ABSTRACT

Braiding is an important textile process that involves the least preparatory processes due to which the fabric preparation cost is much cheaper. It is also a exible process for producing various proled fabrics, which is of high signicance in the eld of three-dimensional (3D) preform production for composites. In this chapter, introduction to braiding technology, its advantages, and the history of braids have been explained. Comparison of braiding with other fabric formation techniques has been carried out. Classication of braided structures with respect to method of intertwining, shape, and applications has been detailed. Machineries used for twodimensional (2D) and 3D braided structure preparation have been explained. The 3D braided structures prepared by Cartesian four-step and multistep processes along with hexagonal braiding technology offers versatility for the braids to achieve complex shapes and meet the design requirements of many technical applications.