Weft Package Format and Package Size Optimisation
topic
Shuttleless looms accept weft from large supply packages of 1 to 5 kilogram cones or cheeses compared to the 50 to 100 gram pirns of shuttle weaving, dramatically reducing weft package change frequency from multiple times per hour in shuttle weaving to once every several hours in shuttleless weaving, with package size optimisation seeking the largest practical package that minimises change frequency while fitting within the creel dimensions and weight limits of the weft creel mounted on or beside the loom.
Role
Provides one of the major operational efficiency advantages of shuttleless over shuttle weaving by eliminating the frequent pirn change interruptions that limited shuttle loom productivity, with large weft package capacity reducing the weft change-related loom downtime and operator attention to a minor fraction of the pirn replacement workload that made shuttle weaving extremely labour-intensive relative to the shuttleless alternatives that replaced it.