Troubleshooting / Weaving machine

Weaving Machine Troubleshooting

The most common weaving machine problems on the plant floor, with the likely causes and the fix for each. Part of the OEE Lab troubleshooting directory.

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Problems on this page:

Frequent warp breaksWeft insertion faultsStarting marks in the fabricSelvedge faultsReed marks or reed damageFalse stops from the warp stop motionWear and lubrication faultsStatic and fly build-up

Frequent warp breaks

Hits OEE: Availability

Symptoms: The machine stops often on the warp stop motion.

Warp tension too high
Set the warp tension for the yarn.
Sizing too weak or uneven
Check the size recipe and the sizing process.
Damaged heddles, drop wires or reed
Replace damaged parts that cut or catch the yarn.
Weaving room too dry
Keep the humidity in the range the yarn needs.

Prevention: Warp breaks counted per machine and per beam.

Weft insertion faults

Hits OEE: Availability

Symptoms: Weft yarn does not cross the full width or breaks during insertion.

Air jet pressure or timing wrong on air jet machines
Set the main and relay nozzle pressure and timing for the yarn.
Rapier grippers worn on rapier machines
Replace worn gripper tips and check the transfer.
Weft package defects
Check the packages and the yarn quality.
Weft accumulator setting wrong
Adjust the accumulator tension and winding.

Prevention: Weft stops analysed by cause each shift.

Starting marks in the fabric

Hits OEE: Quality

Symptoms: A visible band appears in the fabric after each machine stop.

Let-off and take-up not compensating at restart
Adjust the start mark prevention settings.
Machine stopped too long
Restart quickly after a stop or use the pick finding function.
Warp tension relaxing during stops
Check the let-off control.
Beat-up force low at start
Check the start-up speed setting.

Prevention: Fabric inspection checks for starting marks at doffing.

Selvedge faults

Hits OEE: Quality

Symptoms: Edges of the fabric are loose, tight or torn.

Leno or selvedge device not set
Adjust the selvedge device.
Temples worn or set wrong
Replace or reset the temples.
Weft tail cutter faulty
Check the cutter.
Edge yarn tension wrong
Adjust the edge yarn tension.

Prevention: Selvedge checked at each beam change.

Reed marks or reed damage

Hits OEE: Quality

Symptoms: Lines run lengthwise in the fabric.

Damaged or bent reed dents
Repair or replace the reed.
Reed dirty with size or lint
Clean the reed.
Wrong reed for the fabric
Check the reed count.
Warp ends crossed in the reed
Correct the drawing in.

Prevention: Reeds inspected and cleaned at each style change.

False stops from the warp stop motion

Hits OEE: Availability

Symptoms: The machine stops for a warp break that is not there.

Drop wires dirty or bent
Clean and straighten the drop wires.
Lint on the electrical contact bars
Clean the bars.
Sensor fault
Check the stop motion electronics.
Vibration making drop wires bounce
Check the machine mounting.

Prevention: Stop motion cleaned on the shift schedule.

Wear and lubrication faults

Hits OEE: Availability

Symptoms: Noise, heat or play in the drive and shedding motion.

Lubrication missed or wrong oil
Follow the lubrication schedule with the specified oil.
Worn shedding parts
Inspect and replace worn parts.
Loose bolts from vibration
Check bolt tightness at PM.
Oil leaks
Fix leaks before oil reaches the fabric.

Prevention: Lubrication and inspection on the planned schedule.

Static and fly build-up

Hits OEE: Availability

Symptoms: Fibre fly collects on the machine and yarns cling together.

Humidity too low
Raise the room humidity.
Overhead cleaners not working
Check the travelling cleaners.
Machine cleaning not done
Clean on the shift schedule.
Yarn hairiness high
Check the yarn quality.

Prevention: Humidity logged in the weaving room.

Guidance only. Always follow lockout/tagout and your site's safe-work procedures, and verify against OEM manuals before acting.

Related equipment guides: circular knitting machine · slitter rewinder · air handling unit · lubrication system · jet dyeing machine · stenter · carding machine · ring spinning frame

Stop the same fault coming back

Recurring weaving machine stops usually trace to a cause you cannot see by hand. The partner we recommend is Fabrico: it tracks OEE and downtime live from PLCs, IoT sensors or AI cameras; where cameras are fitted, the video of a stop sits next to its machine data so the cause can be reviewed; and a technician opens the work order from the stop in the same system. Data is hosted in the AWS EU region, and Fabrico and the company behind it hold ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 20000-1 and ISO 9001.

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Related tools: full troubleshooting directory · OEE calculator · downtime cost · MTBF / MTTR · glossary

Methods that cut recurring stops: the six big losses · root cause analysis · preventive vs predictive maintenance · TPM · SMED & changeover