Resolving Edge Tension Drift and Temple Mark Variations on Wide Air-Jet Linen Weaving Warps
Wide air-jet linen weaving requires synchronized relay nozzle pressures and precise temple pin geometry to stop edge tension drift and edge damage.
Pneumatic Pick Insertion
Jet Propulsion
High-velocity air streams launch single filling yarns across the open warp shed without mechanical element contact. In air-jet linen weaving, pneumatic pick insertion relies on coordinated air bursts from a main nozzle and multiple relay nozzles along the reed channel. This method yields high weaving speeds compared to flexible or rigid rapier systems.
Flax yarn characteristics require specific air timing adjustments.
Stream Dynamics
Aerodynamic drag along the yarn body pulls the weft strand through the shed during the insertion pulse. Because linen yarns feature variable linear density and prominent surface hairiness, air friction along the strand is uneven compared to synthetic filament or combed cotton. Chinese weaving mills utilize profiled reeds to create an enclosed air channel, concentrating momentum and preventing kinetic energy loss across two-metre to three-metre shed widths.
Relay nozzles fire in sequential pairs to sustain pick velocity until the yarn reaches the receiving side cutter. Misaligned nozzle timing produces buckled picks or loose filling.
Velocity Threshold
Insertion speeds are constrained by yarn structural integrity under sudden acceleration forces. High insertion velocities cause mechanical stress that snaps slubby or weak flax yarns inside the shed. Correct air valve timing ensures complete pick transit before shed closure locks the warp threads.