Iyer / Mammel / Schach

Circular Knitting
Technology Process
Structures Yarns
Quality

603U

FRANK

by Meisenbach Bamberg

Contents

01

Knitting Technique . . . 1

01.1

Fundamentals of stitch formation . . . 1

01.1.1

4 0 0 years of mechanical stitch formation

01.1.2

An outline of knitting machines

01.1.3

Stitch formation w i t h latch needles . . . 9

01.1.4

Structural elements in knitted fabrics ... 10

01.1.4.1 Loop ... 10
01.1.4.2 Stitch ... 10 / Plain stitch / Purl stitch /
Needle loop / Sinker-loop-.-- ..'
:
01.1.4.3 Tuck loop ... 10
'
.
01.1.4.4 Float stitch ... 10 : ,
01.1.4.5 Weft ... 10
{
01.1.4.6

Filler ... 10

- " --

... 1

... 6

- '

....

01.1.5

Basic knitted structures ... 12

01.1.5.1 Arrangement of structural elements ... 12
01.1.5.2 Plain knitted fabrics ... 12
01.1.5.3 Double knit fabrics (rechts/rechts fabrics) ... 12
Double knit rib fabrics /
Double knit interlock fabrics
01.1.5.4 Double knit purl fabrics ... 12

01.2

Processes for large circular knitting machines . . . 14

01.2.1

Plain (rechts/links) technique with latch needles ... 14

01.2.1.1 Rest or ground position, Pos. 1 ... 16
01.2.1.2 Tucking-in position, Pos. 2 ... 16
01.2.1.3 Clearing position, Pos. 3 ... 16
01.2.1.4 Yarn presenting position, Pos. 4 ... 16
01.2.1.5 Cast-on position, Pos. 5 ... 17
01.2.1.6 Knock-over position, Pos. 6 ... 17

01.2.2

Relative technology with latch needles ... 18

01.2.3

Compound needle technique ... 20

01.2.3.1 Plain technique with compound needles ... 20
01.2.3.2 Plain relative technique with compound needles ... 24

01.2.4

Rib technique ... 27

01.2.4.1 Coordination between cylinder and dial grooves ... 27
Rib setting of cylinder and dial / Interlock setting of cylinder
and dial / Conversion from rib to interlock setting
"01.2.4.2 Coordination, between cylinder and dial cams ... 29
Synchronised timing between cylinder and dial cams /
Delayed timing between cylinder and dial cams / Conditions
for the use of delayed timing for dial and cylinder cams

01.2.5

Purl technique ... 38

01.2.5.1 Rib stitch formation ... 38
01.2.5.2 Purl stitch formation and needle transfer ... 38

Contents

01.3
01.3.1

Characteristics of circular knitting machines ... 44

Machine pitch and machine gauge ... 4 4
0 1 . 3 . 1 . 1 Machine pitch ... 44
0 1 . 3 . 1 . 2 English machine gauge ... 4 4
0 1 . 3 . 1 . 3 Pitch values for circular knitting machines
with special pattern devices and for small circular knitting
machines ... 44
0 1 . 3 . 1 . 4 Relation between machine pitch, English gauge,
machine nominal diameter and number of needles ... 44
0 1 . 3 . 1 . 5 Effective machine pitches (machine gauges) ... 4 4

01 .3.2
01 .3.3

Machine nominal diameter ... 45

01 .3.4
01 .3.5

Production speed, number of machine revolutions ... 45

01 .4
01 .4.1

Machine elements ... 46

01 .4.2

Number of feeders / feeder density ... 45

Efficiency value / speed factor ... 46

Frame ... 46
Machine drive ... 48
01.4.2.1
01.4.2.2
01.4.2.3
01.4.2.4

01.4.3

Motor ... 48
Number of revolutions of the machine . . . 4 9
Brake ... 51
Drive arrangement ... 52

Knitting elements ... 52

0 1 . 4 . 3 . 1 Needles ... 53
0 1 . 4 . 3 . 2 Holding-down / Knocking-over sinkers ... 58
0 1 . 4 . 3 . 3 Needle beds on circular knitting machines ... 60

01.4.4
01.4.5

Yarn feeder and its correct setting ... 61

Needle and sinker control units (cams) ... 63
01.4.5.1
01.4.5.2
01.4.5.3
01.4.5.4

01.4.6

Fabric take-down ... 72

01.4.6.1 Fabric spreader ... 72
01.4.6.2 Fabric tensioning and winding devices ... 72
Fabric tensioning and winding devices with mechanical drive /
Fabric tensioning and winding devices with- electrical drive

01.4.7

Yarn supply ... 79

01.4.7.1 Cone carrier device ... 79
01.4.7.2 Yarn delivery devices (Yarn metering and storage devices
on circular knitting machines) ... 84
Yarn delivery devices for constant yarn delivery, yarn metering
devices / Devices with constant yarn delivery per unit time,
Yarn metering devices with yarn reserve (Positive yarn
feeders) / Devices with variable yarn delivery per unit time and
yarn reserve (Storage yarn feeders)

01.4.8

Monitoring and maintenance systems ... 94 /

,

VI

Contents

Sliding cams ... 65

Flexible cams ... 66
Changeable cams ... 67
Alteration of course density through couliering ... 68
Vertical couliering / Diagonal couliering / Central couliering /
Vertical adjustment of needle dial

Yarn monitoring / Needle monitoring / Fabric monitoring /

Lubricating and oiling systems / Cleaning systems

Needle Control and its Equipment . . . 9 7

02.1

Direct needle control ... 97

02.1.1
02.1.2

Control through cam parts ... 97

Control through pattern wheel ... 98

02.2
02.2.1

Indirect needle control ... 101

Indirect needle control with fixed control sinker
arrangement ... 101

02.2.2

Indirect needle control through pattern drum ... 103

02.3

Electronically controlled needle selection

on circular knitting machines ... 106

02.3.1

Needle control through film tape ... 106

02.3.2
02.3.3

Needle control through machine memory ... 108

Pattern design and production preparation ... 111

03

Additional Equipment Patterning . . . 113

03.1

Equipment for fleecy fabrics ... 113

03.1.1
03.1.2

Simple fleecy ... 113

Three-thread fleecy ... 113

03.2

Equipment for plush fabrics ... 118

Quality demands on plush

03.2.1

Unpatterned plush ... 118

03.2.2

Jacquard plush ... 122

The construction of the presentation technique

03.3

Yarn changer devices / stripers ... 126

03.3.1

Yarn changer device with mechanical control ... 126

03.3.2

Yarn changer device with electronical control ... 128

03.4

Wrap finger technique ... 132

Circular Knitting Machines

for Garment Length Fabrics . . . 135
04.1

Rib and purl techniques ... 136

04.1.1

Fibres and yarns ... 136

04.1.2
04.1.3

Stitch density and quality ... 136

Performance ... 136

04.2
04.2.1

Purl pullover circular knitting machine ... 137

Double selection at the lower cylinder ... 137

04.2.2

Selection at the upper cylinde'r ... 138

04.3

Rib pullover.circular knitting machine ... 140

04.3.1

Free individual needle selection in the knitting feeders ... 141

04.3.2

Means of free selection in the transfer feeders ... 141

04.3.3

Principle of selection ... 142

Contents V I I

05

Machine for High-Pile Fabrics . . . 144

06

Other Machines . . . 146

06.1

Methods for loop transfer ... 146

06.1.1

Transferring of sinker loops ... 146

06.1.2

Transferring of needle loops ... 146

06.2

Machines for the production of transfer patterns ... 147

Cylinder transfer feeder, control sinker cam range /
Cylinder transfer feeder, needle cam range . . . 150

Knitted and Fabric Structures . . . 1 5 2

07.1

Pattern analysis of weft knits ... 152

07.1.1
07.1.2

Tools and technical aids ... 152

Methodical pattern analysis ... 152

07.1.3

Representation of weft knitted fabrics ... 154

07.1.3.1
07.1.3.2
07.1.3.3
07.1.3.4

Representation through mesh structure . . . 154

Representation through technical notation (yarn path) . . . 154
Symbols used for representation of needles . . . 154
Representation of structural elements . . . 155

07.2

Basic structures ... 156

07.3

Patterned structures ... 156

07.3.1

Patterned structures with one needle type ... 156

07.3.2

Patterned structures with two needle types ... 157

Plain structures / Rib patterned structures /
Rib patterned interlock structures

07.3.3

Patterned structures with four needle types . . . 161

07.4

Plated structures ... 162

07.5

Speciality structures ... 162

Fleecy/Three-thread fleecy / Interlock fleecy / Plush

07.6

Jacquard structures ... 163

07.6.1

Colour jacquard structures . . . 163

Single jersey colour jacquard / Single jersey colour jacquard with
t
binding-in of floating yarns (three-way technique) / Rib colour jacquard /
Horizontal striper backing / Vertical striper backing / Twill backing

07.6.2

Rib relief jacquard structures . . . 166

Single relief rib jacquards / Double relief rib jacquard

VIII

Contens

07.6.3
07.6.4
07.6.5

Rib tuck jacquard ... 170

Rib lock jacquard ... 170
Rib transfer jacquard ... 170

07.7

Symbolic adjointment
between structure and process . . . 171
Plain circular knitting machines ... 172
Rib circular knitting machines . . . 178

07.8

Transposition of jacquard patterns

onto a jacquard circular knitting machine
with mechanical indirect needle control . . . 182

0 8

Yarns for Circular Knitting . . . 188

08.1

Fibre materials . . . 188

08.2

Count . . . 190

08.2.1

Direct system and its units... 190

08.2.2

Indirect system and its units ...191

Metric number (Nm) / English number (Ne)

08.2.3

Count calculation and denotion for plies . . . 191

08.2.3.1 Ply with yarns of the same count ... 194
Calculation of count on the direct system / Denotion based
on the direct system / Calculation of count on the indirect
system / Denotion based on the indirect system
08.2.3.2 Ply with yarns of differing counts ... 194
Calculation of count on the direct system / Denotion based on
the direct system / Calculation of count based on the indirect
system / Denotion based on the indirect system

08.3

Staple fibre yarns . . . 195

08.3.1

Spinning systems . . . 195

08.3.1.1 Cotton spinning system . . . 196
Carded yarn / Combed yarn
08.3.1.2 Worsted spinning system . . . 197
08.3.1.3 Semi-worsted spinning system . . . 197
08.3.1.4 Woollen spinning system ... 198

08.3.2

Spinning techniques for staple fibre yarns . . . 198

08.3.2.1 Ring spinning ... 198
08.3.2.2 Unconventional spinning techniques ... 199
OE rotor spinning / Other spinning techniques: Friction
spinning / Air jet spinning / Cover spinning / Yarns with ply
resemblance / Self-twist spinning / Ply spinning

08.3.3

Comparison between ring and rotor yarns ...- 201

08.3.3.1 Process-based properties ... 202
08.3.3.2 Fibre-based properties ... 202

08.4

Filament yarns . . . 203

08.4.1

The most importaQt raw materials . . . 203

08.4.2

Filament yarn types . . . 203

08.4.2.1 Monofilament yarn ... 203
08.4.2.2 Multifilament yarns ... 203
08.4.2.3 Minifil yarns ... 203
08.4.2.4 Comingled yarn ... 204
08.4.2.5 Microfilament yarn ... 204

Contents

IX

08.4.3

Flat and textured filament yarns ... 204

08.4.3.1
08.4.3.2
08.4.3.3
08.4.3.4

False twist process ... 204

Bicomponent process ... 206
Knit-de-knit process ... 206
Air texturing process ... 207
Single yarn / Parallel yarn / Core-sheath yarn
08.4.3.5 Other texturing processes ... 208
08.4.3.6 Properties of textured yams ... 208
Primary properties: Extension and elasticity / Volume /
Secondary properties: Weight / Dyeing behaviour /
Handle / Perspiration / Air textured yam

08.5

Fibre blending in yarns and fabrics ... 209

08.5.1

Types of blend . . . 210

08.5.1.1 Intimate blending ... 210
08.5.1.2 Core-sheath structures ... 210
Covering / Bicomponent yarns/
Air textured yarns / Open end yarns
08.5.1.3 The real ply ... 211
08.5.1.4 Comingled yarns ... 211
08.5.1.5 Feeder blending ... 211

08.6

Yarn count and machine gauge ... 212

08.7
08.7.1

Knitting demands on yarns ... 216

Tenacity and breaking extension ... 216

08.7.2
08.7.3

Elasticity ... 218

Friction ... 218
08.7.3.1 Waxing of staple fibre yarns ... 219
08.7.3.2 Finishing of filament yarns ... 220
08.7.3.3 Surface of yarn and abradant ... 220

08.7.4

Yarn evenness ... 221

08.7.5

Yarn count deviation ... 222

08.7.6

Take-off behaviour of yarns ... 223

08.8

Yarn supply for circular knitting machines ... 224

08.8.1
08.8.2

Draw twist bobbin ... 224

Draw winder bobbin ... 224

08.8.3

Cross-wound bobbin ... 224

08.8.3.1 Package size ... 225
08.8.3.2 Package shape ... 225
Cylindrical shape / Biconical shape / Conical shape

08.8.4

Winding methods for cross-wound bobbins ... 226

08.8.4.1 Random winding ... 226
08.8.4.2 Precision winding ... 226
08.8.4.3 Digital winding ... 227

08.8.5
08.8.6
08.8.7
08.8.8

Wind-on speed ... 227 "

Package hardness ... 228
Tak.e-off yarn tension ... 228
Friction between yarn and cross-wound package ... 229

08.8.9

Negative yarn withdrawal ... 229

08.8.10 Positive yarn withdrawal ... 229

Contents

08.9

Literature to chapter 08 ... 230

09

Quality and Production Monitoring . . . 2 3 1

09.1

Faults and its causes in circular knitting . . . 231

09.1.1

Pre-requisites for faultless knitwear production . . . 231

09.1.1.1 Pre-requisites on the circular knitting machine ... 231
09.1.1.,2 General production conditions for knitting ... 232
' Selection of proper yarn count / Relation between knitted
structures and processing problems / Setting of the
knitting machine / Yarn storage / Air conditioning
of the knitting plant / Cleaning of knitting machines
09.1.1.3 Yarn pre-requisites ... 234
Influence of dyeing processes / Influence of spinning
processes / Influence of the winding process /
Factors affecting yarn production / Relationship between
yarn properties and knitted fabric qualities

09.1.2

Frequent faults in knitted fabrics, their definition,

cause and elimination... 237
09.1.2.1 Definition of faults ... 237
09.1.2.2 Causes of faults and their avoidance ... 238
Cracks or holes / Drop stitches / Cloth fall-out / Snags /
Tuck and double stitches / Bunching-up / Vertical stripes /
Horizontal stripes / Soil stripes / Colour fly / Distorted stitches

09.1.3

Literature . . . 248

09.2

Operational data acquisition . . . 248

09.3

Production calculations . . . 250

10

Appendage for Tables . . . 353

10.1

Machine pitch and machine gauge . . . 252

10.2

Nominal machine diameters . . . 254

10.3

Number of feeders . . . 2 5 6

10.4

Yarn counts . . . 258

Fluff Blower Devices . . . 363

12

Index . . . 365

Contents

XI