When electronic fabric weaving speed approaches 1,000 revolutions per minute, the technological ceiling of domestic weaving machinery is being redefined. At the recently concluded 29th China International Composites Exhibition, two fiberglass air-jet looms demonstrated stable production of 2116 and 1036 electronic fabrics at actual speeds of 950 rpm and 900 rpm respectively. This achievement not only highlighted a technical highlight at the venue but also signaled to the global market that Chinese high-performance fiber weaving equipment now possesses the hard strength to compete with international leaders.
Event Background
Held from September 1 to 3 in Shanghai, the exhibition serves as a key international platform for the composite materials industry, attracting professional visitors from more than ten countries, including Germany, Japan, South Korea, India, Turkey, and Brazil. Notably, domestic equipment was not presented as static samples; instead, four machines operated simultaneously, covering two fiberglass air-jet looms, one fiberglass rapier loom, and one carbon fiber jacquard rapier loom, spanning multiple weaving scenarios from electronic fabric to carbon fiber textiles.
Electronic fabric is a core reinforcing material for copper-clad laminates and PCBs. Its weaving speed and stability directly determine downstream capacity and quality. The 2116 and 1036 types represent different thickness specifications, with 1036 being thinner and more challenging to weave. The stable operation of the 1036 fabric at 900 rpm indicates that the equipment has mature process accumulation in warp tension control, weft insertion response, and beating-up precision—a notable substitution signal for high-end electronic fabric capacity that has long relied on imported machinery.
Industry Impact
From a downstream demand perspective, the expansion of new energy, aerospace, low-altitude economy, and robotics is driving demand for high-performance composites. As a key upstream material for PCB substrates, electronic fabric demand is directly linked to the prosperity of 5G communications, automotive electronics, and AI servers. Every 50 rpm increase in equipment speed boosts single-machine annual capacity by approximately 3% to 5%. For electronic fabric manufacturers, this translates into lower unit costs and shorter delivery cycles, directly affecting their order-taking capability and gross margins.
The carbon fiber jacquard rapier loom displayed at the event also merits attention. Carbon fiber fabrics are notoriously difficult to weave due to fiber brittleness and fuzzing; the jacquard shedding mechanism must accommodate the low elongation of carbon fibers while maintaining precise structure. The continuous iteration of domestic equipment in this field is providing more local options for high-end applications such as carbon fiber prepregs and composite structural parts, helping downstream enterprises reduce equipment procurement costs and lead times when expanding capacity.
Equipment manufacturers using exhibitions as a window for technical validation and customer education reflects that industry competition has shifted from a single speed indicator to a comprehensive competition of 'speed + stability + variety adaptability.' For buyers, whether equipment maintains low warp breakage rates at high speeds and whether fabric appearance remains uniform often matters more than peak speed. The live demonstration at this event allowed visitors to visually assess equipment performance under real operating conditions—a more convincing approach than traditional brochures.