Knowledge

Axminster weaving imitates the manual knotting method of forming carpets by incorporating clusters of yarns of different colors into the backing. However, tufts are inserted around the weft rather than around the warp like a manual knot. The advantages of the Axminster method are:

1. § almost unlimited possibilities for color and design

2. § high proportion of effective fluff (no "dead" fluff or burying ring like Wilton carpet)

3. § multiple structures, but limited to pile cutting

4. § very suitable for wool (easy to cut)

5. § it can produce patterns of texture and color, and pile yarn with different count or twist can be used

6. § simple mechanism and easy maintenance

7. § can change carpet quality very quickly

8. § high quality backing

Three different techniques can be used to weave Axminster carpets, depending on the operating principle of the loom. They are called:

1. Bobbin weaving

2. Shuttle weaving

3. Yarn clamping jacquard weaving

In the spool based method, pile yarns of various colors are wound onto the spool in the order in which the colors appear over the entire carpet width. Spool Axminster is still in use today, but since these looms are no longer manufactured, this technology has become less common. In spool Axminster carpet weaving, tufts are positioned between ground warp lines and then cut from the length of pile yarn.

In gripper Axminster carpet weaving, Tufts cut from the length of pile yarn are located between the ground warp line. The yarn gripper method is more general than the spool Axminster method, and this is enhanced by the introduction of electronic jacquard to control color selection. These are favored in factories that require relatively short production cycles.

Figure 13.12 shows the structure of a typical Axminster carpet. This is a 3-pin structure, which means that the tufts formed in each row have 3 weft insertion.

The yarn gripper Axminster loom uses a jacquard mechanism to select the correct colored yarns for each row of carpet and align them. Then, like a row of bird beaks, a "clamping claw" appears to pull out the required length of yarn for each tuft. At this moment, a knife came down and cut the length, the clip swung down and pushed the tufts into the woven back cloth. Each row of fluff is inserted into the entire carpet in this way. The tufting insertion process is shown in Figure 13.13.

Figure 13.12  Axminster weave structure (3 shot Corinthian weave).  

Source:  Wools of New Zealand.

Figure 13.13   Tuft insertion process in Gripper Axminster carpet weaving

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