LAB EXPERIMENT 14

RAPIER PICKING

MECHANISM
Student Name: ____________________________________
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ID No.

Signature of the lab tutor________________________

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Date:

To study the power transfer in the picking system of

rapier weaving loom
Performance objective:
Upon successful completion of this experiment, the student will be able to:
I.

Understand the working principle of rapier weaving machine.

II. Know the advantage and disadvantages of rapier weaving machine.

EQUIPMENT /MACHINE

Rapier Weaving Machine.

DISCUSSION / THEORY
Insertion of weft by rapier is a mechanically modern and refined version of the primitive
method of fabric producing in which the weft was secured in a slot of a stick. The loom
equipped in our laboratory the gripped heads are attached to rapiers, which are flexible
tapes. The rapiers are made of coated steel or reinforced high performance man-made fiber
the major advantage of rapier weft insertion system is easy and reliable weft transmission to
the giver rapier even in the system on which the end of weft yarn is firmly gripped. In rapier
system the initial speed of the giver rapier is very low and enough time is available for weft
engagement with rapier. As the weft is placed in the way of rapier, the weft feed mechanism
need not be very precise. This also explains why the weft color change is so easy and
simple on rapier weaving machine.
Different makers have different ideas for driving the rapier. The main aims are

To reduce the cost of manufacture.

To make it simple, durable and ease of maintenance.

To make in versatile.

To reduce floor space.

Sulzer Ruti G6300 rapier loom available at our laboratory will weave not only fashion fabric
with as many as a weft color but also furnishing fabrics, simple print base fabrics and denims
as efficiently as light to heavy weight industrial fabrics.

PROCEDURE / METHOD
When compared to other unconventional weft insertion system, the high mass of moving
parts and the rapier itself are limiting factors, which do not allow very high operating speeds,
it is a fact that rapier weaving machines do not give such high output as projectile or jet
weaving machines but covers a wide range of different application. In other words versatility
is the major reason for the success of rapier weaving machines.
I.

Supply packages are mounted on the magazine on the left hand side of the loom.
Several looms having packages on right hand side also.

II. Weft accumulators are used between packages and tensioner.

III. The weft yarn passes forward through an eye of vertical selector needles. Number of
needles can be used depending upon weft color range.
IV. The weft selection needles may be operated by a dobby or jacquard.
V. In all the rapier looms to and fro movement of the rapier is derived either from linkage
mechanism or from a cam. Linkage mechanism has the advantage of simplicity and
reliability and is cheap, quiet and consumes less energy than a cam.

TEST RESULTS / REPORTS

Our rapier loom is G6300 Sulzer rapier loom of 190 cm running at 450 rpm having
microprocessor to store data and programmed for require quality to be prepared.

REVIEW QUESTION
2

1. What are the advantages of linkage mechanism of driving of rapier?

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2. How many number of selection needles are used and why?
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FINAL CHECKLIST
1. Clean your apparatus and work bench before you leave.
2. Keep the apparatus back to their proper places.
3. Submit your answers to questions and results before the next laboratory experiment
according to the time table.