Fabric Structure Analysis

Plain Weave

•  Plain weave is a basic style of weaves, which have the weft and warp threads interwined in an alternate way to produce a checkerboard effect.
•  Plain weave is also known as one-up-one-down weave or over and under pattern.
• Plain weave is the simplest and most common interlacing of warp and weft. In this, the warp and weft are of equal tension and spacing and it is equally visible on the surface.
• Individual warp & weft yarns are called as “ends & picks”.
• Interlacing of the ends & picks with each other produces a coherent structure, the repeating pattern of interlacing is called the WEAVE.

v  Appearance:

1.      It has a flat appearance.

2.      There are no distinct designs.

3.      However these may be produced if yarns have contrasting coloures or thickness.

v  Properties:

1.      It is easily produced.

2.      This is the most made weave in the world.

3.      It is relatively inexpensive.

v  The plain weave is variously known as “calico” or “tabby” weaves. It is the simplest of all weaves having a repeat size of 2. The range of application of this weave is wide.

Variation of Plain Weave

ü  The plain weave may be modified by extending it warp or weft way or both. The extension of the plain weave thus produces a rib effect.

ü  A warp rib results from extending the plain weave in the warp direction and a weft rib structure results from extending the plain weave in the weft direction.

ü  A matt rib results from extending the plain weave in both directions.

1.      Light Weight Fabric

2.      Medium Weight Fabric

3.      Heavy Weight Fabric

v  By this plan of interlacement, every thread in each series interlaces with every thread in the other series to the maximum extent, thereby producing a comparatively firm and strong texture of cloth.

v  A complete unit of the plain weave occupies only two warp threads and two picks of weft which is the design for that weave.

Classification of Plain weave

1. Square plain weave

·         In such weaves, warp and weft are present in equal amounts, or in other words, warp cover factor is equal to the weft cover factor. 

·         These are used as surgical dressings, dairy cloths, muslin dress fabrics, parachute fabrics, handkerchief fabrics, fabrics for shoes and tents, sheeting fabrics; canvas for transport covers and fabric for use as ribbons in type writers or computers.

2. Warp-faced plain weave

·         In these fabrics, warp cover factor is greater than that of weft cover factor.

·         This is normally achieved by having more ends than picks per cm. the warp crimp is also high in these fabrics, while weft crimp is low.

·         Thus very faint lines across the widths of the fabrics are produced. A typical fabric in this group is poplin. A typical construction for a polyester / cotton poplin shirting’s is 50x25; 16 tex x 16 tex; 14% x 93% giving a weight of 130g/m² and a cover factor of 20.0+9.7 = 29.7.

3. Weft-faced Plain Weaves

·         This is not a popular group of fabrics as it is normally produced with more than ends per cm, the rate of production in the loom will be greatly reduced.

·         The most popular fabric in this group is the limbic, which is used for dress prints.

·         In which the weft cover factor substantially exceeds that of the warp, and in which the weft predominates on both sides of the fabric.

·         The weft crimp is greater than that of the warp, and the weft is usually coarser and soft spun.

·         The variety of this group is limited.

Derivatives of Plain Weave

1.      Warp Rib Weave

§  Simple ribs in the direction of weft may be formed by separating alternate warp threads (as in calico plain weave) and inserting two or more picks of the weft in the same warp shed.

§  Figures shown below are designs for this class of rib weaves containing two, there, four and six picks respectively in each warp shed:

2. Weft Rib Weave

        

§  Similarly simple cords in the direction of warp may be formed by raising warp threads in uniform group of two or more threads.

§  Figure given below are the designs for chords in which three, four and six warp threads respectively are grouped together.

3.  Matt, Basket, Hopsack Weave

§  Simple matt weaves are those in which groups of two or more adjacent warp threads and picks interlace with each other’s so as to produce a cheered or dice effect as represented in designs below:

Ornamentation of Plain Cloth

v  The appearance of a plain fabric can be changed in many ways.

1. The use of colour

v  In the warp direction, colour stripes are produced along the length of the fabric. In the filling direction, colour stripes are produced across the width of the fabric. When used in both warp and weft directions, a check effect is produced.

2. Changing yarn court

v  Stripes and check effects can be produced by using different yarn count in one or both directions.

3. Changing the yarn twist

v  Using combinations of different twist levels and directions in the warp or weft, different effects can be produced is the fabric due to the changes in the orientations of the fibers as shown.

4. Different Finishing treatment

v  Treatments such as dyeing mercerizing with caustic soda or coating can change the characteristics of plain fabric.

Characteristics of Plain Weave

1. It has the maximum number of binding points
2. The threads interlace on alternate order of 1 up and 1 down.
3. The thread density is limited
4. Cloth thickness and mass per unit area are limited.
5. It produces a relatively stronger fabric that is obtained by any other simple combination of threads, excepting that of “gauze “or “cross weaving”.

End Uses of Plain Weave

v  Plain weave finds extensive uses.

v  It is used in

1.      Cambric

2.      muslin

3.      blanket

4.      canvas

5.      dhothi

6.      saree

7.      shirting

8.      suiting etc.

Different types of Fabric Come under this Category

v  Chiffon: A very soft and filling plain woven Silk texture consisting of the Finest Singles which are hard twisted and woven in the gum condition. The cloth is afterward degummed.

v  Georgette: A cotton Crepe fabric made in imitation of silk georgette, with hard twisted warp and weft yarn. A good Cloth is woven plain with right and left twist thread arranged in 2 and 2 order in warp and weft.

v  Shantung: Coarse Silk fabric with Slugs. Mostly Tussah Silk but can be Polyester, nylon and viscose.

v  Seersucker: It is created by holding some warp yarns at tight tension, some at slack tension. Those at Slack Tension puff up to form a sort of Blis-ter-effect, often slack and tight yarn of different colour.