The fundamental operations of the weaving process are shedding the warp and inserting the weft to accomplish interlacing of warp with weft. Because shedding happens to be the foremost operation, 3D-weaving process requires dual-directional shedding system (the traditional 2D-weaving process operates with mono-directional shedding system).

The dual-directional shedding system alternately displaces the grid-like warp in the vertical and horizontal directions to create corresponding multiple sheds in the two directions.

Two types of dual-directional shedding systems are available presently: Linear-Linear shedding and Linear-Angular shedding. The fabric structures produced by these two dual-directional shedding systems are characteristically different. The latter system enables production of spatial structures.