There are many applications in which engineers and component manufacturers need the property specifications of standard composite fabrics but in narrow fabrics. Narrow fabrics are used in many applications which may include joining of laminates, tooling, infrastructure repair, small part manufacturing or many others. Textum offers a full line of narrow fabrics in a variety of fibers.
Textum offers three different types of narrow fabrics (or tapes):
Rapier Loom Woven Slit Fabric – this method uses the same looms Textum employs to make our standard wide fabrics. The construction is the exact same as wide fabric including aramid lenos and selvedge tails on the fabric edges. This method can be performed using virtually any size or type of fiber requested by our customers. The choice of width on these narrow fabrics is almost infinite as we are able to set the cutters wherever we choose. This method is best for wider applications (7 inches and above) and applications where an extremely smooth surface is required.
Needle Insertion Loom Woven Fabric – this method uses a narrow needle insertion loom which inserts a continuous fiber back and forth across the fabric. Because the fill yarn is a continuous fiber and the edge is “stitched” there can be a “bump” on the edge where the fill yarn wraps around the end yarn to come back across the fabric. This would not be ideal in a situation where an extremely smooth surface is required. Typically, smaller yarns are utilized on the needle insertion looms and widths are usually 6” or less – although it is possible to go slightly wider. This method is also good for extremely narrow requirements. Textum has woven fabrics as narrow as ½” utilizing this method. This method is relatively fast and is highly automated.
Shuttle Loom Woven Fabric – shuttle weaving is one of the oldest commercial weaving technologies that still exists today. This method produces a very flat and extremely consistent fabric with “closed” edges that mimics a traditionally woven fabric without the selvedge edges or tails. Additionally, fabric woven on a shuttle loom is extremely dimensionally stable. Textum can weaving multiple panels of fabric at one time thus reducing through-put and ultimately lowering the cost of manufacturing. Shuttle loom narrow fabrics are highly sought after because this method consistently delivers a very high quality fabric. Textum has the ability to shuttle weave fabrics in widths ranging from 1” to 8”.
Textum offers narrow fabrics utilizing all of these methods in variety of fiber types and sizes. Contact Textum today and let our experts help you with all of your narrow fabric needs.
