Weaving process converts yarn into fabric therefore yarn is considered as raw material for weaving
Winding converts, yarns from smaller spinner’s bobbins to big cones in the form of soft and hard packages. Spinner’s bobbin contains 60 – 80 Gms of yarn (3,000 – 5,000 mtrs) which are converted in to larger yarn package known as cone containing approx. 1.25 to 1.5 Kg of yarn (1,00,000 -1,25,000 mtrs). Soft cones are used for ‘yarn dyeing purpose’ where as hard cones are used as ‘weft for weaving’ and as ‘cones for direct warping’. Soft cones after dyeing are further converted in to big cones for dyed weft’ or ‘small cones (Length of cones depends up on the fabric order length) for sectional warping’. Winding process also removes objectionable yarn faults from yarn during winding.
The initial stage in producing woven fabric is to convert yarn from cones to warp beams. Warping provides even and parallel distribution of warp ends over the entire width of the warping beam. Direct warping and Sectional warping are two types of warping and widely used in industry. When several beams with same beam length are prepared and then all beams are unwound on the weavers beam is called as direct warping. This type of warping is more productive and commonly used for bulk production. Similarly when several sections are wound in a sequence which is parallel to each other on a drum and then all sections are unwound on the weavers beam is called as sectional warping. This type of warping is cost effective for short and striped warp and fancy pattern fabric.
Strong, smooth and elastic yarn is the prime requirement of weaving process. To achieve these properties without deteriorating the inherent quality of yarn a starch /polymeric film or coating is applied on the warp yarn. During application of size it get penetrated in to the yarn structure and enhances its breaking load capacity, softeners makes surface smoother and binders binds protruding fibers of yarn resulting improvement in the warp yarn strength, smoother yarn surface and reduction in hairiness of yarn
After sizing, sized weaver beams are sent to drawing in department to draw each warp ends in predetermined drawing sequence provided by the design department. Design sheet provides information which is required for drawing in like Draft, Denting Plan and Warp Pattern. In drawing in each ends are threaded through a drop pin, heald eye and the reed according to the plan. After completion of drawing in process drawn set goes to weaving and gaited on loom.
Weaving is the process of interlacing two sets of yarns at right angles. The threads which lie along the length of the fabric are known as warp threads, while those which lie across the width are known as weft threads. The weaving or interlacing of warp and weft threads is accomplished with a machine known as loom.
In order to interlace warp and weft threads to produce a fabric on any type of loom, following operations are necessary.
Shedding: separating the warp threads into two layers to form a tunnel known as the shed.
Picking: passing the weft thread through the shed.
Beating-up: pushing the newly inserted length of weft, into the already woven fabric at a point known as the fell.
After all these operations took place, a weaving cycle is completed. Weaving cycles are repeated over and over again until the cloth reaches the desired length.
After the production of fabric from loom, woven out fabric sent to inspection department for checking and grading. Mending is a tool for removing fabric defect manually; similarly fabric inspection is a tool for satisfying internal as well as external customer by mapping fabric defects in the fabric. External customer can benefit by getting the products as per the specification provided while internal customer benefit by knowing the reason for any down-gradation and can thus correct the same. There are many inspection practices and of them four point inspection practice has got wide acceptance and is followed globally by fabric and garment manufactures