A systematic approach towards the design of a multi-layered woven fabric: Modelling the structure of a multi-layered woven fabric

The objective of this paper was to develop an innovative method of description of the structure of a multi-layered woven fabric (MLWF). This method is based on a new way of classification of warp and weft threads into the groups of interweaving threads, which results in the fabric structure matrix. Modelling the MLWF by the fabric structure matrix has several advantages over traditionally used fabric weave matrix: (i) it enables the design of an MLWF to be reduced to the design of a single-layer woven fabric using appropriate CAD/CAM system; (ii) it provides a direct link between the design process and the technology of fabric production; (iii) the fabric structure matrix explicitly shows the weaves of the individual layers. Matrix equations were obtained that establish a two-way procedure for inter-transformation of weave matrix and structure matrices. The proposed method enables several different weaves of an MLWF to be designed that correspond to the same structure of the fabric. It is also possible to design fabrics with a given weave of the face and back layer, but different in stitching method used.