Method of manufacturing industrial textiles by minimizing warp changes and fabrics made according to the method

Abstract

A method of weaving industrial textiles to a single warp platform, and textiles made thereby. The method comprises identifying optimal fabric characteristics for selected uses to determine groups of suitable fabrics; selecting a first group, identifying fabric properties for optimal characteristics, and identifying optimal properties for warp yarns to be used for all fabrics in the group; selecting a structure type and weave design for each fabric of the group; providing a loom with selected shedding options and installing warp yarns having the identified optimal properties. Thereafter, each fabric in the group can be woven without changing the warp yarns, simply by identifying properties for weft yarns to correspond with the weave design of the respective fabric, setting the loom accordingly and weaving the fabrics as required, adjusting only the weft parameters between successive fabrics, resulting in increased efficiency of manufacturing and avoiding time consuming warp changes between fabrics.

1 - 38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . A method of manufacturing woven fabrics from warp yarns and weft yarns for industrial uses, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) identifying optimal fabric characteristics to correspond with at least one selected industrial use, and for each selected industrial use identifying a plurality of different suitable fabric constructions, to comprise at least one group of fabrics for that selected industrial use;   (b) selecting a set of shedding options for a loom and providing the loom with a shedding arrangement to provide the selected shedding options;   (c) selecting a first group from the at least one group of fabrics and identifying selected fabric properties to produce the optimal fabric characteristics for the first group;   (d) identifying a single set of optimal parameters for warp yarns to provide the selected fabric properties identified in step (c) for all of the fabrics of the first group of fabrics;   (e) selecting a fabric construction and a weave design for each fabric of the first group;   (f) installing warp yarns on the loom to correspond with the single set of optimal parameters identified in step (d);   (g) selecting a first fabric of the first group, identifying properties for weft yarns to correspond with a first weave design for the first fabric, setting the loom to correspond with the first weave design, and weaving the first fabric according to the first weave design; and   (h) selectively repeating step (g) for selected other ones of the fabrics in the first group.   
     
     
         40 . A method according to  claim 39 , wherein the identifying optimal parameters in step (d) comprises the steps of
 (d.1) identifying optimal warp yarn sizes for the intended end use;   (d.2) determining fabric mesh;   (d.3) determining cross-sectional shape and size of the warp yarns;   (d.4) determining total warp cross sectional area per unit width of the fabrics; and   (d.5) determining paper side warp fill.   
     
     
         41 . A method according to  claim 39 , wherein the identifying properties for weft yarns in step (g) comprises determining weft yarn size and knocking measured as number of weft yarns per unit length of the fabric 
     
     
         42 . A method according to  claim 39 , wherein step (b) comprises providing a loom equipped with a number of back beams selected from one, two and three. 
     
     
         43 . A method according to  claim 42 , wherein the loom is equipped with two back beams. 
     
     
         44 . A method according to  claim 39 , wherein in step (f) the warp yarns are constructed of a material selected from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyphenylene sulphide (PPS) and blends and copolymers thereof. 
     
     
         45 . A method according to  claim 39 , wherein in step (g), the weft yarns are constructed of a material selected from PET, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), a polyamide selected from polyamide 6, 6/6, 6/10, and 6/12, and blends of thermoplastic polyurethane and PET. 
     
     
         46 . A method according to  claim 39 , wherein step (a) comprises determining a maximum of four groups of fabrics. 
     
     
         47 . A method according to  claim 39 , wherein the identifying properties in step (g) comprises selection of adjustable properties selected from at least one of weft yarn material, cross-section shape, size and knocking. 
     
     
         48 . A method according to  claim 47 , wherein the selection of adjustable properties is performed to correspond with product criteria for a paper product to be manufactured using the first fabric, wherein the product criteria comprise at least one of the basis weight and the paper grade of the paper product. 
     
     
         49 . A method according to  claim 39 , wherein the identified optimal parameters for warp yarns comprises warp sizes in ranges between 0.08 mm and 0.50 mm. 
     
     
         50 . A method according to  claim 49 , wherein the identified optimal parameters for warp yarns comprises warp sizes in ranges between 0.1 mm and 0.35 mm. 
     
     
         51 . A method according to  claim 39 , wherein the selecting a weave design in step (e) comprises modifying an existing design. 
     
     
         52 . A method according to  claim 39 , wherein the selecting a weave design in step (e) comprises preparing a new design. 
     
     
         53 . A method according to  claim 39 , wherein the shedding options in step (b) comprise using an integer multiple of 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12 or 24 sheds on the loom. 
     
     
         54 . A method according to  claim 53 , wherein the shedding arrangement requires 24 sheds. 
     
     
         55 . A method according to  claim 39 , wherein the selecting fabric construction of step (e) comprises selecting a type from single layer fabrics, semi-duplex fabrics, double layer fabrics, extra support double layer fabrics, triple weft fabrics, standard triple layer fabrics, triple layer sheet support binder fabrics, triple layer warp tie fabrics, and triple layer warp integrated sheet support binder fabrics. 
     
     
         56 . A method according to  claim 55 , wherein the selecting fabric construction of step (e) comprises selecting a type from extra support double layer fabrics, triple layer sheet support binder fabrics, triple layer warp tie fabrics, and triple layer warp integrated sheet support binder fabrics. 
     
     
         57 . A method according to  claim 56 , wherein the selecting a weave design of step (e) comprises selecting a design requiring two systems of warp yarns, wherein the warp yarn material, size, cross-sectional shape and mesh in each system is substantially the same. 
     
     
         58 . A method according to  claim 39 , wherein the warp yarns are polymeric monofilaments. 
     
     
         59 . A method according to  claim 39 , wherein the warp yarns are polymeric multifilaments. 
     
     
         60 . A method according to  claim 58 , wherein the warp yarns are selected from one of plied polymeric monofilaments and cabled polymeric monofilaments. 
     
     
         61 . A method according to  claim 59 , wherein the warp yarns are selected from one of plied polymeric multifilaments and cabled polymeric multifilaments. 
     
     
         62 . A method according to  claim 48 , wherein the paper product is selected from a member of one of three groups of paper products, wherein a first group has a basis weight in a range between 15 and 35 gsm, a second group has a basis weight in a range between 35 and 80 gsm, and a third group has a basis weight greater than 80 gsm. 
     
     
         63 . A method according to  claim 48 , wherein the paper product is selected from a member of one of three groups of paper product grades, wherein a first group comprises towel and tissue, a second group comprises printing and writing, and a third group comprises packaging and linerboard. 
     
     
         64 . A method according to  claim 39  wherein the PS weft yarns have a diameter in a range of between 0.08 mm and 0.50 mm. 
     
     
         65 . A method according to  claim 64 , wherein the diameter of the PS weft yarns is in a range of between 0.1 mm and 0.35 mm. 
     
     
         66 . A method according to  claim 64 , wherein the PS weft yarns are polymeric monofilaments. 
     
     
         67 . A method according to  claim 64 , wherein the PS weft yarns are polymeric multifilaments. 
     
     
         68 . A method according to  claim 66 , wherein the PS weft yarns are selected from one of plied polymeric monofilaments and cabled polymeric monofilaments. 
     
     
         69 . A method according to  claim 67 , wherein the PS weft yarns are selected from one of plied polymeric multifilaments and cabled polymeric multifilaments. 
     
     
         70 . A method according to  claim 64  wherein the warp yarns have a diameter which exceeds the diameter of the PS weft yarns by less than 0.10 mm. 
     
     
         71 . A method according to  claim 70 , wherein the warp yarns have a diameter which exceeds the diameter of the PS weft yarns by less than 0.05 mm. 
     
     
         72 . A method according to  claim 39 , further comprising after step (g) the step of (g.1) heatsetting the first fabric. 
     
     
         73 . A group of at least two industrial textiles, wherein each industrial textile comprises a woven structure of polymeric warp and weft yarns, wherein (i) the woven structure of each industrial textile is different from the woven structure of each other industrial textile in the group, and is selected from one of a single layer, semi duplex, double layer, extra support double layer, triple weft, standard triple layer, triple layer sheet support binder, triple layer warp tie, and triple layer integrated sheet support binder fabric construction;
 (ii) the warp yarns have warp yarn properties comprising size, shape, polymeric composition, and together have a mesh value; and   (iii) the warp yarn properties and mesh value of each industrial textile are substantially identical to the warp yarn properties and mesh value of each other industrial textile in the group.   
     
     
         74 . A group of industrial textiles according to  claim 73 , wherein the composition of the warp yarns comprises polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyphenylene sulphide (PPS) and blends and copolymers thereof. 
     
     
         75 . A group of industrial textiles according to  claim 73 , wherein each industrial textile is woven according to a pattern having a loom requirement for a number of sheds selected from an integer multiple of 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12 and 24. 
     
     
         76 . A group of industrial textiles according to  claim 73 , wherein each industrial textile is woven according to a pattern having a loom requirement for a number of sheds selected from an integer multiple of 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 17, 19 and 23.