Papermaker's forming fabric

A triple layer papermaker's fabric, comprising:

• a set of top machine direction yarns;
• a set of top cross machine direction yarns interwoven with said top machine direction yarns to form a top fabric layer;
• a set of bottom machine direction yarns;
• a set of bottom cross machine direction yarns interwoven with said bottom machine direction yarns to form a bottom fabric layer;
• a plurality of stitching yarns interwoven with said top and bottom fabric layers;
• wherein a pair of first and second stitching yarns is positioned between adjacent pairs of top cross machine direction yarns, said first and second stitching yarns of each pair being interwoven with said top and bottom machine direction yarns such that, as a fiber support portion of said first stitching yarn is interweaving with said top machine direction yarns, a binding portion of said second stitching yarn is positioned below said top machine direction yarns, and such that as a fiber support portion of said second stitching yarn is interweaving with said top machine direction yarns, a binding portion of said first stitching yarn is positioned below said top machine direction yarns, and such that said first and second stitching yarns cross each other as they pass below a transitional top machine direction yarn, and such that each of said binding portions of said first and second stitching yarns passes below at least one of said bottom machine direction yarns;
• wherein said top machine direction yarns, said top cross machine direction yarns, and said fiber support portions of said stitching yarns interweave to form a plain weave surface;
• wherein said top machine direction yarns have a first diameter, said bottom machine direction yarns have a second diameter, and said top cross machine direction yarns have a third diameter, and a ratio of said first diameter and said second diameter is between about 0.75 and 0.95, and a ratio between said first diameter and said third diameter is between about 0.8 and 1.1;
• and
• wherein said fabric has a void volume of between about 34 mm3/cm2 and 42 mm3/cm2, a fiber support index of between about 150 and 200, and a caliper of between about 0.60 mm and 0.75 mm.

A triple layer papermaker's fabric, comprising:

• a set of top machine direction yarns;
• a set of top cross machine direction yarns interwoven with said top machine direction yarns to form a top fabric layer;
• a set of bottom machine direction yarns;
• a set of bottom cross machine direction yarns interwoven with said bottom machine direction yarns to form a bottom fabric layer;
• a plurality of stitching yarns interwoven with said top and bottom fabric layers;
• wherein a pair of first and second stitching yarns is positioned between adjacent pairs of top cross machine direction yarns, said first and second stitching yarns of each pair being interwoven with said top and bottom machine direction yarns such that, as a fiber support portion of said first stitching yarn is interweaving with said top machine direction yarns, a binding portion of said second stitching yarn is positioned below said top machine direction yarns, and such that as a fiber support portion of said second stitching yarn is interweaving with said top machine direction yarns, a binding portion of said first stitching yarn is positioned below said top machine direction yarns, and such that said first and second stitching yarns cross each other as they pass below a transitional top machine direction yarn, and such that each of said binding portions of said first and second stitching yarns passes below at least one of said bottom machine direction yarns;
• wherein said top machine direction yarns, said top cross machine direction yarns, and said fiber support portions of said stitching yarns interweave to form a plain weave surface;
• and
• wherein said top machine direction yarns have a first diameter between about 0.12 and 0.14 mm, said bottom machine direction yarns have a second diameter between about 0.15 and 0.18 mm, and said top cross machine direction yarns have a third diameter between about 0.11 and 0.13 mm.