KNITTING

DEFINITION

Knitting is the method of creating fabric by transforming

continuous strands of yarn a series of interlocking loops, each row
of such loop hanging by the one immediately preceding it. The
basic element of knit fabric structure is the loop intermeshed with
the loops adjacent to it on both side and above and bellows it.
 TERMS

Kink of Yarn: Per loop from a single yarn.

Knitted Loop: two loops intermeshed.
Knitted Stitch: Three loops intermeshed.

 Top Arc: Loop Head

 Bottom Half Arc
 Leg/ Side Limber
 Needle Loop
 Sinker Loop
 Close Loop

Open Loop
 • Wale: Vertical column of needle loop.
• Course: Horizontal row of needle loop.

Stitch Density: Wales per Inch × Course per Inch.

Stitch length: Needle loop + Sinker loop

•Extended sinker loop

Face loop
• Back loop

United Needle
Needle:
Independent Needle

Knitting M/C: there are three types of knitting M/C –

1. Warp knitting: Gives vertical movement of yarn.

2. Weft knitting: Gives horizontal movement of yarn.
3. Other loop forming and combined M/C: Tri-axial.
  Needle Carrier: Which carries needle.

 Number of Feed System: The number of

feeder by course.

 Working Diameter: In circular knitting m/c, the

distance from one needle exact to the other
needle is known as working dia.

 Working Width: In flat knitting m/c, the distance from first needle to the last needle is
known as working width.
 Gauge: Number of needle per inch.

 Pitch: The distance the center from one needle to the center of another needle is known
as pitch.

There Are Three Types Of Knitted Fabric

1. Selvage fabric
2. Cut edge fabric
3. Tubular fabric
• Open lap
• Close lap

 Over lap
 Under lap

O = over lap
U = under lap
 MECHANICAL PRINCIPAL OF KNITTING TECHNOLOGY

Basic Elements of Knitting

1. Needle
2. Sinker
3. Cam

1. NEEDLE: There are various types of needle are available in market

which can be divided in the following group.

a. Spring Bearded Needle

b. Latch Needle
c. Compound Needle
2. SINKER
 FUNCTION OF SINKER

There are three function of sinker.

1. Loop formation
2. Holding down
3. Knocking over

1. Loop Formation: On bearded needle weft knitting machines of straight bar frame and
sinker wheel type, the loop forming action is performed. The purpose of a sinker is to kink
the newly laid yarn into loop as its forward edge of advance between two adjoining needle.

2. Holding down Sinker: The second function is hold down the old loop a lower level on the
needle stem, then the new loop which are being formed and prevent to old loops from
being lifted as the needles rise to clear from their hooks.

3. Knocking Over Sinker: The third function of the sinker is to knock over the old loops on
the neck of the new loops.
 3. CAM
The knitting cams are hardened steels and they are the assembly of different cam plates so
that a track for butt can be arranged. Each needle movement is obtained by means of cams
acting on the needle butts.

The knitting cams are divided in to three groups. Such as

1. Knit cam
2. Tuck cam
3. Miss cam
 Knitting Action of Latch Needle of Knit Loop

1. Rest Position
5. Custom Position
2. Tuck Position
6. Knock over Position
3. Clearing Position
4. Feed Position
Knitting Action for Tuck Loop in Latch Needle
Knitting Action of Spring Bearded Needle (Knit Loop)
 PRIMARY BASIC STRUCTURES

Knitting Fabric Structure

1. Plain structure
2. Rib structure
3. Interlock structure
4. Purl structure

1. PLAIN STRUCTURE
Plain is produce by the needles setting as a single set, drawing the loops from technical
back and towards the technical face side of the fabric.
Example: jersey blister, jersey lily, stockinet etc.

2. RIB STRUCTURE
The structure which requires 2 sets of needle operating in between each other so that
Wales of face side and Wales of back sides are knitting on each side of fabric is called rib
structure.
Features of Plain Single Jersey Fabric
1. Used only one set of needle to produce fabric.
2. Simplest and most economical production.
3. 40% potential recovery stretching.
4. Probability of carling of yarn.
5. Technical face is smooth and v-shape can be seen through the Wales.
6. Technical back is rough and wave shape appeared at the back thought the course.
7. If one yarn breaks, the needle loops successively unmosh through course, this effect is
called laddering.
8. Unroving of yarn can be prevented by binding off.
Features of Plain Circular Knitting M/C
1. Single jersey is produce by plain circular knitting m/c.
2. One set of latch needle is used here.
3. Latch needle, sinker, cylinder, sinker ring revolve around the stationary knitting cam
system.
4. Yarn supplied from cone placed either on or integral overhead bobbin stand or on a
free standing side creel through tensioner, stop motion. Guide eyes down to the yarn
guide.
5. Stationary yarn feeder are situated at a regular interval around the
circumference of the cylinder.
6. The fabric in tubular form is drawn downward from inside the needle cylinder by
tension roller and is wound onto the fabric batching roller of winding frame.
7. The winding down mechanism revolves along with the fabric tube.
8. As the sinker cam plate is placed outside on the needle circle, the centerof the
cylinder is open and the m/c is referred as open top or sinker top m/c.
Features of Rib Structure
1. It is normally knitting with 2 sets of latch needle.
2. Rib has vertical card appearance.
3. 1×1 rib has the appearance of technical face of in fabric.
4. Released 1×1 rib is theoretically twice as thick and 1/2 the width of an equivalent
plain fabric.
5. It is more expensive fabric to produce than plain.
6. It can be unravel from the end knitted last by the free loops head through to the back
of each stitch.
7. It is a heavier structure.
8. It has no curling tendency.
9. Rib structures are elastic, form fitting and retain warmth better then plain structure.
 Uses: Rib is suitable particularly for the top of the socks, cuff, collar rib border of garments,
gloves etc.

FEATURES OF CIRCULAR RIB M/C

1. In this m/c, one sides of needle is arranged vertically in the in the cylinder and another
set of needle is arranged in the dial of the m/c.
2. Here both dial and cylinder rotates where cam with yarn feeder remain stationary.
3. The needle of dial and cylinder are arranged in different position alternatively.
4. No sinker is required for this m/c.
5. Not more than 2 cam tracks are possible for dial of this m/c.

3. FEATURES OF INTERLOCKING STRUCTURE

1. Interlocking has the technical face fabric as both sides.
2. Interlocking course requires 2-feeder per course.
3. Reverse loop cannot be seen.
4. Interlocking relaxes by about 30-40% on more compared with its knitting width.
5. This is balance, smooth, stable, structure.
6. Fabric is thickener, heavier, and narrower then rib of equivalent gauge.
7. Finer, better, more expensive yarn is required.
8. Bath horizontal and vertical stripe can be produced.
9. Production is lass.
4. FEATURE OF PURL STRUCTURE
1. It has the similar appearance to pearl droplets.
2. Purl structure have one or more Wales which contain both and back loop-.
3. Both sides’ needle and sinker loops are prominent.
4. The thick of the two needle bed in purl m/c.
5. Double ended batch needles are used in purl m/c.
6. To types of m/c is available for purl structure.
a) Flat m/c
b) Circular m/c
7. The simple purl structure is 1×1 purl.
8. Purl fabric is twice as thick as plain fabric.
KNITTING ACTION OF RIB CIRCULAR M/C
 Knitting Calculation

No. of feeder = No. of cam = No. of course.

No. of sinker = No. of needle = No. of loop = π D’’ G mm

Π D’’ G × l
Number of needle = m
1000 Here,
D’’ = cylinder dia
G = gauge
Π D’’ G l ×N
= ×F m L = stitch length
F = No. of feeder
1000 T = tex number
Π D’’ G l ×N ×F
= ×T gm.

1000×1000
Π D’’ G l ×N ×F ×T × 60 × 8
Production = kg/shift
1000×1000 × 1000
For single jersey:

Production in weight,
RPM of Cylinder × No. of feeder × π × Cylinder dia × gauge
× loop length (mm) × Tex × 60 × 8 × efficiency %
= kg/shift
1000 × 1000 × 1000

Production in length,

CPM RPM of cylinder × No of feeder × 60 × 8 × efficiency

CPI %= yards/shift

CPI × 36
For Double Jersey

Single jersey production in length

Production in length = yds/shift
2

Production in weight = Single jersey production in weight × 2 kg/shift

 Math-1
Given,
CPI = 66
Cylinder dia = 25’’
Cylinder RPM = 20
Loop length = 2.2
mm
Yarn count = 70
tex
Gauge = 22
No. of feeder = 90
Efficiency =90 %

Find the production of the m/c in weight and production in length. (Both single and double
jersey)
 PROOF

Here,

W×C×l
GSM = lb/inc 2
25.4 × 36 × 840 ×
Ne

W×C×l
= lb/inch2
768096 × Ne
1m= 39.37 inch.
1 inch= 1/39.37
1 lb= 453 gm
453
W×C×l
= × 1 2 gm/m 2
768096 × Ne 39.37

W×C×l
= × 453 × (39.37)2
768096 × Ne
W × C × l ×0.915
= W×C×l × 702148.5957 gm/m 2 = gm/m2
Ne
768096 ×
Ne