Mechanical Gap
The spacing between the beating element of a loom and the yarn insertion guides must be carefully adjusted to prevent mechanical damage. The reed clearance represents the physical distance between the reed wires and the face of the weft insertion channel during the insertion cycle. This gap is vital in high speed rapier and projectile looms to ensure the weft carrier does not strike the reed.
It is measured in millimetres and must remain constant across the entire width.
Weft Travel
During the insertion phase, the warp yarns are held apart to form the shed while the weft carrier moves across. If this gap is too small, the carrier or the yarn will rub against the reed wires, causing friction that can break the warp yarns. In flax processing, where the yarns are relatively stiff and have low elasticity, maintaining this clearance is critical to prevent thread breakage.
Technicians use precision feeler gauges to set this distance during the loom set up before weaving begins.
Abrasion Control
Proper spacing minimizes the wear on both the reed wires and the weaving yarn. It ensures smooth operation of the weft insertion mechanism. This settings is verified at every style change.
