Innovations In Knitting

K
nitting machinery manufacturers offer a range of technologies to answer the needs of end
product manufacturers’ constructions. Following are some recent developments in knitting technology
from six leading machinery manufacturers.

Seamless Technology

Interest in seamless knits has manufacturers in all segments – whether flat, circular or warp
knitting – developing machinery to enable ever newer concepts to be produced. The apparel and
therapeutic medical textile sectors are especially interested in seamless technologies. Apparel
areas include activewear, outerwear, swimwear, lingerie, hosiery and shapewear. Medical
applications include compression hosiery and a range of garments geared toward promoting wellness.

Shima Seiki Manufacturing Ltd., Japan: Shima Seiki’s WholeGarment seamless flat
knitting technology enables production of a garment in one piece, with no sewing or linking
required. MACH2X, the latest model in the WholeGarment line, offers more than twice the
productivity of previous versions.

“WholeGarment production utilizes 3-D shaping technology, which allows the garment to conform
to the body for unprecedented fit and comfort,” said Masaki Karasuno, Shima Seiki’s creative
director, noting the technology’s labor-, time- and cost-saving benefits, including the possibility
of on-demand knitting and mass-customization of knitwear; the ability of knitters to stay
competitive with knitters in low-labor-cost countries; and resource savings because yarn
consumption is limited to what is needed to make the garment.

Masaki said a MACH2X15L machine was shown at ShanghaiTex 2009, knitting a ladies’ pleated
pullover with structured design knit in 23 minutes, 19 seconds. “The MACH2X is capable of sustained
knitting speeds of 1.6 meters per second, the fastest production specs for a flat knitting
machine,” Masaki added.

H. Stoll GmbH & Co. KG, Germany: Stoll has improved the productivity of its
Compact Class CMS flat knitting machines, which are able to partially use different gauges on one
machine without replacing needles or converting gauges. Intarsia knitting capabilities are standard
on most models. The machines also offer short setup times, enabling quick changes and fulfillment
of large orders.

Two new entry models include the CMS 502 and CMS 502 multi gauge, which feature two knitting
systems, a 45-inch working width, take-down comb, cutting and clamping on the right side, yarn feed
on the left side, moveable display slide, additional yarn control units, two adjustable plating
yarn feeders, adjustable main take-down, increased productivity, and gauges ranging from E5 to E18.

Stoll also offers accessories and software solutions, including intarsia kits, plating yarn
feeders and kits, a new ASCON® automatic stitch control yarn measuring device, and enhanced M1plus®
pattern software.

Santoni S.p.A., Italy: New electronic seamlesswear circular knitting machinery
from Santoni includes its patented SM8-TOP1 V and SM12-EVO3 single-jersey machines, and the SM9-MF
double-jersey machine. Apparel applications include undergarments, outerwear, activewear, swimwear
and sanitarywear.

SM8-TOP1 V features eight yarn feeds with one selection point per feed. SM12-EVO3 has 12 yarn
feeds with three selection points per feed; and can process natural- and man-made-fiber yarns, and
bare and covered elastic yarns. Both models offer optional terry capabilities; and enable high
production of single body-size garments, and eight or 12 feeds of high-definition patterns with
distinct colors, depending on the model.

SM9-MF is suitable for knitting ribbed garments in a continuous tubular fabric or single
garments using one weft or separation yarn. The machine’s needle-to-needle selection in three
configurations on the cylinder and two on the dial, as well as transfer positions, enable
production of all styles of ribbing and inlaid structures.

Karl Mayer Textilmaschinenfabrik GmbH, Germany: This warp knitting machinery
manufacturer sees significant opportunities in the seamless market and has been expanding its
activities in that area. The latest version of its DJ narrow Seamless Smart double bar raschel
machines -the DJ 6/2 (EL), 44″ – can produce a variety of seamless or virtually seamless products
such as pantyhose and stockings, undergarments and sportswear. The machine features four ground
guide bars – two more than the earlier-edition DJ 4/2, is available in gauges E 24 and E 28, and
can be equipped with an electronic guide bar drive (EL) – which allows a high degree of patterning
flexibility and enables very efficient processing even of small batches, the company reports. 
It also features a jacquard system with two jacquard guide bars, piezo technology to control the
jacquard needles, KAMCOS® control and monitoring system with Multi-Speed, and electronic beam
drives.

“The number of orders has been better than expected since the DJ series was introduced,” said
Oliver Mathews, sales manager, Karl Mayer. “In the light of the current economic situation,
companies are trying to improve their competitive edge by coming up with new ideas and trying new
approaches. Our DJ 6/2 can help them to do this.” 

Float Plating Technology

Pai Lung Machinery Mill Co. Ltd., Taiwan: Circular knitting machinery manufacturer
Pai Lung offers its PL-KSFP four-track single-jersey float plating machine to produce a knit fabric
that looks like a woven but has the feel and breathability of a knit. The technology, first
developed for automotive seat cover fabrics, is now being used to produce denim, suiting and
corduroy fabrics.

“Pai Lung developed and patented the structure using knit and float, using knit cams and
sinker cams as well as sinkers to do a knit on one side of the fabric and a very tight float on the
other. The float gives the woven effect. Depending on the cylinder cam arrangement, the machine has
the ability to do one-, two- and three-needle floats,” said Mike Moody, vice president of Monroe,
N.C.-based Nova Knitting Machinery – joint partner with Pai Lung, and the company’s exclusive
representative in North and Central America and Colombia.

“The fabric has gone through extensive testing to measure air penetration, sewing strength
recovery rates, durability and pilling. In all tests, the float plated fabric either matched or
excelled beyond the woven results,” he added.

Moody said a 26-inch-diameter 20-gauge machine can knit 900 to 1,000 pounds of 18/1 cotton
thread in 24 hours. A lighter-weight polyester suiting fabric would be produced using a 24- to
28-gauge machine.

Technical Textile Solutions

Comez S.p.A., Italy: Comez, a maker of crochet knitting, warp knitting and narrow
weaving machinery, lately has put a certain emphasis on technical textile solutions. Machines
suitable for such fabrics include its ACO and ACOtronic crochet knitting, and double-needle-bed
DNB/EL warp knitting machines.

ACO and ACOtronic machines are used to produce rigid and elastic technical textiles, ribbons
and laces; and can process natural-fiber threads in the warp. Both feature compound needles, and
are available in gauges ranging from 10 to 20 and in operating widths of 400 and 600 millimeters
(mm).

The 410 ACO and 610 ACO machines feature eight weft bars controlled by link chain, and the
BPO/S supplementary warp tube bar, which can function as a second warp bar to produce a lock-stitch
effect on the fabric. The compound needles enable production of constructions such as simple or
double lock-stitch when the BPO/S device is used with the standard warp bar, which is driven by
Tricot/S cams.

The ACOtronic 400 and 600 machines feature 10 weft bars with electronic drive and one weft
bar controlled by a weft device.

DNB/EL machines are used to produce sports equipment and food netting; high-resistance
ribbons made with special fibers; fabrics and ribbons for automotive, construction, geotextile and
industrial applications; medical textiles such as netting, bandages and dressings; and other
products. The two needle beds enable production of double-faced articles that are identical on both
sides.

The DNB/EL-800-8B offers an 800-mm working width and four, six or eight pattern guide bars.
The DNB/EL-1270-12B features a 1,270-mm working width and 12 pattern guide bars. Both models
feature electronic drives; use latch needles; can process any type of yarn, depending on machine
gauge; and come equipped with the Data Control 4 Controller with color display. Comez Draw 4 or
System.win software are used to program the pattern.

September/October 2009