By TextileDeck Editorial Team · Published 2026-09-26 · Updated 2026-11-04
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A loom maker can only propose a sensible machine when it knows what you weave. A message that names only a loom type invites guesses; a message that describes the fabric, the yarns and the place the machine will sit in your mill invites a configuration that can be priced, tested and installed. The sections below walk through what to put in that first message, using machines from the weaving machinery listed in this directory as worked examples.
Name the operation first
Before describing any machine, say which step of production needs attention. Fabric formation, warp preparation and a replacement component are three different enquiries. An LH2000 water-jet loom proposal concerns the weaving configuration itself. A BQ198 warp knotter proposal concerns joining old and new warp ends during a beam change. A reed from the Dingfeng air-jet profile reed family is a part fitted to a loom you already run. Ask each supplier the question that belongs to its operation, and say where that step sits in your sequence.
Describe the fabric before the loom
Give the construction, the warp and weft materials, the intended end use and, where you have one, an approved sample specification. State yarn counts with their system written out, because a figure in denier and a figure in Ne describe the same yarn very differently; the guide to yarn count systems such as dtex, denier and Ne shows how to write them so a maker reads them correctly. Mention how the weft arrives at the loom as well. A rewinder such as the SGD2012 prepares weft packages for rapier, water-jet and air-jet weaving, and its A and B package entries differ in capacity and tube dimensions, which is exactly why the guide to package and tube specifications belongs alongside a loom brief.
Separate finished width from working width
Write every width with its unit and say which width it is. The finished width of your fabric and the working or reed width of the loom are related but different numbers, and the allowance between them depends on your construction and finishing route. The LH2000 catalogue offers several reed widths, shedding arrangements and weft-insertion choices, so a finished-width figure alone leaves the maker choosing on your behalf. Attach the construction and ask the supplier to explain the working width it selects. Reed dimensions and dent requirement are a further, separate line: record them apart from the loom width and send the loom model and a drawing with any reed enquiry.
Say how far you have chosen the weft insertion method
If you have already settled on rapier, air-jet or water-jet weaving, explain why, and name any constraint such as fibre type or water supply. If you would like the maker to propose a method, say so plainly. The overview of rapier, water-jet and air-jet looms sets out how weft insertion, shedding and the surrounding parts fit together. Unusual materials need the most detail. The SJ758 paper-cord rapier loom names paper cord, nylon filament and mat grass as intended materials, and its two published parameter blocks conflict, so a buyer there would send the actual material and fabric structure and ask for a single confirmed parameter set.
List the parts around the loom
Shedding, weft feeding and selvedge handling often decide whether a loom weaves your fabric well. For figured fabric, say whether you need dobby or jacquard shedding and how many hooks your designs use; the NH electronic jacquard family publishes four hook-count configurations from 5,376 to 10,752 with a listed maximum of 650 r/min, and is chosen together with the harness and supporting structure. A weft feeder such as the Sanhe SHRP lists a maximum feed rate of 1600 m/min; ask what rate your yarn and pattern call for at the loom. For selvedge devices, dobby controls and reeds bought separately, the parts and accessories section shows how makers describe interfaces, and a part such as the K88 selvedge middle-head assembly is matched to the existing loom and the required head position.
State site and delivery conditions
Describe floor space, available utilities, destination country and the delivery window you are working to. Ask for the electrical and utility requirements of the configuration actually offered, and give your own supply voltage and frequency. The LH2000 entry is a useful reminder: one motor-power value in its catalogue is unreadable, so electrical planning waits for a clear figure from the maker. The guide to installed power and electrical supply explains how to read those lines. Present planned output as a target for the supplier to assess.
A brief suppliers can answer
Fill each line with a value, a document reference or the word "unknown":
Required operation: weaving, warp preparation or replacement component.
Fabric or yarn: material, construction and yarn-count system.
Width: number, unit, and whether it is finished or working width.
Machine or component: model, version and drawing revision where relevant.
Site: space, utilities and destination.
Documents requested: configuration sheet, layout drawing and a sample demonstration.
Open decisions: what you are asking the supplier to propose.
Sending the same brief to every maker makes the replies comparable, which is the starting point of comparing configurations rather than model names.
Read the reply line by line
Ask each supplier to name the exact model and configuration, the auxiliary equipment included and any assumption it has made about your brief. Keep the offered width, shedding system and scope next to the price so that a narrower or simpler machine is recognised for what it is. Put installation, training, spare parts and delivery on separate lines, and settle the commercial side using the guide to warranty and spare parts terms. If a reply changes your yarn or construction, settle that difference before ranking offers. Before you rely on a reply, look at the maker itself as well; reading a manufacturer profile covers company identity and what each maker publishes.
Agree a trial and keep its record
For a loom, agree the fabric sample and the observations to record; the guide to trials with your own yarn or fabric covers what to ship and how to fix the settings. For a warp knotter, agree the yarn and lease arrangement and inspect the knots: the BQ198 page describes up to 600 knots per minute and frames from 1 to 4 m, but its four configuration tabs list different yarn capability, so test the complete changeover. For a reed, agree the drawing, dimensions and fit. Record the machine used, its configuration, the material, settings and result, then carry the same measures into a factory acceptance test for the machine you actually order.
Equipment discussed
Air-jet loom profile reeds — Zhejiang Dingfeng Textile Equipment Co., Ltd.