Fabric

Manufacturing
Engineering-I
 Knitting
JAHID KHAN
LECTURER,
DEPATMENT OF TEXTILE ENGINEERING,
PORT CITY INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY.
KNITTING
Knitting can be defined as the process of producing fabric by the
process of interlooping with a series of loop.
CLASSIFICATION OF KNIT FABRIC

KNIT FABRIC

WARP KNIT WARP KNIT

TRICOT CROCHET RASCHEL MILANESE

SINGLE JERSEY DOUBLE JERSEY PURL INTERLOCK

KNITTING TYPES

WARP KNITTING: The knitting process in which each loop forms in vertical
direction from different threads to produce knit fabric.
WEFT KNITTING: The knitting process in which loops form in horizontal
direction by one thread to produce knit fabric.

WEFT KNIT WARP KNITTING

KNITTING TERMS
Course :
The series of loops those are connected horizontally, continuously are called as
course.
Wales :
The series of loops that intermeshes vertically are known as Wales.
Stitch density
Stitch density refers to the total number of loops in a measured area of fabric.
It is the total number of needle loops in a given area (such as a square inch
Stitch density= Wales density x Courses density
=Wales per inch X Courses per inch
= WPI X CPI

Needle gauze
The number of needles in one inch of a needle bed is called needle gauge. It is
denoted by G.
KNITTING TERMS
Needle pitch:
The distance or space required in between two neighboring needles is called Needle pitch.

Stitch length
The length of yarn required to produce a complete knitted loop is known as
stitch length or loop length. SL=H+2L
Knit Loops: The knit loop is created by knit Cam

Miss or float Loop: A miss loop or float loop is composed of a held loop one or more
float loop and knitted loops. It is produced when a needle holding its old fails to receive
the new yarn that passes as a float loop to the back of the needle and to reverse of the
stitch.

Tuck Loops: A tuck loop is composed of a held loop one or more tuck loop and knitted
loops.
DIFFERENCES
KNITTING WEAVING
1. The process by which fabric is 1. The process by which fabric is produced by
produced by set of connected loops interlacing two sets of threads (warp and
from a series of yarn in weft or warp weft) according to design.
direction is called knitting
[Link] set of yarn is used in this 2. Two sets of yarm is used in
method, this method.
[Link] not required sizing. 3. Required sizing.
[Link] need of yarn preparation. 4. Need of yarn,preparation.
[Link] capacity knitting is more. 5. Production of knitting is less.
[Link] production cost. 6. Higher production cost.
[Link] 52% fabrics produced in textile 7. About 48% fabrics produced in textile
sector. sector.
[Link] is advantageous in knitted 8. Finishing disadvantageous in knitted fabric.
fabric.
[Link] is used in loop formation. 9. Weaving is used in shade formation.
10. Knitted fabric has elastic properties 10. Woven fabric has no elastic
DIFFERENCES
WARP KNITTING WEFT KNITTING
1. The loops are produce to the length 1. The loops are produce to the width
wise of fabric wise of fabric
2. The threads runs in horizontal direction
[Link] threads runs in vertical direction
3. Each loop of horizontal direction 3. Each loop of horizontal direction
made from different threads made from same threads
4. Elastic to the length. 4. Elastic to the width.
5. It is less elastic 5. It is more elastic
6. Less shrinkage% 6. More shrinkage%
7. At least one yarn is needed for each
7. Any number of needle
needle
8. Use to produce coarser fabric 8. Use to produce thin fabric
 The elements without which it is not possible to
KNITTING ELEMENTS: produce knit fabric by knitting is known as
knitting elements

Knitting Elements

Needle Cam Sinker

Latch Needle Knit Cam Loop Formation

Bearded Needle Tuck Cam Holding Down

Compound Needle Miss Cam Knocking over

Needle 1. Butt
2. Butt height
Irrespective of the knitting technology, the machine
3. Back shank
element which helps in forming the loop is called needle.
4. Stem
Latch, bearded and compound needles are used
5. Crimp
depending on the type of knitting machine. Latch
6. Groove
needle is most popularly used in weft knitting and Raschel
7. Cheek
warp knitting machine.
8. Hook
9. Hook width
Latch Needle 10. Latch
It consists of a hook portion at the top and a latch riveted 11. Rivet
at a certain distance from needle head. It’s a self acting
needle.
Bearded Needle
It consists of a top hook curved downward with a finished
tip and the downward continuation is called beard. A
small eye groove is cut in stem to receive the tip point

Compound Needle
It consists of a hollow steel tube of fine gauze in which
hook closing element which is also a steel tube of finer
gauze is inserted
CAM
Cam is used to produce the track for needle so that the needle rise and fall when
passing though the cam.
Knit Cam
The cam which is used to produce knit loop is known as knit cam
Miss Cam
The cam which is used to produce miss loop is known as miss cam
Tuck Cam
The cam which is used to produce tuck loop is known as tuck cam

Knit Cam Tuck Cam Miss Cam

SINKER
It is a thin metal plate with an individual or a collective action operating
approximately at right angles from the hook side of the needle bed, between
adjacent needles.
Loop forming sinker
On bearded needle weft knitting machines of the straight bar frame and
sinker-wheel type (as on Lee’s hand frame), the main purpose of a sinker is
to sink or kink the newly laid yarn into a loop as its forward edge or catch
(C) advances between the two adjacent needles.

Holding down sinker

The second and more common function of sinkers on modern machines
is to hold down the old loops at a lower level on the needle stems than
the new loops that are being formed, and to prevent the old loops from
being lifted as the needles rise to clear them from their hooks

Knock over sinker

The third function of the sinker – as a knock-over
surface – is illustrated in Fig. where its upper surface or
belly (B) supports the old loop (O) as the new loop
(NL) is drawn through it.
CAM OPERATION

❖ The upward movement of the needle is obtained by

the rising cams or clearing cams. The rising cam
places the needle at a certain level as it approaches
the yarn area.
❖ The stitch cam draws the needle down below the
knitting level, thereby drawing a loop formed by the
fed yarn through the loop already on the needle.
❖ The lowest point to which the needle is drawn by the
stitch cam is called the "cast-off" position. They are
screwed to the cylindrical cam ring and are
adjustable in vertical direction.
❖ If the stitch cam is raised, then shorter loop is drawn
below the sinker level and a tighter fabric will result.
❖ With lowering of stitch cam, a reverse result is
obtained. Guard cams keep the needle butts in their
raceway.
SINKER OPERATION
1. The held loop is positioned in the throat of the sinker
when the sinker moves toward ana the needle moves
upward for clearing. The held loop is held by the throat
and hence its movement along the needle is
restricted.
2. The sinker remains at its forward position when the
needle attains its clearing position.
3. The sinker retracts when the needle comes down after
feeding. At this stage, due to sinkers retraction, fabric or
held loop is eased out. Also the sinker belly supported the
fabric or held loop and hence its movements along the
needle is prevented.
4. Sinker remains in backward position and the needle
descends to its lowest position draw- ing the new loop
through the old one.
5. Before the needle ascends, the sinker moves forward
to push the knitted fabric a little and to hold the old loop
away from the head of the needle and to be in a position
to control the fabric.
LOOP FORMATION OF LATCH NEEDLE
 In the running position, the held old loop rests on the top of the open latch.
 Clearing occurs as the held loop slips of the latch and on to the stem as the needle
moves upwards.
 A downward movement enables the needle hook to engage a new piece of yarn. This
is known as feeding. As the needles continue downwards the latch is forced to close
under the influence of the held loop.
 Knock over occurs as the help loop disengages from the needle. Following knock over,
the loop pulling occurs and a new knit loop is formed.
 The needle must return now to the running position to complete the cycle. This is
essential, otherwise, cleaning, knock over and loop pulling would not take place.