VASANT R KOTHARI has done Master’s in Textiles Technology from DKTE’s Textile and

Engineering Institute, Ichalkaranji (Shivaji University, Kolhapur), Maharashtra. He has also

done Diploma in Export Management (Apparel Export) from the Indian Institute of Export
Management, and Garment Export and Merchandising Management from NIFT, Bangalore.
Presently, he’s working as an Assistant Professor in Department of Fashion Technology, NIFT,
Bangalore. (This is his seventeenth input from the series of articles in Knitting Views).

R aschel machines were developed by
Wilhelm Brafuss, it is named after the
famous French Actress, Raschel Flex.
Until the mid-fifties, the raschel industry
tended to be small, employing slow,
cumbersome but versatile coarse-gauge
universal raschels. The development of
modern specific-purpose raschels dates
from 1956, when a 12 guide bar raschel
machine led to the rise of the raschel
lace industry.
The raschel knit ranks in importance of
production with tricot, but it surpasses it
in variety of products, which range from
veilings and laces to power nets for
foundation garments to such pile fabrics
as carpets. The raschel knit is made with
latched needles rather than the bearded
type used or tricot, Milanese, and simplex.
The raschel fabrics can usually be
distinguished from tricot fabrics in that
raschel construction are made with heavy
yarns and usually have an intricate, lace
like pattern, whereas tricot constructions
are made with fine yarns and are either flat
or have a simple geometric pattern.
Raschel machine
Fig 17.1 shows the cross sectional view of
raschel warp knitting machine. The figure
shows the arrangements of various warp
knitting elements of the knitting zone, supply
beams, take down device and drive. Raschel
machines gauge is expressed in the standard
E gauge (needles per inch). There is a wide
gauge range, from E 1 to E 32. The finest
gauge single bed raschel is E 40. It can knit
lightweight foundation and swimwear at
speeds between 1,900 and 2,200 rpm in a
yarn count of approximately 80 dtex.

26/KNITTING VIEWS/SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2012

The warp supply beams of the raschel
machines are placed above the machine.
This enables easy accessible at the front
for fabric inspection and the back for the
mechanical attention to the knitting
elements. The guide bars are numbered from
the front towards the back of the machine.
More number of supply beams can be
accommodated in raschel knitting so that
atleast four 32 inch diameters beams or large
numbers of small diameter pattern beams
are engaged. Larger number of warp beams
necessitates larger number of guide bars
with raschel machine. Raschel fabrics are
knitted on machines having two to forty-
eight guide bars, which accounts for the
wide variety of fabrics. Programming the
large number of guide bars can be very
complex and expensive.The warp sheets are
taken through tension rails, which are the
tension compensating devices.
The fabric is drawn downwards from the
needles, almost parallel to the needle bar, The warp supply beams
at an angle of 120-160 degrees, by a series
of the raschel machines
of take-down rollers. The warp beams are
arranged above the needle bar, centred
are placed above the
over the rocker shaft, so that warp sheets machine. This enables
pass down to the guide bars on either easy accessible at the
side of it. front for fabric inspection
and the back for the
Loop formation on raschel mechanical attention to
machine the knitting elements.
Fig. 17.2 shows the main elements
involved in the loop formation of a latch
needle raschel machine. The various
figures from 17.3 to 17.8 show the
sequence of events in one knitting cycle.
In order to have perfect wrapping of yarn
within the hook position, the latch
needles in raschel are longer as compare
to latch needles in weft knitting.
Holding down: In the holding down
position as shown in fig 17.3 the needle
head is just in line with the loop edge of the
trick plate. The guide bars are at the front Fig. 17.5: Overlap Fig. 17.6:
of the machine, completing their under lap Returning swing

shog. The sinker bar moves forward to hold

the fabrics down whilst the needle bar
starts to rise from knock-over.
Returning swing: As the guide bars swing
to the front, as shown in Fig 17.6 the warp
threads wrap into the needle hooks.
Latch closing: The needle bar descends
so that the old overlaps contact and close
the latches, trapping the new overlaps
inside. The sinker bar now starts to
move forward.

Fig 17.1: Cross sectional view of raschel

knitting machine

Fig. 17.3: Fig. 17.4: Clearing

Holding down

Clearing: In clearing position, as shown

Fig 17.2: Knitting elements of raschel machine
in Fig 17.4, the needle bar rises to its full
height; the old overlaps slip down onto
the stems after opening the latches,
which are prevented from flicking closed
by latch wires. The sinker bar then starts
to withdraw to allow the guide bars
to overlap.
Overlap: The sinker bar starts to withdraw
and the guide bars swing to the back of
the machine and then shog for the overlap.
Fig. 17.7: Latch Fig. 17.8: Knocking
closing over
Knocking-over and underlap: As the
needle bar continues to descend further,
its head passes below the surface of the
trick-plate, drawing the new overlap
through the old overlap which is cast-off.

KNITTING VIEWS/SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2012/ 27


Fig 17.9: Raschel machine with
a) One bed and b) Two beds
Fig 17.10: Working diagrams of single
bed raschel
The trick plate supports the old loop and
the sinker advance towards the trick-plate,
the under lap shog of the guide bar starts.
Fig 17.10 shows the holding down
position (1). The sinkers hold the fabric
down. Needle bar rises to its full height.
28/KNITTING VIEWS/SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2012
Fig 17.11: Working diagrams of double bed
raschel
Old overlaps slip down onto the stems.
Overlap (2), return swing, latch closing.
And knock-over (3) and underlap.
Fig 17.11 shows the two courses (one
machine revolution) needs three swings
of guide bars. In this case there is an
alternate action of the beds. Bed which is
not active will keeps the fabric down
instead of the sinkers.
Raschel fabrics
Raschel fabrics, like tricot fabrics, are warp-
knit fabrics, and, therefore, share many of
their characteristics. The principle of
knitting in tricot knits is identical to the
principle of knitting in raschel knits. The
significant differences between tricot and
raschel are that raschel knitting machinery
utilises latch needles rather than spring
beard needles and has anywhere from four
to more than 50 yarn guide bars. The large
number of yarn guide bars in raschel
knitting provides the potential for great
variation in raschel knit fabric. Sometimes
more than one needle bar is used.
Raschel knitting systems
can produce fabrics
ranging from fine lace like
material to heavy blankets
and even carpets. Each of
these, of course, is done
on different gauges of
raschel machines.
Raschel machines are extremely versatile.
It can knit every type of yarn made of
any kind of fibre, including metallic and
glass, and in any form, whether staple or
filament, standard or novelty. This
versatility naturally extends the possible
characteristics and properties of the
fabrics produced.
Raschel knitting systems can produce
fabrics ranging from fine lace like material
to heavy blankets and even carpets. Each
of these, of course, is done on different
gauges of raschel machines. These
knitting systems are capable of producing
fabrics with interesting surface effects,
almost to the point of being three-
dimensional. Raschel knits do not stretch
significantly and are often bulky;
consequently, they are often used as an
unlined material for coats, jackets, straight
skirts and dress
(In the next session, we would be
discussing about compound needle
warp knitting machine.)