Device for producing a preform to a given 3D profile, from at least two warp tapes/filaments (18) placed in a first plane and at least one weft tape/filament (20) placed in a second plane, the first and second planes making a determined angle, characterized in that it comprises feed means (12) for warp tapes/filaments (18) with independent modules, feed means (14) for weft tapes/filaments (20), manoeuvring .sub.[GH19] means (16) for manoeuvring the warp tapes/filaments (18) with respect to the weft tapes/filaments (20), and manoeuvring means (16) for manoeuvring all of the warp tapes/filaments (20), according to said given 3D profile.

A weaving loom for weaving a multilayer fabric with weft insertion mechanism (90) and main heddles moved by a Jacquard main shedding mechanism for guiding main warp yarns (12) and defining a main harness width (W11). According to the invention, the weaving loom includes auxiliary heddles (21) moved by an auxiliary shedding mechanism, for guiding auxiliary warp yarns (22) and defining a clamping area (W21) arranged within the main harness width (W11). At a first pick, the auxiliary heddles are configured for closing the auxiliary shed of auxiliary warp yarns for clamping an inserted weft (100) while the main shed is still open.

The present invention involves a Bi-axial bias weaving machine and two dimension woven structures (material) having interlaced bias strands. The material includes plain, twill and satin structures made of two bias flat strands (tape) interlacing each other at particular angles (30-60). The weaving machine includes bias holders assembly, chains, bias rapiers and take-up assembly. The embodiment of this invention may be utilized to produce high performance fabrics such as textile performs for aerospace composites.

A variety of textile materials comprising tapes oriented in two oblique orientations relative to the textile's length and width directions, called OFT for Oblique Fibre Textiles, are disclosed. Such OFTs are provided with secondary structural integrity/stability, in addition to primary structural integrity/stability, for improved resistance to formation of openings/gaps. OFTs comprising tapes, particularly Spread Fibre and Highly Drawn Polymeric types, are needed in a number of applications such as ballistic mitigation, composite materials, safety products etc. because they provide improved performance, material properties/functions and aesthetics. Such OFTs can be used either independently or in combination with other textile materials. Different types of OFTs are producible by a novel OFT forming process which is technically unlike weaving and braiding processes.

A method and an apparatus for producing a woven material from tape-like warps and wefts are disclosed, comprising a warp supply source for tape-like warps; a shed forming device to form a shed by said warps; a weft insertion device for inserting tape-like weft in the shed formed by said warps; and a take-up device for taking-up the produced woven material. Each of the warps extend in warp paths between the warp supply source and the take-up device. Further, the shed forming device comprises an air pressure system arranged to apply pressure on the face of at least some of the warps in an intermediate position of the warp paths, between the warp supply source and the take-up device, the applied air pressure being sufficient to displace said at least some warps in essentially the thickness direction of the tape-like warps.

A weaving loom for weaving a multilayer fabric and comprising weft insertion means (90) and main heddles moved by a Jacquard main shedding mechanism for guiding main warp yarns (12) and defining a main harness width (W11). According to the invention, the weaving loom comprises auxiliary heddles (21) moved by an auxiliary shedding mechanism, for guiding auxiliary warp yarns (22) and defining a clamping area (W21) arranged within the main harness width (W11). At a first pick, the auxiliary heddles are configured for closing the auxiliary shed of auxiliary warp yarns for clamping an inserted weft (100) while the main shed is still open.

Various examples are provided for non-stop tying-in process for weaving of textiles. In one example, a method for non-stop tying-in of loom warps during operation of a loom includes providing free ends of a replacement warp sheet and a warp sheet tail to the tying-in machine during the operation of the loom, where the warp sheet tail is provided through a warp accumulator; accumulating the warp sheet tail in the warp accumulator during tying-in of the free ends; supplying at least a portion of the warp sheet tail accumulated by the warp accumulator to the loom after being released from a warp beam; removing the tied-in warp sheet tail and replacement warp sheet from the warp accumulator; and supplying the replacement warp sheet to the loom during its operation.

A method and an apparatus for producing a woven material from tape-like warps and wefts includes a warp supply source for tape-like warps; a shed forming device to form a shed by the warps; a weft insertion device for inserting tape-like weft in the shed formed by the warps; and a take-up device for taking-up the produced woven material. Each of the warps extend in warp paths between the warp supply source and the take-up device. Further, the shed forming device comprises an air pressure system arranged to apply pressure on the face of at least some of the warps in an intermediate position of the warp paths, between the warp supply source and the take-up device, the applied air pressure being sufficient to displace at least some warps in essentially the thickness direction of the tape-like warps.

The present invention involves a Bi-axial bias weaving machine and two dimension woven structures (material) having interlaced bias strands. The material includes plain, twill and satin structures made of two bias flat strands (tape) interlacing each other at particular angles (30-60). The weaving machine includes bias holders assembly, chains, bias rapiers and take-up assembly. The embodiment of this invention may be utilized to produce high performance fabrics such as textile performs for aerospace composites.

A two-dimensional fabric (20) used to produce a three-dimensional composite part has a binding system (21) with binding warp threads (23) and/or binding weft threads (24) and a reinforcing system (22) with reinforcing weft threads (25) and/or reinforcing warp threads (26). At least some of the inserted reinforcing threads (25) are shortened reinforcing weft threads (25a) and/or shortened reinforcing warp threads (26a). Their thread length (L) is less than that of the binding weft threads (24) or the binding warp threads (23). The shortened reinforcing thread's (25a), (26a) free ends are located in a respective thread end position (30) or (31). The respective thread length (L) and the respective thread end positions (30), (31) of a shortened reinforcing thread (25a), (26a) in the two-dimensional fabric (20) are predetermined based on the three-dimensional shape of the composite part to be produced to reduce cutting waste when producing preforms and cutting effort.