WARP TENSION DISTRIBUTION OVER THE WARP WIDTH AND ITS EFFECT ON FABRIC’S BREAKING STRENGTH DISTRIBUTION OVER THE FABRIC WIDTH IN WOVEN FABRICS

This paper assesses warp tension distribution over the warp width and its effect on fabric’s breaking strength distribution over the fabric width in plain woven fabrics. Different fabric constructions were woven by changing weft density, weft yarn count and warp tension during weaving on an air jet loom. Warp tension was measured for nine warp ends over the warp width. Then, fabric’s breaking strength in warp and weft directions over the fabric width were measured for nine and three measurement points, respectively. It was found that warp tension was lower in the edge zones and increases towards the middle of the loom. There was no uniform change of fabric’s breaking strength in warp and weft directions over the fabric width. Warp tension and fabric’s breaking strength variation increased when weft density and weft yarn thickness decreased and warp tension increased. These results showed that denser fabrics woven with lower warp tension had less fabric’s breaking strength variation in warp direction.