A yarn tensioning device capable of delivering yarn under tension from a spool to a braiding, weaving or knitting machine consisting of a base and a center rod mounted perpendicular to the said base serving to locates the spool while allowing it to pivotally rotate. The device further includes a pawl jointed to the base either via a pin joint or via a flexural hinge and operates in conjunction with a ratchet solidly attached to the spool. The device further includes a compliant yarn guiding means which ensure that yarn reels off at an essentially constant tension. The yarn reel-off tension can be adjusted by modifying the operating length of a stiffening spring using a screw and jam-nut pair, and by limiting the maximum deflection of the compliant yarn guiding means.

A weft thread tensioning device includes a weft thread path defining arrangement having two weft thread passage elements positioned at a distance with respect to each other for receiving a weft thread such as to extend along a straight weft thread path extending between the weft thread passage elements. A weft thread deflection element is positioned between the weft thread passage elements in the direction of the weft thread path. The weft thread deflection element is movable to act on a weft thread extending across the weft thread passage elements deflecting the weft thread between the weft thread passage elements out of the straight weft thread path. A deflection element drive moves the weft thread deflection element and includes a controller associated therewith for controlling the movement of the weft thread deflection element for deflecting a weft thread extending across the weft thread passage elements.

A weft thread tensioning device includes a weft thread path defining arrangement having two weft thread passage elements positioned at a distance with respect to each other for receiving a weft thread such as to extend along a straight weft thread path extending between the weft thread passage elements. A weft thread deflection element is positioned between the weft thread passage elements in the direction of the weft thread path. The weft thread deflection element is movable to act on a weft thread extending across the weft thread passage elements deflecting the weft thread between the weft thread passage elements out of the straight weft thread path. A deflection element drive moves the weft thread deflection element and includes a controller associated therewith for controlling the movement of the weft thread deflection element for deflecting a weft thread extending across the weft thread passage elements.

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 devices using solder joints or other conductive connections. During weaving, an electrically controlled shuttle may dispense weft strands between warp strands. The electrically controlled shuttle may include control circuitry and communications circuitry. The communications circuitry may be used to support communications between the control circuitry and equipment external to the shuttle. Movable arms, cutters, heaters, soldering devices, strand dispensers, intertwining devices, and other electrically controlled devices may be incorporated into the shuttle and controlled by control signals from the control circuitry.