Rigid heddle reed is a part of rigid heddle loom, made up by a series of plastic plates glued in wooden slats. It is used both to open the shed and to beat for compacting the fabric. The number of yarns/cm of the reed is called density and it is an important datum to calculate the warp.
                                            

Flat reeds are made up by a series of metallic plats and are used only to beat. The heald frames and the levers or pedals open the shed, they are components of the multi healds frame loom, in which it is usually used the flat reed.