3D Fabrics / 3D Weaving

(Part 2)
Dr. Zuhaib Ahmad
Department of Materials and Testing
National textile University, Faisalabad
 Learning Outcomes

At the end of this Module, you will be able to understand:

• Tubular and open width multilayer fabrics?

• Backed Fabrics

• Multilayer Weaving and Fabrics

• 3D Shaped Fabrics
The concept of 3D

5
 Principles of Multilayer Weaving
Figure shows an example of a two layer fabric, the individual weave
of each fabric layer is 1/1 plain.

X O
X O

Face weave (F) Back weave (B)

(1/1) (1/1)

The basic weave of each layer (1/1) Crossectional view of 2 layer fabric
In the resultant design of the multilayer fabric ends are arranged in Face-Back-
Face-Back order and picks are also arranged in the same Face-Back-Face-Back
sequence, resulting into a two layer tubular fabric. The repeat is completed on
4ends x 4picks.
b2
f2
b1
f1
F1 B1 F2 B2

The repeat size of fabric is 4 x 4

The rules of multilayer weaves
 b2 ▪ O
f2 ▪ X
b1 O ▪
f1 X ▪
F1 B1 F2 B2

It seems that the design is complete as the weave of face with face and back
with back is complete, which is required in the resultant fabric. But still the
loom ‘does not know’ how to split the two layers apart. For the weaving
machine the design is as below
X
X
X
1/3 Z-twill
X

All the warp threads are treated in the same way by the weaving machine whether face or
back, i.e., the machine can not differentiate between X and O, both means the lifting
of the heald frames. So result would be a single layer fabric with a design of 1/3-Ztwill.
To weave it into two separate layers we will have to TELL the machine through rule-3
Rule-3: All the face ends should be raised on all the back picks

b2 x x O
f2 X
b1 x O x x = Face ends raised on back picks
f1 X
F1 B1 F2 B2
The resultant two layer fabric design for the weaving machine would be,

X X X X X X
X X

Final design
X X X X X X
X X

1 2 3 4
4 X Heald frames

3 X
2 X
1 X

Draft
In the final design weave of 1st and 3rd Face end is 3/1, and the weave of 2nd and 4th
Back end is 1/3. Is it not possible for the weaning machine to weave a single layer
fabric with alternate warp ends weaving 3/1 and 1/3 or there is something more to
tell the machine?
Such weave (3/1+1/3) is not possible in a single layer fabric. Whenever you
attempt to weave this design in a single layer, the fabric would automatically split
into two distinct layers.
Two layer open-width/tubular fabrics
(plain weave 1/1)
b2 x x O X
f2 X X
b1 x O x Face weave
f1 X
O
F1 B1 F2 B2 O

Back weave
f2 X
b2 x x O
b1 x O x
f1 X
F1 B1 F2 B2
 Three layer tubular fabric (plain weave 1/1 )

Basic weave of F, M, B layers B X O X O

*
M X X O

1. Face ends will only weave face picks F X

B X O X O
2. Back ends will only weave back picks *
M X O X
3. Raise all Face ends on Middle and
back picks F X

F M B F M B
4. Raise all Middle ends on back picks
Three layer open-width fabric (plain weave 1/1 )

F X

M X X O

B X O X O
*
B X O X O
*
M X O X

F X

F M B F M B

Basic weave of F, M, B layers

 Four layer tubular fabric (plain weave 1/1 )

B X O ⓿ X O ⓿*
M2 X O X O ⓿
M1 X X O
F X
B X O ⓿* X O ⓿
M2 X O ⓿ X O
M1 X O X
F X
F M M B F M M B Basic weave of F, M1, M2, B layers
1 2 1 2
 Four layer Open width fabric (plain weave 1/1 )

F X
M1 X X O
M2 X O X O ⓿
B X O ⓿ X O *
B X O ⓿* X O ⓿
M2 X O ⓿ X O
M1 X O X
F X
F M M B F M M B Basic weave of every layer
1 2 1 2
Double plain fabrics
• Double plain square
fabrics
 End uses of Double Cloth
• Double cloths find uses in industrial applications such as hose pipes,
filter cloths, insulation fabrics etc.

• They are also used in overcoats where a thin fabric is used as internal
cloth and a heavier fabric is used as outer cloth
 Multilayer backed fabrics
These fabrics will have face on both sides. e.g., for a 3/1 twill
backed fabric a 3/1 twill be seen from the fabric face and 3/1
twill will be seen from the fabrics back. Both fabrics are stitched
together during weaving according to certain stitching rules.
 Stitching technique for multilayer fabrics
1. F ends ↓ on back picks
• No distortion in face weave: F end ↓ where F end is already down on F pick
• F end should be ↓ on a B pick for which neighbouring B ends are already ↓
(hiding the stitch)
2. B ends ↑ on F picks
• No distortion in back weave: B end ↑ where B end is already ↑ on B pick
• B end should be ↑ on a F pick for which neighbouring F ends are already ↑
As we have observed, in order to separate the two layers, all the face ends
should be raised on all the back picks. If we do not raise a face end on some of
the back picks in the repeat, stitching will occur i.e., face end down on back pick
3. Extra thread stitch.

Marked box means

that first face end
(F1) is down on the
second back pick (b2)
 End uses of Backed Fabric
• Backed fabrics find uses in shawls, heavier dress materials, overcoats
etc.
3D orthogonal fabrics
e X X X X X X X X O X X X X O

d X X X X X X O X X X O

c X X X X O X X O

b X X O X O

a O O

e X X X X O X X X X X X X X O

d X X X O X X X X X X O

c X X O X X X X O

b X O X X O

a O O

F M M B S F M M B S 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 2 1 1 2 2 ---------- Heald Frames
 Picking order in 3D fabrics

• 5 layer orthogonal fabric

• Lifting plan same as
design
• Same fabric, two
different designs
• The difference of picking
order
 Picking order in 3D fabrics
• Lifting plan same as
design →
• Lifting plan differs
from design
(2x2 matt) ↓
3D orthogonal weaving on a 2D conventional loom
• Shedding arrangement: (Shedding without shedding technique)
• The warp yarns must not cross each other for ideal shedding in order to
avoid friction b/w warp threads especially for brittle yarns like carbon
and glass resulting into excessive yarn breakage, hence suffering fabric
mechanical properties.
• Such friction between the warp threads is also not good for Kevlar,
Dyneema etc.
 3D Shaped fabrics
1. T shaped fabrics
 3D Shaped fabrics
3D T-Shaped fabrics: using multilayer technique
 3D Shaped weaving
3D shaped weaving using multilayer technique
 3D Shaped fabrics
3D H (I)-Shaped fabrics: using multilayer technique
Picking order
1. F to common-layer to F left to right
2. F to common-layer to B right to left
3. B to common-layer to B left to right
4. B to common-layer to F right to left
 Recommended Books/Sources

1. Fabric Structure and Design by N. Gokarneshan

2. Principles of Weaving by Marks and Robinson, 1st (1976), The Textile Institute.

3. Woven Textile Structures by B.K. Behra and Hari, 1st (2010) Woodhead
publishing

4. Research Article and YouTube videos

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