Belgium-based Picanol NV has introduced a feature for air-jet weaving machines that enables weaving without the filling catch cord. The Cordless feature has a mechanical clamp at the right-hand side of the machine that moves along with the reed. According to Picanol, tests conducted on a range of fabrics have indicated the Cordless design offers advantages including improved filling tension evenness, decreased air consumption, improved selvage quality, increased speeds on delicate yarn and significantly reduced filling waste when weaving with elastic yarns.

The Cordless feature is fully automatic, owing to Picanol's integrated concept of using a central microprocessor to process data from sensors and detectors on its machines, enabling real-time calculations and adaptations to the system's valve timings. Picanol also reports the Cordless feature is compatible with all types of reeds.

October/November/December 2010