Knitting Technology

Knitting products are of 2 types:

i) Cut & Sewing knitwear:
In traditional garment production, rectangular flat knitted panels are cut to the required shapes,
which are then sewn together. When a panel has to be cut according to a marker, the amount of
waste is considerable and profits are reduced.
ii) Fully fashioned knitwear:
Fully fashioning is the process whereby portions of a garment are shaped at the selvedges by
progressively increasing or decreasing the number of loops in the width of the fabric. Such
narrowing and widening produces the shape of a piece of garment that would otherwise be
generated by cutting. Sweater is a typical fully fashion knitwear.

Features of a Sweater/ V-bed Flat Knitting Machine:

 Flat knitting machine has two stationary needle beds
 Latch needles are used
 Angular cams of a bi-directional cam system is used
 The cam system is attached to the underside of a carriage, which with its selected yarn
carriers.
 The carriage traverses in a reciprocating manner across the machine width
 There is a separate cam system for each needle bed
 The two cam systems are linked together by a bridge, which passes across from one
needle bed to the other.
 Normally machine gauge is 3 to18 needles per inch and machine width up to 79 inches.

Yarn Path of V-bed flat knitting

m/c:
 In the rear side of the m/c, there
is a spool rack for storing the
yarn spools.
 The yarn unwound from the
spool is picked up by the feeding
system:
- A tensioner, which adjusts the
feeding tension. The tensioner is
made up by a spring- load
flexible arm, that lowers when
the yarn tension increases to
feed a bigger quantity of yarn,
 and lifts up when the tension decreases
- A thread guide, which provides the needle with yarn at the proper time.
 A carriage system carries the yarn feeders, yarn, cam boxes, brush etc.
 Each yarn carrier passes across the full width of the machine.
 Latch opening brushes are attached to the cam-plates of both needle beds to ensure that the
needle latches are fully opened.
 The trick walls are replaced at the needle bed verges by fixed, thinner, polished and specially
shaped knock-over bit edges.
 Latch needles are used.
 There is a security spring that fits over the lower edge of the needle bed.
 A fabric comb is hand-inserted upwards from under the needle beds, so that the eyelet holes of
the comb protrude above the course. The comb wire is then inserted through the eyelets, and a
takedown weight is attached to it.

Production of different fabrics on V-bed knitting m/c:

i) Single Jersey Tubular Fabric:
 Two raising cams, one at the front, one at the back (C & D) are out of action.
 When the carriage travels from left to right, the back needles only will form a stitch.
On the other hand, when the carriage goes from right to left, only the front needles
form a stitch.
 The wales of the selvedges AD and BC will be joined.

ii) Single Jersey Flat Fabric:

 Both raising cams, at the back (C & D) are out of action.
 All cams at the front bed are in action
 When the carriage travels from left to right, the front needles only will form knit stitch.
 iii) 1×1 Rib:
 All the raising cams and all the lowering will be in action.
 When the carriage travels from left to right, both the front and needles only will form
knit stitch.
 When the carriage travels from right to left, both the front and needles only will form
knit stitch.

iv) Full Cardigan stitch:

 For 1st course,
- Both cardigan cams, at the back bed (A & B) are out of action.
- All cams at the front bed are in action
- When the carriage travels from right to left, the front needles only will
form knit loops and back bed needles only form tuck loops.
  For 2nd course,
- Both cardigan cams, at the front bed (A & B) are out of action.
- All cams at the back bed are in action
- When the carriage travels from left to right, the back bed needles only will
form knit loops and front bed needles only form tuck loops.

v) Half Cardigan Stitch:

 For 1st course,
- All cams at the front and back bed are in action
- When the carriage travels from right to left, the all needles will form knit
loops like 1×1 rib.
nd
 For 2 course,
- Both cardigan cams, at the front bed (A & B) are out of action.
- All cams at the back bed are in action
- When the carriage travels from left to right, the back bed needles only will
form knit loops and front bed needles only form tuck loops.
 vi) Needle drop design:
Needle drop designs or stitches can be produced on V-bed m/c by making needle-
beds with needles out of action, or idle. Needle drop designs can be produced on
- 2×3 rib
- 2x1 rib

Shape formation (fashioning):

Shaping by fully fashioning involves the movement of a small number of loops at the selvedge of
the fabric. Such movement reduces or increases the total number of loops being knitted. The
terms used in the industry for such movements are narrowing and widening, and collectively
fashioning.
To alter the shape of the panel, the courses are widened by increasing the number of knitting
needles or narrowed by eliminating needles at the selvedges.

The advantages of the fashioning process are:

 A considerable decrease in waste in the subsequent production stages. When the raw
materials used in the knitting operation are expensive like Lambswool, Angora or
Cashmere, the process is more attractive. There is little or no cutting waste.
 A reduction of some of the production stations such as marking, grading and cutting. The
labor cost in each country defines the importance of this point. In areas where higher
wages are paid the process become more attractive.
 The quality of a fashioned garment edge is much better than a cut edge. The edges of the
garment pieces are sealed and not liable to fraying, so can be joined by simple non-bulky
seams. With the correct making-up equipment, this method produces a higher class
garment.
 The shape of the panel is more accurate when produced during the knitting operation
rather than being cut later.

The disadvantages of the fashioning process are:

 A reduced machine productivity due to the need to transfer loops from one needle bed to
the other.
 The final shape of the garment has to be designed before the knitting procedure can be
started. This is too complicated for many knitters who are not prepared to be involved in
these operations.
 A somewhat higher level of designing skills has to be exercised. The fashioning
procedure has to be added to the regular patterning of the fabric.
 The making up operation of a fashioned garment requires a different type of sewing
machine to achieve a higher quality product.
Widening:
Widening is the process of increasing the width of the knitted fabric produced, by increasing the
number of working needles. To widen the width of a knitted piece, gradually needles are added -
thus stitches- at the selvedges. Generally, widening is done needle by needle.

Process of widening:
On flat knitting machines (e.g. V-bed knitting
machine) widening can be performed in two
ways:
- By putting in action the border needles
(one needle on either side, in a loop
course) and respectively extending the
working range of the yarn carrier;
- By transferring the border loops on the
needles just put in action and extending
the working range of the yarn carrier.

Narrowing:
Narrowing is the process of lessening the width of knitted fabric produced, by decreasing the
number of working knitting needles. In narrowing finer fabrics tending to involve more loops
than coarser fabrics.

Process of narrowing:
On flat knitting machines (e.g. V-bed knitting machine) narrowing can be
performed in two ways:
- By putting out of action the bordering needles and casting off their
loops; at the same time the working range of the yarn carrier should
respectively be decreased;
- By transferring the loops of the needles to be put out of action, on the
neighbouring needles, in order to prevent unraveling of the loops; the
working range of the yarn carrier should respectively be decreased.