Grassroot Innovations

Automatic Weft Winding Machine

Details: Prasad’s father used to make bundles of thread for dyeing and for making different designs for which he used two tree trunks. One had to walk around the trunks making an elliptical shape for winding the thread bundle. This led to less output with more time consumption. Prasad designed a machine that could do winding and spinning work at faster rate. His machine has a drum over which weft winding work is done, getting power from a 0.25 hp electric motor. The innovator has made a special component, which rotates periodically due to the impulse provided by the flat bars with the help of its cutting edges, responsible for the feeding of threads in both forward and reverse movement. Purra bed (uniform thread distribution system) is attached to the chain and moves along the length of the drum. The forward and reverse action of Purra is controlled by a lever. A foot pedal actuated brake system is provided to stop the rotation of the drum. The machine can wind 5 bundles of yarn within an hour, which otherwise takes 2 days if done manually.

Innovator: Ram Prasad Meher, Bargarh, Odisha

State: Bargarh, Odisha

Funding agency: Department of Science and Technology, Govt of India

Implementing institute: National Innovation Foundation India (NIF), info.nif@nifindia.org

Benefits

Automatic Weft Winding Machine boosts yarn preparation by working 24 times faster than manual methods. It uses a motor, eliminates manual labor, and ensures even thread distribution for better quality fabric.

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