The effect of loom settings on weaving resistance and fabric properties

The previous work on measurement of weaving resistance, i. e. the force needed to beat the weft into a fabric, is reviewed and the refinement of one method is described. That method is then used in a comprehensive set of experiments in which the tension applied to the warp and the balance and timing of the shed are all varied. A consistent pattern of influence of the settings on weaving resistance is established and illustrated in graphs. The main experiments relate to plain weave, but the weaving of 2/2 twill is covered in a rather less comprehensive way. The optimum settings are found to be different for the two weaves, and these differences are explained in terms of previous theoretical work. It is shown that the adoption of optimum settings permits the weaving of denser fabrics.