Loom Transition
Loom setup procedures connect the yarn ends of a newly loaded warp beam to the tail ends of the depleted warp yarn already threaded through the loom. Performing a warp beam tie-in bypasses the time-consuming process of re-threading each individual yarn through the drop wires, harness and reed. This operation is essential for maximizing loom uptime.
Mechanical Knotting
Technicians use specialized automatic knotting machines to rapidly tie thousands of yarn ends together across the width of the loom. For linen yarn processing, this process requires careful adjustment of the knotter because linen yarn is stiff and prone to slipping. The machine selects one yarn from the old beam and one from the new beam, knotting them securely.
This knotting cycle continues automatically across the entire warp sheet.
Setup Verification
Verifying the strength of the knotted yarn ends ensures that they can withstand the initial tension when the loom restarts. If the knots are too bulky or loose, they will break as they pass through the eyes of the heddles or the gaps of the reed. Operators carefully monitor the first few inches of fabric manufactured after the restart to ensure that no warp yarns are missing.
This inspection prevents long-running warp defects that would ruin the quality of the linen fabric roll. Once the tied yarn section has successfully run through the harness, the loom resumes its standard speed. Proper execution of this setup step reduces waste yarn and saves several hours of manual threading labor.
