L
eading textile manufacturers strive to be innovative and forward-thinking as producers,
and new machinery from suppliers helps the producer stay on the cutting edge. The knitting segment
is no stranger to this drive for innovation, and with knitwear as popular as ever and increasingly
used in all segments of the industry from medical to outerwear applications,
Textile World Asia
presents new developments from three knitting machine suppliers.
Karl Mayer Malimo
At ITMA Asia + CITME 2010, Karl Mayer Malimo, the technical textiles business unit of Karl
Mayer Textilmaschinenfabrik GmbH, Germany, introduced the RS MSU S warp-knitting machine with
parallel weft insertion, the first model to feature Karl Mayer’s new Weftronic platform. The
company has significantly re-engineered the weft insertion system, using a new weft chain on both
sides of the knitting machine. These chains — in addition to the newly-designed main components of
the machine including the transfer system, yarn-laying carriage and yarn take-off device for the
creel — comprise the Weftronic platform. Going forward, Karl Mayer plans to incorporate Weftronic
on all of its weft-insertion knitting machines.
Weftronic offers a working width that is 600 millimeters wider than previous-generation
machines. While the knitting speed remains the same, the wider working width of 268 inches results
in a faster square-meter output of fabric.
Weftronic’s design makes all main components easily accessible, and the machine is made up
of compatible component groups. In addition, the company reports assembly costs and the
amortization period are reduced because Weftronic is integrated rapidly into the manufacturing
process.
Karl Mayer Malimo is in the process of developing a Weftronic model with a working width of
138 inches that should be available before the end of the year.
Santoni
Santoni S.p.A., Italy, currently is expanding its seamless knitting expertise into the
outerwear market. The SM8 TR1 single jersey weft-knitting machine for seamless casual sportswear is
fitted with knitting needles that feature a patented collared design that allows stitches to be
transferred for mesh- or eyelet-type knit stitches in any area of a garment. Santoni reports the
resulting fabric is breathable and secure and has an even surface. The machine also offers the
ability to use two different yarns in the fabric construction to create a plated or double-faced
fabric providing, for example, moisture-management properties via a polypropylene yarn and comfort
via a cotton yarn. The machine has eight feeds and is available in gauges 16 to 24.
Another new machine from Santoni is the SWD 6/2J warp knitting machine for seamless apparel.
Santoni emphasizes the following features of the machine: dynamic, precise linear motors to control
each knitting bar; a compact jacquard selection system using ceramic piezo transducers; vital
control of the oscillating knitting bars; and a new computer-aided design system. The SWD 6/2J also
features advanced electronics and controls that allow for operation and fine machine settings to be
programmed using a display panel menu. No gauges or mechanical tools are necessary.
Santoni’s SWD 6/2J warp-knitting machine for seamless apparel features advanced electronics and
programmable controls, and needs no gauges or mechanical tools.
Stoll
H. Stoll GmbH & Co. KG, Germany, stresses the flexibility of its machines featuring the
Stoll-multi gauges® technology, which makes it possible for a manufacturer to produce garments in
different gauges on the same machine without changing needles or gauges. All knitting styles —
including jacquard, structured knits and intarsia — can be created using the Stoll-multi gauges.
Optional intarsia yarn feeders can simply be slid onto the machine, resulting in a quick machine
conversion requiring little to no downtime. Stoll CMS machines also feature needle and holding-down
technology that allows knitting of structured patterns — such as arans, cables and pertinet — as
well as net, striped or twill fabric backs.
Stoll reports the CMS 530 HP multi gauge machine is its most flexible flat knitting machine.
It has a gauge range of E 2,5.2 to E 8.2, which produces a finished fabric gauge from E 3 to E 16,
depending on the knitting technique used and the yarn selected. The machine features a working
width starting at 50 inches and the Stoll-multiflex® take-down system, and comes standard with a
clamping and cutting device that has 2×8 individual clamping and cutting points.
Stoll’s CMS 530 HP multi gauge machine, which can handle a range of yarn types, is the
company’s most flexible flat knitting machine
The CMS 530 HP can handle a variety of yarn types and sizes from natural to man-made and
special effect yarns. If the basic machine model is modified with additional equipment, it also can
knit technical fibers and unusual materials such as metal wires — a useful feature for a knitter
involved in manufacturing specialized technical textiles and medical textiles.
In addition to the machine’s flexibility, Stoll emphasizes its efficient operation. Three
compact knitting/transfer systems found on the CMS 530 optimize knitting/ transfer/knitting
changeover. Stoll’s rapid carriage return (RCR) system offers a short carriage path and carriage
reversal time, which reduces non-productive machine time to a minimum.
October/November/December 2010