System and method for on-loom fabric inspection includes an imaging device collecting images of a weaving area of a loom, a frame grabber receiving images of a fell-pick of and sending compact image data packages to an image processor. Irregularities may be detected by comparing a digital string representing the characteristic sequence of warp-risers and warp-sinkers along the fell-pick with a corresponding row (901) of required warp-risers and required warp-sinkers in a reference matrix (900) representing a required weaving pattern. The digital string may be a sequence of Boolean values.

A shuttleless weaving loom with a weft insertion device. A transfer device and retaining disc are connected to the weft insertion device such that the retaining disc holds the weft fiber in a fixed orientation as it traverses through the shed of the loom. A plurality of sensors which are part of a microcircuit are mounted on the retaining disc for measurement of the weft fiber's position. A signaling circuit is mounted on the shuttleless loom and an electrical connector is connected to the signaling circuit to allow for external monitoring or display of the weft fiber's position. The measurements from the plurality of sensors are communicated through the electrical connector to an external device such that the position and orientation of the weft fiber can be monitored or displayed as the weft insertion device travels through the shuttleless loom.

On-loom fabric inspection system (500) including an imaging device (522) configured to collect images of a weaving area (518) of a loom (502). An image-capture trigger-mechanism (529) triggers the imaging device (522) to capture images at required instants during the weaving cycle. An image processor (524) receives data from the imaging device (522) and further detects irregularities in the data.

A weaving apparatus comprising a shuttleless loom with a weft insertion device. A transfer device and retaining disc are connected to the weft insertion device such that the retaining disc holds the weft fiber in a fixed orientation as it traverses through the shed of the loom. A plurality of sensors which are part of a microcircuit are mounted on the retaining disc for measurement of the weft fiber's position. A signaling circuit is mounted on the shuttleless loom and an electrical connector is connected to the signaling circuit to allow for external monitoring or display of the weft fiber's position. The measurements from the plurality of sensors are communicated through the electrical connector to an external device such that the position and orientation of the weft fiber can be monitored or displayed as the weft insertion device travels through the shuttleless loom.

A wearable, nanoconductor technology for smart electronic applications. A novel nano-scale geometry is achieved for nanoconductor circuits on the order of the size of a single thread or smaller, which are easily integrated with clothing and provide smart applications for wearable electronics. The nano-scale fibers provide improved material characteristics and the fixed geometry and orientation of the nanoconductor structures allow easier interface of nanoconductor electronics integrated with the clothing or with electronics external to the weave of the clothing. Novel electronic circuits based on the size and fixed geometries of the nanoconductor fibers which allow configurable functions that can be employed for different uses through logic circuit configuration or serial programming during wear are disclosed.

A method, system and computer program product for a heuristic determination of in-process damage class control to manage expected output product category. The heuristic technique determines the predicted damages and their ranges while keeping the initial expected defects, the respective classes and range of defect and mitigation. The method dynamically computes a damage mitigation range of operation while being within the overall constraints and completes the computation in smaller number of loops being run at the edge computers so that the manufacturing equipment can operate at a higher velocity for higher quality of the output. The method includes a step of reducing error of the co-efficient and damage counts. An Internet of Things (IoT) based robot is used to mitigate the damages in the manufacturing steps to ensure that the output class of the product remains what was expected at the start despite damages and mitigation measures.

A weaving installation (400) comprises a loom (100) for making a woven texture by weaving between a plurality of threads, at least part of the plurality of threads being carbon threads (210, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215), the carbon threads each being individually stored on one bobbin of a plurality of carbon thread storage bobbins (220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225) present upstream of the loom. The installation further comprises a plurality of pairs of first and second electrical contacts (301, 302; 303, 304; 305, 306; 307, 308; 309, 310; 311, 312) present between the storage bobbins (220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225) and the loom (100). Each pair of first and second electrical contacts is present in the path of a carbon thread, the first and second contacts of each pair being intended to be in electrical contact with a given carbon thread. The contacts of each pair of first and second contacts are further connected to an open-circuit detection circuit (230).

System and method for on-loom fabric inspection includes an imaging device collecting images of a weaving area of a loom, a frame grabber receiving images of a fell-pick of and sending compact image data packages to an image processor. Irregularities may be detected by comparing a digital string representing the characteristic sequence of warp-risers and warp-sinkers along the fell-pick with a corresponding row (901) of required warp-risers and required warp-sinkers in a reference matrix (900) representing a required weaving pattern. The digital string may be a sequence of Boolean values.

A textile machine adjustment method is provided. An operating speed of a textile machine within an operating range is set by a processor according to the basic information of the fabric. A motion image of the fabric and the vibration characteristics of the yarns are recorded by a video camera. The operating speed of the textile machine is adjusted at least once, and the vibration characteristics of the yarns is analyzed after each adjustment of the operating speed. Multiple correlation factor functions and the relative weights of the multiple factors related to the operating speed of the textile machine are recorded. The relative weights of the multiple factors are adjusted according to a yield quality of the fabric. When an expected value is met, the fabric continues to be produced at the current operating speed; otherwise, the relative weights of multiple factors are adjusted to correct the operating speed.

A patterned fabric with a number of threadings therein which cause surface variations in the fabric. A selvedge of the fabric includes reference markers therein, preferably also identified by threadings in the fabric (e.g. bindings or stitches). The reference markers include some matching portions that allow for computer imaging identification of the markers at the threading level and a coded portion which varies to identify where along the fabric the marker is located and thus allow a printing and imaging apparatus to identify threadings within a pattern area between the selvedges which pattern area will be printed or is printed with a printed design.