Ballistic Weft Insertion

Prof. Dr. Emel ÖNDER

Ass.Prof.Dr.Ömer Berk Berkalp
Ballistic Weft Insertion

„ The shuttle and gripper projectile are projected bodies.

„ When imparted the initial speed, move across the shed
due to inertia without any possibility of influencing the
course of their flight.
„ The gripper projectile is fully controlled in the shed
whereas the shuttle control is partial.

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 Ballistic Weft Insertion

„ Shuttle
„ Projectile

„ Three phases of weft

carrier motion
I. Acceleration
II. Free flight
III. Checking (retardation ) ϕ= wt = constant x time.
w: angular speed of the crank shaft

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Ballistic Weft Insertion
„ The values of the carrier acceleration at the start and its
retardation during braking are not constant and are
determined by the types of the mechanisms used.
„ The retardation during the free flight (phase II) is
dependent on
‰ the resistance of the weft to unwinding from a package or a
weft accumulator
‰ the quality, unevenness and oscillation of the projectile guiding
segments,
‰ wavy shuttle or gripper projectile motion,
‰ frictional resistance of weft carrier to guide path, etc.
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 Two main types of mechanism for imparting motion to a
weft carrier. These are: a. Mechanisms that generate energy when it
is required by using a cam to displace the
picker against the inertial resistance offered
Shuttle by the shuttle.
Picking
ƒThe shuttle speed varies with the loom
speed
ƒThe force acting on the shuttle tends to
increase to a maximum about halfway
through the period of acceleration and
then to decrease to zero at the instant at
which the shuttle loses contact with the
picker.

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Two main types of mechanism for imparting motion
to a weft carrier. These are:

b. Mechanisms that generate and store energy in a spring or torsion rod

and release it suddenly when required.
ƒBecause the energy is released suddenly, the weft carrier speed is
independent of the loom speed.
ƒThe force exerted by the spring or torsion rod is greatest at the
instant of release and then decreases steadily to zero if the spring or
torsion rod is allowed to return to its unstressed state at the end of
the pick.
ƒThe uniform acceleration is unattainable with mechanisms of type
(a) We can obtain more uniform acceleration with mechanisms of
type (b).

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 Projectile Picking

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Shuttle flight and its timing

„ The earliest practicable time for the entry of the shuttle into the
shed is determined by the position of the reed and the size of shed.
„ For a sley eccentricity ratio of 0.2, the reed has attained three-quarters of
its total displacement from its most forward position at about 1130 on
the timing circle. By this time, the shed will be fully open, or nearly so.
„ It is therefore, the position of the reed rather than the timing of shedding
that determines the earliest time for the shuttle to enter the shed. In
practice, it may be permissible for it to enter a little earlier, say
between 105 and 1000.
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 „ The latest time for the shuttle to come to rest in the shuttle box
on the opposite side of the loom, is determined by the fast-reed
warp-protector motion.
„ Now, if the shuttle does not arrive in time owing to some
disturbances the loom must be stopped at 2700 at the latest in
order to prevent a shuttle trap.
„ Hence, when the loom is running normally, the latest time for the
shuttle to contact the swell will be about 2500.
„ The time available for the passage of the shuttle through the shed
is therefore about 250-110 = 1400.

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Relationship between loom speed and weft carrier
velocity and picking angle
„ There is a simple numerical relation between the loom speed, the
distance traveled by the weft carrier through the shed, the
degrees of crankshaft rotation available for its passage, and the
average velocity of the shuttle during its passage.
‰ n is the loom speed in ppm,
‰ θ is the angular crankshaft rotation available for weft carrier
traverse in degrees,
‰ v is the average shuttle velocity (m/s),
‰ Kb is the reed-space (m), and Ls is the weft carrier length (m).
‰ T is time in seconds of a weaving cycle, t is time in seconds
available for weft carrier passage.
‰ s is the carrier path.

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Loom speed and weft carrier velocity
„ Then, if t is the time in seconds available for its passage:
60 θ θ
t= × =
n 360 6n
s (K b + L s )6n
v= =
t θ
1 θ ⋅v
Thus, the practical loom speed as: n= ⋅
6 K b + Ls

Suppose that the maximum tolerable value for the average shuttle speed in a
loom with an effective reed-space of 1.15 m is 13.75 m/s, that 1350 of
crankshaft rotation can be allowed for the passage of the shuttle, and that the
effective length of the shuttle is 0.30 m, then the maximum permissible loom
speed will be:
13.75 × 135
n= = 213 picks/min
6(1.15 + 0.30 )

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Loom speed and weft carrier velocity
„ For a given width of loom and length of shuttle, the
denominator in the equation is constant, in which case
we may write n ∝ vθ
„ Thus, if we wish to increase the loom speed, we must
increase the shuttle velocity or the fraction of the loom-
cycle available for its passage or both.

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Power required for picking
„ The kinetic energy of the weft carrier when it leaves the picker:

mv 2
energy/pick = J
2
where m is the mass of the shuttle in kg, and v is the maximum velocity in
m/s. Then the power for picking:
mv 2 n 1
power for picking = × × kW
2 60 1000
If v is now the average speed of the shuttle during its passage through the shed,

s (K b + L s )6n (m/s)
v= =
t θ

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Power required for picking
„ For a given width of loom, the power usefully employed for
picking is proportional to the cube of the loom speed.
„ The energy consumed per pick, and therefore the cost of energy
usefully employed for picking per unit of production, increase
only as the square of the loom speed.

mv 2 18mn 2 (K b + L s )
2

work done/pick = = J
2 θ2

3mn 3 (K b + L s ) ⋅ 10 − 4
2
mv 2 n 1
power for picking = × × = kW
2 60 1000 θ2

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Weft insertion with projectile
„ Only one projectile weaving machine had achieved significant
commercial penetration although many attempts had been made.
„ Those attempts had never offered a serious competition to the
Sulzer projectile machine operating on the Rossmann patents,
based on unilateral picking of multiple projectiles.
„ The projected carrier mass is ten times lower than that of the
shuttle weaving machine. Due to this,
‰ Higher picking speeds may be used but the kinetic energy, which is equal
to the picking work, is lower.
‰ A higher acceleration and a shorter acceleration path may be used without
the driving force exceeding acceptable limits.
‰ Higher machine speeds are attainable.

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Weft insertion with projectile

„ The gripper projectile clamps the end of the weft thread and
pulls the thread across the shed..
„ Owing to the small diameter of the weft thread it is technically
rather difficult to feed and clamp the end of it.
„ It requires a high precision of the dimensions and performance
of the feeding and clamping mechanisms.

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 Weft insertion with projectile
Picking side
weft package

feeder
scissor
weft tensioner
gripper projectile
picking arm

ribbed guide checking device

Conveyor under the picking

track at the back center
picking position
retaining
Several gripper projectiles block
circulate simultaneously
Receiving side
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The picking mechanism: The torsion bar picking
system of the machine

„ A strain energy is developed by twisting the torsion bar and

released suddenly to transfer the maximum possible strain-energy
to the projectile before the projectile leaves the picker-shoe.
„ Projection velocity of the weft carrier can be increased
‰ by increasing the angle of twist or
‰ by maintaining the same angle of twist on a larger diameter rod

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 Torsion mechanism before picking
3. the lifter with the projectile clamping opener
the splined (fixed) end
2.the gripper projectile
rigidly constrained in an
adjustable housing
1. the picking shoe

11.the picking arm 5. the pivoted lever is rigidly

connected to the torsion bar

the short linkage

9. the torsion bar
6.the toggle plate
8.picking cam
the picking cam shaft the roller

Bevel wheel drive

the fulcrum
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Torsion mechanism before picking
„ The picking cam shaft rotates once every pick, drives the picking cam,
which is similar in shape to that used in a shuttle picking, but rotates
clockwise.
„ At the beginning of picking, it gradually displaces the roller and turns
the toggle lever in the clockwise direction about its fulcrum, thus
withdrawing the picking-shoe to its rearmost position.
„ In doing so, it has twisted the free end of the torsion rod through the
short link and the torsion lever, which is secured to the torsion rod
near its free end.
„ In this position the three centers of the toggle arrangement are in line
and the torsion bar is twisted to its predetermined angle which is
about 300, and the picking arm has rotated through a similar angle.
„ The mechanism is now fully stressed.

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 Torsion mechanism before picking
The mechanism is now fully stressed.

As the picking cam continues

to turn, the roller will lose
contact with the nose of the
cam, but this will not release
the torsion because the axis of
the link passed to the right of
the axis of the fulcrum .

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 Torsion mechanism after picking
ƒSome time after another roller,
which is fixed to the picking cam,
turns the toggle lever slightly anti-
clockwise by depressing its curved
contour.
ƒAs soon as this movement brings
the axis of the link slightly to the
left of the axis of the fulcrum of the
toggle lever.
ƒ The system collapses, and the
torsion is practically instantaneously
released, thus permitting the strain
energy in the rod to be transmitted
instantaneously to the projectile.

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Projection /picking
ƒThe picker accelerates the projectile over a
distance of about 65 mm in 0.007s.
ƒThe energy utilization of the projectile
system is not much more efficient than that of
shuttle projection and all other weaving
machines are less efficient.
ƒThe residual energy in the picking system,
some 62% of the whole, is absorbed in the
hydraulic buffer, the body and plunger.
ƒThe picker and the rest of the lever system
are then brought to rest over the next 40 mm
of picker movement by the oil brake.
ƒThe speed of the projectile as it leaves the
picker is normally about 24.4 m/s.

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 Velocity-Acceleration
ƒAcceleration is far from uniform and
reaches a peak value of 6630 m/s2 when
the projectile has traveled nearly 15 mm.
The peak deceleration has a value of 9920
m/s2 and occurs about 12.5 mm before the
picker comes to rest.

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 Velocity-Acceleration
ƒAcceleration of the projectile occupies
0.007 s.
ƒThe velocity of the projectile varies
during its acceleration, flight across the
loom (the loss in the speed), and
retardation to its rest position at the
opposite side of the loom..
ƒRetardation occurs over a substantially
longer time than acceleration and is
therefore relatively gentle.
ƒThe peak forces acting on the projectile
are of the same order as those acting on
the shuttle loom because the projectile
has a mass of less than 40 g.
ƒThis gives a peak accelerating force of
about 262.5 N and a peak retarding
force of about 397 N.
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The picking mechanism: The torsion bar picking
system of the machine
„ The formula for the axial twisting of circular rods is:

CJθ
T=
l
where T is the torque applied, C is the modules of rigidity of the bar
material, J is the polar second movement of area of the rod section, θ is the
twisting angle in radians, l is the twisting length, and r is the radius of the
rod.
The polar second movement for a circular section (J) is πd4l 32. The work
done in loading up the torsion bar is the area under the Tθ curve,
Tθ CJθ 2
Work done =
2 2l

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Torsion bar used on 330cm machines
The twisting length is 28.4in(72.14 cm) and angular displacement at
commencement of picking is considered as normal at 280.

1.5cm

78 cm

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The picking mechanism: The torsion bar picking
system of the machine
„ Applied torque is 25.34kg.m units and the work done on the rod
per pick is 7.62kg.m units.
„ Only 14% of the work done in energizing the torsion bar is
effectively transferred to the projectile inserting the weft.
„ To achieve higher initial projection speeds the diameter of the
torsion bar was increased from 15mm to 17mm, and more
recently to 19mm in subsequent models.
„ As the energy in the system varies as the fourth power of the
torsion rod diameter, all else remaining equal, the increase from
17 to 19mm diameter will provide 56% more strain energy.

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Weft Insertion
System

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 Weft Insertion
System

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Weft Insertion
System

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The gripper projectile
„ The projectiles grip reliably a wide variety of threads,
tapes or monofilaments and insert them in the shed.
„ Reflecting the varying requirements for different weft
yarns, projectile grippers with various clamping forces
and surface areas are available.
„ One outstanding feature of projectile technology is that
the weft is inserted without central transfer, i.e. without
additional acceleration and braking

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The gripper projectile
„ In the standard type, the body of gripper projectile is of hardened and ground
steel.
„ The gripper is fitted in its cavity which is fixed with two rivets .
„ In the rear part of the gripper projectile body there are two holes: one for the
clamp opener, operating before the weft transmission, the other one for the
clamp opener, operating after the delivery of weft and releasing the weft
thread from the gripper projectile.
„ Gripper is provided in its rear part with two jaws, whose clamping surfaces are
of different character.
„ Both jaws must be pre-stressed and interact with a minimal force, which is
specified by the machine maker.
„ The pre-stressing can be checked with a special gauge.
„ For finer weft threads a plastic gripper projectile is available whose weight is
as low as 17 g.

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 Application of projectile grippers

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Projectile jaws

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The ribbed tunnel
„ The gripper projectile has a low weight and could be easily
deflected from its path.
„ To avoid this, the gripper projectile is guided through a ribbed
tunnel whose ribs lie between the warp ends during picking.
„ The guide ribs must be as thin as possible so as not to restrict the
warp density.
„ They must be rigid enough so that the flying projectile is not
braked by the rib oscillation.
„ The rib density should be, by experience, such that the gripper
projectile extends across four ribs at least.

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Guide teeth

„The ribs must open towards the reed, thus providing a gap, through which the
weft slide out before being beaten up to the fabric. The reed is at rest during
picking.

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Sley

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Preparation for picking

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Color change at thread transfer

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Color change at thread transfer

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Original feeder and projectile grippers: Optionally, the
P7300hp projectile weaving machine can be equipped
with a control system for two, four or six weft colors.

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Projectile arriving

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Checking

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Shifting after picking

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Transfer on the conveyor

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 Projectile circulation

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Yarn centering and cutting

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Weft holding and cutting

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„ The width of the tucked selvedges can be set from 18
to 25 mm and even to 35 mm. Accurate weft length
measurement ensures that there is no yarn wastage.
Instead of tucking units, the P7300hp can be equipped
with devices for producing leno or melted selvedges. In
the case of leno selvedges the Selvedge Saver eliminates
„ auxiliary selvedges, thus economizing warp and weft
yarn – a saving that translates into hard cash

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Tucking-in

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 Sulzer terry weaving machine

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Reduced tension on the weft yarn by air
support

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P7300HP
„ The P7300HP is a high- performance, all-
purpose projectile weaving machine.
„ Optimized motion sequences and direct
projectile acceleration with thrust shoe result
in a maximum weft insertion rate of 1570
m/min.
„ The P7300hp is available in nine working
widths, from 190 cm to 540 cm. It is the only
weaving machine for which 540 cm is a
standard width. This has crucial advantages in
the production of technical textiles.
„ For instance, it enables agro- and geotextiles
to be produced in large widths so that fewer
eams are required.
„ Curtains and drapes in large widths can be
woven best and most easily on the P7300hp.

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 The production of
fabrics from
polypropylene
tapes for
geotextiles or
agrotextiles,

P7300HP

ƒProjectile weaving machines have been used to produce

countless technical textiles, from the finest filter fabrics to
densely woven and tear-resistant special fabrics for balloons and
even ultra-heavy coating fabrics.
ƒDenim fabrics are produced worldwide and with great success
on projectile weaving machines.

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