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A New Technique for Feeding Yarn in a Flat Bed Knitting Machine

P K Choy, J Atkinson and T Dias Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part E: Journal of Process Mechanical Engineering 1995 209: 151 DOI: 10.1243/PIME_PROC_1995_209_242_02 The online version of this article can be found at: http://pie.sagepub.com/content/209/2/151

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151

Technical Note

A new technique for feeding yarn in a flat bed knitting machine

P K Choy, BEng
Departments of Textiles and Mechanical Engineering, University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, Manchester

J Atkinson, BSc, MSc, PhD, CEng, MIMechE Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, Manchester T Dias, Dip1 Ing, Dr Ing Department of Textiles, University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, Manchester
The quality o f knitted fabric panels is o f considerable importance to the knitwear industries. The latest development inflat bed knitting technology improves the eficiency of the production by knitting fully fashioned fabric panels that are to exact shape and size. This f time for the making-up process, but garment manufacturers are still facing the dijliculty greatly reduces the cutting waste and length o o j retaining dimensional stability of the knitted panels. One of the signijicant factors influencing this undesired property is input yarn tension variation. The analysis o f this problem is described and a new method o f yarn feeding is also suggested. This method utilizes storage yarn feed to eliminate the undesired effect o f yarn feed speed variation and has been applied as a prototype. The results show a promising and satisfactory improvement in the fabric quality. Key words: flat bed knitting machine, fabric panels, input yarn tension, yarn feeding

NOTATION

fabric structure constants length of knitted fabric panel stitch length number of knitted rows number of needles time taken to knit one course yarn input tension tension before capstan tension after capstan yarn feeder traverse velocity run-in yarn velocity resultant yarn velocity width of knitted fabric panel

the fabric dimensions are dimcult to predict and to control. The causes of the variation in dimension of knitted panels can be listed as follows: (a) dimensional variations due to change of stitch
shape;

(b) dimensional variations due to change of stitch length.

1.1 Stitch shape variations

0
P

angle of wrap mean coefficient of friction between yarn and the knitting element
1 INTRODUCTION

In flat bed knitting the fabric is subjected to tension from the fabric take-down rollers or holding-down sinkers during the stitch formation process, thus straining and distorting the stitches. The shape of stitch depends on the relaxation conditions such as dry relaxation, steaming, washing, centrifuging and tumble drying.
1.2 Stitch length variations

Garment panels can be knitted to the required shape, known as fully shaped panels, using present technology, but flat bed knitting users still face the problem of controlling the dimensions of individual panels. In fact, the dimensions of individual knitted panels can vary from between 5 and 10 per cent of their nominal length or width (1). Therefore, fully fashioned garment panels are knitted at the present time with an extra allowance, that is with a 5-10 per cent waste factor. Knitted fabric structures are elastic by nature, which is mainly due to the geometrical binding of yarns in the form of stitches. The dimensions of a knitted panel are the result of the effect of the shape and the size of the individual stitches as suggested by Munden (2). Thus
The M S was received on 2 June 1994 and was accepted for publication on 28 February 1995.

The research of Munden (2) shows that, in relaxed f rows of stitches knitted structures, the number o (courses) and the number of columns of stitches (wales) in a unit length are inversely proportional to the stitch length. Therefore the dimensions of a knitted fabric panel can be calculated as follows: Length of a knitted fabric panel :
Ikp

= c,N~ Ist

(1)

Width of a knitted fabric panel:

(2) Equations (1) and (2) indicate that the dimensions of knitted fabric panels can be made reproducible by knitting the stitches of equal length. The relaxed dimensions are determined by the length of yarn knitted into each stitch and are unaffected by other knitting variables (3). One of the significant parameters affecting the stitch length is the yarn tension. According to Buhler et al. (4),
wkp

c2 Nn

1st

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P K CHOY, J ATKINSON AND T DIAS

average yarn tension values up to 150 cN have to be expected during stitch formation. Buhler et al. also stated that short-term yarn tension peaks of 600-1OOO cN are not unknown. Yarn will be elongated when it is under tension and the stitch size becomes smaller when it is removed from the machine. The phenomenon of robbing back described by Lau and Knapton (5) and Munden (2) is another significant factor influencing the stitch length, resulting in a smaller stitch. This undesired reduction in stitch length is proportional to the yarn tension.
1.3 Yam tension

The model suggested by Probst (6) describes the yarn tension built up along the yarn feed path. For a run-in yarn tension of 3.0 cN, the yarn tension at the takeback spring can be calculated by applying Eulers capstan equation :

T,,, = ~;,e (3) The take-back spring has to compensate for 4 . 5 cN in the yarn feeder, position 2 in Fig. 1, and for 6.7 cN at the yarn guides, positions 3 and 4. Under these conditions, the tension at the yarn return spring is approximately 14.0cN. Thus the cymbal yarn tensioner should be set to a value that is slightly higher than 14.0cN in order to take back the yarn and maintain it straight. However, the setting of the cymbal yarn tensioner to 15.0 cN would result in the input yarn tension building up to a value as high as 48.0 cN during knitting. Yarn tension varies during the knitting of alternate courses and the variation is caused by the pulling of unequal lengths of yarn from the yarn package. The tension depends on the direction of the yarn feeder movement, as shown in Fig. 1. When the yarn feeder travels away from the yarn feed side of the machine, the knitted length of yarn (V,c) plus an additional length corresponding to the distance travelled by the yarn feeder ( V ,c) will be drawn off from the yarn package. O n the return travel, the length drawn from the yarn package will be equal to the length of the knitted yarn (V,c) minus the distance travelled by the yarn feeder ( V ,t). This alternate motion results in a yarn feed velocity variation as shown in Fig. 2, and can be expressed mathematically as
(4) According to work suggested by Rieder (I), the yarn tension is directly proportional to the yarn feed velocity
Take-back

traverse away from yam feed side

traverse towards yam feed side

Fig. 2 Resultant yarn feed velocity

because of frictional forces induced by the yarn guides and the tensioners along the yarn path, as shown in Fig. 1. These frictional forces exert an influence on the stitch formation and limit the maximum knitting speed. Most of the existing yarn feeding methods available in industry apply yarn feeding techniques at either, or both, sides of the machine. However, even if the yarn tension can be controlled accurately in position 4 (that is at the side of the machine) shown in Fig. 1, the problem of the yarn tension variation, at the needles, arising from the reciprocating yam feeder traverse has not been solved. Thus, these variations have to be compensated for unless control can be exercised just before the yarn is laid on to the needles in position 3. In fact, Rieder (1) found evidence of an exponential increase of the yarn tension with increasing carriage velocity during knitting.
2 A NEW APPROACH TO FEEDING YARN (7)

v, = v, & v,

r 4
Yam feeder traverse

Fig. 1 Yarn feed path of flat bed knitting machine

Part E : Journal of Process Mechanical Engineering

The yarn velocity variation can be minimized by eliminating the yarn feeder velocity component V , in equation (4). This would result in a situation similar to that in circular knitting. In high-speed circular knitting machines the yarn tension is maintained at a low constant level of 2-3 cN with positive yarn feeding, and this approach has become very successful in the control of fabric quality. The objective may be achieved by integrating a yarn accumulator (storage) feeding device directly on to the yarn feeder. Such an arrangement would not only eliminate yarn tension variation but would make it possible to lay yarn into the knitting needles at very low tension. Such a device can store a certain length of yarn in a compact form and allow the residual stress within the stored yarn to be relieved. By this means, the arrangement can compensate for the undesired yarn tension arising from the variation in yarn feed velocity. The difficulty in storing yarn on to the feeder is that the length of stored yarn will be limited by the dimensions of the feeder and the yarn has to be stored in a compact form
(4 IMcchE 1995

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A NEW TECHNIQUE FOR FEEDING YARN IN A FLAT BED KNITTING MACHINE

153

A air

Compressed

occurred. However, system breakdown can happen when the take-back tension is not enough due to incorrect adjustment of air pressure on the take-back accumulator shown in Fig. 3.
3 RESULTS

\Take-back

accumulator

Fig. 3 A schematic diagram of the accumulator feeding device

Figure 5a shows the yarn tension variation during stitch formation when the machine knits a complete course. The tension is measured directly at the yarn feeder before the yarn is laid on to the needles. The tension builds up to 49 CN and decreases to an average value of 20 cN with the conventional yarn feed method without using the accumulator. However, this is reduced to about 1.5 cN with the yarn accumulator installed. According to Munden's work (2), the stitch length is determined by the input tension rather than by any other knitting parameter. Therefore any change in the stitch length of the knitted fabric is the result of the change of yarn input tension. The stitch length, which is inversely proportional to the yarn feed speed, clearly
t Conventional feed + Feed with accumulator

so that a reasonable length is continuously available during the stitch formation process. The present design aim is to store yarn in the form of loosely packed layers. Figure 3 shows the concept of yarn storage in compact form without entanglement. The accumulator consists of a cavity into which yarn is blown by mean of compressed air. The yarn is stored as layers due to the air flow inside the cavity. A schematic diagram of the device is shown in Fig. 3. In addition, a friction yarn feed roller pulls yarn from the yarn package to make it available at the side of the machine. This arrangement increases the efficiency of the yarn feeding. Figure 4 shows an accumulator installed on to a flat bed electronic knitting machine. The size of accumulator is similar to the ordinary yarn feeder and allows several feeders to operate on a single knitting process. In the case of knitting with several accumulator feeders, the compressed air has to be supplied from the carriage with appropriate adaptors and regulated to the correct pressure for different yarn skin frictional properties. The device has been used for more than 20 short knitting trials (for example 30 minutes) on a modern electronic machine. During these tests no breakdown

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.3

0.6

0.4 0.2

01 0

t
I

Conventional + accumulator
feed Feed with
L
I
I , , 5

0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9

"c mls

1.1 1.2

Fig. 4 The new yam feeder installed o n to a knitting machine (second from the left is the accumulator yam feeder)
Q IMechE 1995

Fig. 5 (a) The effect of accumulator feed method on yarn tension (b) The effect of knitting speed stitch length
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P K CHOY, J ATKINSON AND T DIAS

increases when knitting with the aid of an accumulator, as shown in Fig. 5b. These results demonstrate the difference in stitch length between knitting with and without the new yarn feeding method. There is about a 20 per cent increase in stitch length when using the accumulator feed method.
4 CONCLUSIONS

that exhibit a more relaxed structure and a larger stitch size in comparison with that obtained from the conventional method. This is an encouraging result as it plainly shows that the yarn tension has been appropriately reduced to give a decided improvement in fabric quality.

The yarn tension variation problem on the flat bed weft knitting machine has been described. The dimensional stability of the knitted fabric panel is influenced by the size and shape of the stitches. The stitch size is directly influenced by the input yarn tension. In most of the existing techniques, the yarn tension has been controlled before the yarn enters the yarn feeder. Therefore these feeding systems still cannot solve the fundamental problem because the tension induced by the yarn feeder traverse velocity is not compensated for. The yarn feeding method proposed here does not suffer from this drawback since it allows the yarn tension control to take place near to the knitting needles. Experiments with this new yarn feed method have produced fabrics

REFERENCES
1 Rider, 0. Schwankungen in den Maschenwarendimcnsionen und

3
4
5

Mach nahmen zur Minimierung. Wirkerei- u. Strickerei-Technik, 1990,40(8), 842-848. Munden, D. L . Geometry and dimensional properties of plain knitted fabrics. J . Text. Inst., July 1959,50(7). Munden, D. L. A study of the mechanism of loop formation on weft knitting machinery. Text. Res. J., 1966,33, 1072-1080. Biihler, G., Rider, 0. and Haussler, W. Verbesserung der Produktion in der Strickerei durch Vermeidung der Faserflugprobleme. AIF-Nr 5295, AbschluDbericht, September 1985. Lau, T. W. Y. and Knnpton, J. J. F. Design and dynamics of nonlinear cams for use in high speed weft knitting machine. J. Text. Inst., June 1978,69(6), 169-185. Probst, H. New yarn feed systems lor Aat knitting machines. Int. Text. Bull. Fabric Forming, 1989,3, 50-62. UMIST Br. Pat. Application 9313225.6.

Part E: Journal of Process Mechanical Engineering

Q IMechE 1995

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