A shed forming device for a weaving machine, comprising a working space (3) in which shed forming systems having selection means for the positioning of warp threads are provided, and ventilation means (7) to create an air flow (A) in this working space (3), wherein the ventilation means (7) interact with regulating means (8, 9, 10) for automatically regulating the air flow rate as a function of at least one of the following measured parameters: the flow rate and the velocity of the air flow (A) and the air pressure in the working space (3). As a result, the air flow rate can be rapidly adapted to changing conditions and can always be appropriate for efficient cooling and for creation of an overpressure.

Electrical components may have plastic packages. Contacts may be formed on exterior surfaces of the plastic packages. A plastic package for an electrical component may have an elongated shape that extends along a longitudinal axis. A first groove may run parallel to the longitudinal axis on a lower surface of the plastic package. A second groove may run perpendicular to the first groove on an opposing upper surface of the plastic package. The electrical components may be coupled to fibers in a fabric such as a woven fabric. A first solder connection may be formed between the first groove and a first fiber such as a weft fiber. A second solder connection may be formed between the second groove and a second fiber such as a warp fiber.

Electrical components may have plastic packages. Contacts may be formed on exterior surfaces of the plastic packages. A plastic package for an electrical component may have an elongated shape that extends along a longitudinal axis. A first groove may run parallel to the longitudinal axis on a lower surface of the plastic package. A second groove may run perpendicular to the first groove on an opposing upper surface of the plastic package. The electrical components may be coupled to fibers in a fabric such as a woven fabric. A first solder connection may be formed between the first groove and a first fiber such as a weft fiber. A second solder connection may be formed between the second groove and a second fiber such as a warp fiber.

Weaving equipment may include warp strand positioning equipment that positions warp strands and weft strand positioning equipment that inserts weft strands among the warp strands to form fabric. The fabric may include insulating strands and conductive strands. The conductive strands may be coupled to electrical components. The warp strand positioning equipment may position the warp strands to form a shed. Component insertion equipment may be used to insert electrical components into the shed. The weaving equipment may have a reed. The reed may be used to help position an electrical component in the fabric. The weaving equipment may have take-down equipment and individually controllable warp fiber positioning and tensioning devices.

Electrical components may have plastic packages. Contacts may be formed on exterior surfaces of the plastic packages. A plastic package for an electrical component may have an elongated shape that extends along a longitudinal axis. A first groove may run parallel to the longitudinal axis on a lower surface of the plastic package. A second groove may run perpendicular to the first groove on an opposing upper surface of the plastic package. The electrical components may be coupled to fibers in a fabric such as a woven fabric. A first solder connection may be formed between the first groove and a first fiber such as a weft fiber. A second solder connection may be formed between the second groove and a second fiber such as a warp fiber.

Electrical components may have plastic packages. Contacts may be formed on exterior surfaces of the plastic packages. A plastic package for an electrical component may have an elongated shape that extends along a longitudinal axis. A first groove may run parallel to the longitudinal axis on a lower surface of the plastic package. A second groove may run perpendicular to the first groove on an opposing upper surface of the plastic package. The electrical components may be coupled to fibers in a fabric such as a woven fabric. A first solder connection may be formed between the first groove and a first fiber such as a weft fiber. A second solder connection may be formed between the second groove and a second fiber such as a warp fiber.

Systems and methods for on-loom detection of faults in fabric. An image-capture trigger-mechanism triggers an imaging device to capture a first image of a section of the weaving area at a first instant during each weft insertion cycle and a second image of the section of weaving area may be captured at a second instant during each weft insertion cycle. The images may be timed to provide images of the warp yarns and the weft yarns at optimal instants during the weft insertion cycle. An image processor detects irregularities in the data received from the imaging device

Weaving equipment may include warp strand positioning equipment that positions warp strands and weft strand positioning equipment that inserts weft strands among the warp strands to form fabric. The fabric may include insulating strands and conductive strands. The conductive strands may be coupled to electrical components. The warp strand positioning equipment may position the warp strands to form a shed. Component insertion equipment may be used to insert electrical components into the shed. The weaving equipment may have a reed. The reed may be used to help position an electrical component in the fabric. The weaving equipment may have take-down equipment and individually controllable warp fiber positioning and tensioning devices.

Disclosed is a weaving machine, including: a yarn tensioning system for keeping a pile-warp yarn under tension, including a local control unit, a drive motor Wand a drive roller; and a detection device for detecting abnormal variations in the pile-forming, including: a measuring system, for measuring, with the aid of the drive motor and the drive roller, pile-warp yarn consumption x.sub.m of the pile-warp yarn per cycle unit of one or more weft insertion cycles; a reference system, for determining for each cycle unit whether the pile-warp yarn is interlaced in a figure-forming manner and for determining the expected pile-warp yarn consumption x.sub.t; and a computing system, for comparing the measured with the expected pile-warp yarn consumption when the pile-warp yarn is interlaced in a figure-forming manner, and for detecting, on the basis of this comparison, abnormal variations.

In addition, disclosed is an associated method for detecting abnormal variations in pile-forming in a weaving machine.

Disclosed is a weaving machine, including: a yarn tensioning system for keeping a pile-warp yarn under tension, including a local control unit, a drive motor Wand a drive roller; and a detection device for detecting abnormal variations in the pile-forming, including: a measuring system, for measuring, with the aid of the drive motor and the drive roller, pile-warp yarn consumption x.sub.m of the pile-warp yarn per cycle unit of one or more weft insertion cycles; a reference system, for determining for each cycle unit whether the pile-warp yarn is interlaced in a figure-forming manner and for determining the expected pile-warp yarn consumption x.sub.t; and a computing system, for comparing the measured with the expected pile-warp yarn consumption when the pile-warp yarn is interlaced in a figure-forming manner, and for detecting, on the basis of this comparison, abnormal variations.

In addition, disclosed is an associated method for detecting abnormal variations in pile-forming in a weaving machine.