CIRCULAR KNIITING MACHINES

Assignment -1

Shreya Bansal
FP Tech
Roll no. 20
Semester- II
 Knitting machines

 A knitting machine is a device used to create knitted fabrics

 in a semi- or fully automated fashion.
 There are numerous types of knitting machines, ranging from
the simple, non-mechanical, to the highly complex and
electronic. All produce various types of knitted fabrics, usually
either flat or tubular, and of varying degrees of complexity.
 Types of knitting machines
The knitting industry as a whole can be divided into four manufacturing
sectors, these are:

1. Fully fashioned knitting machines- are flat knitting machines that

produce custom pre-shaped pieces of a knitted garment, Instead of
knitting a whole rectangular sheet of fabric.
2. Flat knitting- is a method for producing knitted fabrics in which the
work is turned periodically, i.e., the fabric is knitted from alternating
sides.
3. Circular knitting machines- produce a tubular fabric in continuous
uninterrupted length and constant width.
4. Warp knitting- is a knitting method in which the yarn zigzags along the
length of the fabric, i.e., following adjacent columns ("wales“) rather
than a single row ("course").
 CIRCULAR KNITTING
The term circular covers all those weft knitting machines who's needle
beds are arranged in circular cylinder and/or dials, including latch,
bearded or (seldom) compound needle machinery, knitting a wide range
of fabric structures, garments, hosiery and other articles in a variety of
diameters.

The modern circular knitting machine is a highly engineered,

electronically controlled, precision knitting system capable of
producing high quality fabric at very high speeds in excess of 1 sq.
meter/min.

There are many types of circular knitting machines which produce long
lengths of tubular fabric and quite often they are manufactured with
very specific end uses in mind.
 Single Jersey Machines
 Single Jersey machines are equipped with a single “cylinder”, about 30 inch
diameter], of needles that produce plain fabrics (single thickness).
Wool production on single jersey machines
tends to be limited to 20 gauge or coarser, as these gauges can use two-fold
wool yarns which will give spirality-free fabrics. An additional inherent feature
of wool single jersey fabrics is that the fabric edges tend to curl inwards. This is
not a problem whilst the fabric is in tubular form but once cut open can become
so if the fabric is not finished correctly. Other
single jersey based machines include: Terry loop
machines; the basis for fleece fabrics which are produced by knitting two yarns
into the same stitch, one ground yarn and one loop yarn. These protruding loops
are then brushed or raised during finishing creating a fleece fabric.
 Sliver knitting machines are single jersey machines that have been adapted to
trap a sliver of staple wool fibre in to the knit structure.
 Double Jersey Machines
 Double jersey machines are single jersey machines with a
“dial” which houses an extra set of needles positioned
horizontally adjacent to the vertical cylinder needles. This extra
set of needles allows the production of fabrics that are twice as
thick as single jersey fabrics.
 Typical examples include interlock based structures for
underwear/base layer garments and 1 x 1 rib fabrics for
leggings and outerwear products. Much finer yarns can be used
as singles yarns do not present a problem for double jersey
knitted fabrics as the “double layer” construction works to
cancel out the residual torque between the face and reverse
sides, the net effect being no spirality.
 Machine elements
Every circular knitting machine consist of following elements:

 FRAME: Machine frame of circular knitting machine is composed of the

following parts:

•Lower frame with base crossbeams- supports for the fabric take- up device
•Upper frame with carrier plate, needle cylinder carrier

Newly constructed models mostly have 3 feet. One of these feet is drive foot. It is
constructed as the housing to accommodate the drive as well as other electrical
components. The disc shaped support for the fabric take- up device is attached at about
half the height of the lower frame. The upper frame consists of the disc- shaped carrier
plate with the needle cylinder and bearing. Three columns support the carrier housing
for the needle dial as well as the yarn delivery device including the yarn bobbin
carriers.
In industrial frame the lower frame is raised up to accommodate
fabric rolls up to a diameter of 75cm.
 MOTOR: The power of the motor needed to drive the
machine depends on the machine diameter, the number of
feeders, the machine gauge and other model- based features.
The motor output for body width circular knitting machines,
used for underwear fabric production and having diameters 10
to 24”, is between 1.0 and 2.5 kW.

The performance of motors on circular knitting machines for

apparel fabrics with diameters from 26 to 30”, with or without
a jacquard device, lies between 2 and 8kW, depending on the
number of feeders, the machine gauge Formerly circular
knitting machines were equipped with slip-ring rotor engines
or direct current motors.
Today it would be normal to find 3- phase motors.
Motor
NEEDLES: On circular knitting machines latch and.
compound needles are used. One can seldom find bearded
needles or other needle types.

Fig 114 illustrates different needle shapes.

Vo and Wo are high- performance needles.
 
Fig 115 Important aspect
for stitch formation and yarn
presentation is the position
of the needle back

Fig 116 Standard form of needle head.

MONITORING AND MAINTENANCE SYSTEMS:
Yarn Monitoring:- The monitoring of yarns integrated in yarn supply and in the yarn delivery
devices.

Needle monitoring:-

Fig194 shows a needle latch detector for dial needles. Its tip is set in such a way that a closed
needle latch impacts on it. This is the case when the latch is crooked or jammed and cannot
be opened by the loop on the needle or by the latch opener brush. Over an electrical contact
the machine is stopped and the cause for stoppage signaled by a lamp.
Fig 195 shows stop motion device, which registers stitch accumulation between the stitch
knock-over edges of the needle dial and the needle cylinder. The tip is so adjusted that it just
not touches the normal fabric. If stitches are accumulated contact is established because the
latch is lacking and the machine is then stopped.

Fig 196 shows a latch opener brush, which is expected to open the latches of such
needles, which for some reason or the other have not obtained any yarn.
Fig 197 shows scanning arrangement for dial needles. It monitors whether the needle is
broken or not, the machine control gets an order for stoppage. And broken needle is easily
found and replaced.
 Technological advancements
 
 Steel composite needles
 
• High operation reliability
• Improved product quality
• High productivity
• Reduced needle consumption
• Reduced costs of machine maintenance
• Less needle and machine wear
 
 Full shank needles are used for maintenance-free
 production while low profile meander
 shape needles ensure high productivity.
 FULL SHANK NEEDLE

LOW PROFILE MEANDER SHAPE NEEDLE

Thank U