Structure of Adhaar Number. How is Adhaar number alloted?

Looms

A loom is a machine used to weave fabric by interlacing two sets of threads at right angles.

• The warp threads run lengthwise (vertical in most diagrams).
• The weft threads run crosswise (horizontal).

A loom holds the warp threads under tension, creates an opening between them, inserts the weft thread through that opening, and packs the threads together to form cloth.

Simple definition

A loom is a device that converts yarn into woven fabric by systematically crossing warp and weft threads.

Main functions of a loom

A loom performs four basic operations:

1. Shedding

   • Separates the warp threads to create a passage (shed).

2. Picking

   • Inserts the weft thread through the shed.

3. Beating-up

   • Pushes the newly inserted weft into the fabric.

4. Take-up and let-off

   • Winds the finished fabric forward and releases new warp threads from the warp beam.

In very simple terms

Imagine you have many strings stretched tightly side by side. A loom:

1. Opens a gap in those strings.
2. Passes another thread through the gap.
3. Tightens it into place.
4. Repeats this thousands of times.

Eventually, you get fabric.

Types of looms

• Handloom – operated by human effort.
• Power loom – driven by a motor.
• Rapier loom – uses rapiers to carry the weft.
• Air-jet loom – uses compressed air.
• Water-jet loom – uses water jets.
• Projectile loom – uses a small projectile to carry the weft.

Etymology

The word "loom" originally referred to a tool or frame. Over centuries, it came to mean the specific machine used for weaving.

So, the machine in the saree image you shared earlier is a loom—one of humanity's oldest and most ingenious machines. Despite modern advances in electronics and automation, the fundamental principle of looms has remained the same for thousands of years:

Cross one set of threads with another in a controlled manner to create cloth.

Handloom

The traditional handloom, most likely a pit loom or frame handloom used for weaving sarees. The person manually operates it to create decorative patterns on the fabric.

How does this loom work?

1. Warp threads are prepared

   • Hundreds or thousands of long threads (called warp) are stretched lengthwise on the loom.
   • In the image, these threads form the base structure of the saree.

2. The shed is formed

   • Foot pedals (treadles) or hand-operated mechanisms raise and lower selected warp threads.
   • This creates an opening called the shed.

3. The shuttle passes through

   • A shuttle carrying the crosswise thread (weft) is thrown from one side to the other through the shed.

4. The thread is beaten into place

   • The moving frame in front of the weaver, called the reed, pushes the newly inserted weft thread tightly against the already woven cloth.

5. Pattern formation

   • The decorative motifs visible in the centre of the green fabric are produced by selectively lifting certain warp threads.
   • This can be done manually or using an attachment such as a Jacquard or Dobby mechanism in more complex looms.

6. Cloth is wound forward

   • As weaving progresses, the finished saree is rolled onto a cloth beam while new warp threads are unwound from the back.

The process is repeated hundreds of thousands of times to complete a single saree.

Handloom weaving is only one of several methods used to make cloth. Today, fabrics are produced using different technologies depending on the scale, cost, and type of fabric required.

1. Handloom (as in your image)

• Operated mainly by human effort.
• Can produce very intricate designs.
• Slower production.
• Often used for traditional sarees such as Banarasi, Chanderi, and many regional textiles.
• Each saree may take days or even weeks.

2. Power loom

• Similar principle to a handloom, but powered by electricity.
• Much faster.
• One operator can supervise several machines.
• Produces a large portion of everyday woven fabrics.

3. Modern automatic looms

These include:

• Rapier looms – carry the weft thread using flexible rods.
• Air-jet looms – use compressed air to shoot the weft across.
• Water-jet looms – use a jet of water (mainly for synthetic fibres).
• Projectile looms – use a small projectile to carry the thread.

These machines can weave hundreds to thousands of picks (weft insertions) per minute.

4. Knitting machines

Not all clothes are woven.

• T-shirts, sweaters, socks, many undergarments are usually knitted, not woven.
• Knitting forms loops of yarn rather than interlacing warp and weft threads.
• This makes the fabric more stretchable.

So, are all clothes woven like this?

No.

• Sarees, shirts, denim jeans, bedsheets → usually woven.
• T-shirts, sweaters, leggings, socks → usually knitted.
• Non-woven fabrics (e.g., some medical masks, disposable products) → fibres are bonded together without weaving or knitting.

The fascinating part is that the basic idea of weaving has remained the same for thousands of years: interlacing two sets of threads at right angles. Modern machines have simply automated and accelerated what the weaver in your image is doing by hand.

Power loom types

All these machines perform the same fundamental task: they insert the weft thread across the warp threads to form fabric. The difference lies in how the weft thread is carried from one side to the other.

1. Rapier Loom

How it works:

• A narrow rod called a rapier enters the shed (opening between warp threads).
• It either carries the weft thread across or transfers it to another rapier coming from the opposite side.

Types:

• Single rapier: One rod travels the entire width.
• Double rapier: Two rods meet in the middle; one hands the yarn to the other.

Advantages:

✅ Can weave many kinds of yarns (cotton, silk, wool, fancy yarns).
✅ Excellent for multicolour designs.
✅ Good fabric quality.

Disadvantages:

❌ Slower than air-jet looms.
❌ More moving parts.

Speed:

About 400–800 picks (weft insertions) per minute.

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2. Air-Jet Loom

How it works:

• Instead of a shuttle, a blast of compressed air propels the weft thread through the shed.
• Additional nozzles along the width keep accelerating the yarn.

Think of it as shooting the thread using wind.

Advantages:

✅ Extremely fast.
✅ High production rates.
✅ Lower vibration.

Disadvantages:

❌ Consumes a lot of compressed air (high energy cost).
❌ Works best with smooth, lightweight yarns.

Speed:

Often 800–1500 picks per minute, sometimes even higher.

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3. Water-Jet Loom

How it works:

• Uses a thin jet of water instead of air to carry the weft thread across.

Think of it as shooting the thread using a stream of water.

Advantages:

✅ Very fast.
✅ Lower energy consumption than air-jet systems.
✅ Relatively quiet operation.

Disadvantages:

❌ Can only be used with water-resistant synthetic yarns such as polyester or nylon.
❌ Not suitable for cotton, wool, or silk because they absorb water.

Speed:

Typically 600–1200 picks per minute.

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4. Projectile Loom

How it works:

• A small metal projectile grips the end of the weft yarn.
• The projectile is mechanically shot across the loom.
• Once it reaches the other side, it releases the yarn and returns via a conveyor system.

Think of it as a tiny bullet carrying the thread.

Advantages:

✅ Can weave very wide fabrics.
✅ Suitable for heavy industrial textiles.
✅ Strong and reliable.

Disadvantages:

❌ Noisy.
❌ Slower than air-jet looms.
❌ Large and heavy machinery.

Speed:

Around 300–600 picks per minute.

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Comparison

Loom type	Carries weft by	Best for	Speed
Rapier	Mechanical rod	Silk, cotton, fancy designs	Medium
Air-jet	Compressed air	High-volume textile production	Very high
Water-jet	Water stream	Polyester and synthetic fabrics	High
Projectile	Metal projectile	Heavy and wide fabrics	Moderate

Why so many types?

No single loom is ideal for every fabric.

• Want a Banarasi saree with intricate designs? → Rapier loom (or handloom).
• Want millions of metres of shirt fabric quickly? → Air-jet loom.
• Making polyester lining fabric? → Water-jet loom.
• Producing industrial textiles or very wide fabrics? → Projectile loom.

Despite all these advances, the underlying principle remains exactly the same as the loom in your earlier image: create an opening in the warp threads, insert the weft thread, beat it into place, and repeat thousands of times. The innovation lies only in how the weft thread is transported.