Heald frame motion trajectory based on minimum warp friction in the shedding process of three-dimensional woven fabrics

The partial fiber breaking in the warp yarn of three-dimensional (3D) woven fabrics needs to be urgently reduced considering the large shedding displacement and repeated yarn frictions in the fabricating process. A kinematical model of the heald frame was established in order to analyze the impact and wear of the warp yarn in the shedding process of 3D weaving. The variation tendency of the friction force between the yarn and heddle eye was obtained and the variable acceleration trajectory of the heald frame based on minimizing the friction and impact load on the yarn was derived. The experimental results showed that the fiber breakage rate in one warp yarn using the derived curve trajectory reduced drastically. The research results are beneficial to the theoretical design of the shedding system of weaving machines for 3D woven fabric.