TL;DR
Reed dent breakage is most often caused by a misdirected weft, an incorrect beat-up force setting, or a foreign object in the shed. Inspect the reed and remove broken dent fragments before restarting.
What you might see
- vertical stripe or open dent visible in the fabric
- reed dent fragment found in the fabric
- increased warp end breakage near the reed
- audible crack during beat-up
Likely causes
Misdirected weft yarn jammed between dents during insertion
Beat-up force set too high for the reed pitch and yarn count combination
Reed frame worn or cracked from fatigue
Foreign object such as a broken needle or wire fragment entering the shed
Required tools
- Flashlight for fragment inspection
- Replacement reed (same pitch and type)
- Reed installation wrench set
- Weft guide alignment tool
Safety first
- Reed dent fragments are sharp metal pieces. Wear cut-resistant gloves when removing fragments from the shed.
- Lock out the loom before inserting hands into the shed area or the reed frame.
Procedure
- 1
Stop the machine immediately and engage the brake. Do not restart with a cracked or broken reed in the machine.
- 2
Carefully inspect the reed for the broken dent. Use a small flashlight to find all fragments.[1]
- 3
Remove all fragments from the shed, the warp sheet, and the air channel. A metal fragment left in the machine will break additional dents.
- 4
If only 1 to 2 adjacent dents are broken and the reed is otherwise sound, consult the reed manufacturer about a field repair. In most cases, replace the entire reed.
- 5
Inspect the weft guide channel alignment at the reed. A misaligned guide can direct the weft into the dents at an angle, causing breakage.[1]
- 6
Review the beat-up force setting on the controller. Reduce the beat-up force by 5 to 10% if the setting is at the upper limit for the reed pitch.
- 7
After reed replacement, run at low speed for 2 meters and inspect for any fabric defect or warp end breakage.
Sources
Picanol Picanol OmniPlus 800 Loom (Air-Jet / Rapier) general technical documentation, Picanol
Picanol OmniPlus loom general reed inspection and replacement procedures (general)
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Stop fixing the same fault twice.
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