Beaming machine

The beaming machine of the type W. Schlafhorst & Co. from 1939 was used in the textile industry. This machine develops warp beams for the warp threads. Warp beams are rows of bobbins on which yarns intended for later use as warp threads (which are stretched lengthwise in a loom) are wound. On the beaming machine the warp threads from cross-wound bobbins are collected in large numbers and wound up side by side on the warp beam.
The machine consists of two parts: the warp creel (type Franz Müller, 1930s) and the winding machine, which is driven by an electric motor.
The creel serves the purpose of holding the cross-wound bobbins, which are mounted on rotating elements. The threads are pulled through porcelain guides and then inserted into the comb of the winding machine and attached to the warp beam. The winding machine makes the warp beam rotate, which unwinds thread from the cross-wound bobbins and onto the warp beam. The creel of the machine holds about 1200 bobbins, half of which are unwound. During the „beaming“process, the other half can be loaded with new bobbins. The electric motor and the rotating bobbins create the sounds of this machine.
The beaming machine was originally in use in the Brothers Büning Weaving Company in Borken (Germany North Rhine-Westphalia). It was part of the „beaming“department, in which the warps were prepared for the weaving process. The work of equipping and operating the machines, as well as replacing broken threads was mostly done by women.
Today the beaming machine is to be found in the LWL-Industry Museum Bocholt Textile Factory, where it is used for minor productions and for demonstrations.

Sound recordist: Konrad Gutkowski/Julian Blaschke
Photographer: Konrad Gutkowski/Julian Blaschke
Video recordist: Konrad Gutkowski/Julian Blaschke