced by a programmable control system that manages weft yarn insertion parameters. Instead of physically cutting the fabric after weaving to achieve the desired shape, the control unit directs the weft insertion means to create the final shape during weaving, substituting a mechanical post-processing step with a programmable control approach
3Loss of substance
If short length weft threads are used to reduce material waste, then material efficiency improves, but positioning precision decreases at high speeds
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit implements a feedback mechanism by storing predetermined parameters for each pick and retrieving them in sequence. This ensures that even at high weaving speeds, the correct weft yarn length and position parameters are applied for each pick, maintaining positioning precision while using only the necessary amount of material for each specific location in the fabric
Data Source
AI summary
A weaving loom produces a fabric (F), with warp yarns and in-woven weft yarns. The weaving loom includes a warp delivery unit, heddles to form a shed, a shedding mechanism for moving each heddle vertically along a vertical path, a weft insertion means for inserting each weft yarn in a shed and for releasing each weft yarn at a given location along a weft axis, and a weft delivery means for delivering each weft yarn to the weft insertion means. The weaving loom also includes a programmable clamping means for picking up a first end of each weft yarn and for releasing each weft yarn at any predetermined position along the weft axis, and a programmable mechanism including actuators for semi-closing the shed around the inserted weft yarn at any predetermined position along the weft axis.