Aspects of Knitting Science

1 Knitted loop-shape and loop-length co

ntrol
Dimensional changes can also occur during production, or wa
shing and wearing, when problems of shrinkage and size vari
ation can cause customer dissatisfaction and increased produ
ction costs.
During the 1950s, HATRA investigated the problems of knitted
garment size variation and created a much clearer understan
ding of the influence of stitch length on knitted fabric dim
ensions. It was thus able to establish three basic laws govern
ing the behavior of knitted structure:
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Loop length is the fundamental unit of weft knitted struct

ure.

Loop shape determines the dimensions of the fabric,

and this shape depends upon the yarn used and the treat
ment that the fabric has received.

The relationship between loop shape and loop length m

ay be expressed in the form of simple equations.

The introduction of yarn loop-length measuring and yarn fee

d control devices, has accelerated improvements in shrin
k-resist and fabric relaxation treatments, and has provided
a basis for the theory of knitted fabric geometry.
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2 Loop length
Loop lengths combine in the form of course leng
ths and it is these that influence fabric dimensio
ns and other properties, including weight. Variati
ons in course length between one garment and
another can produce size variations, whilst cour
se length variations within structures can produc
e horizontal barriness and impair the appearanc
e of the fabric.
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Course length measurements can be obtained

by unroving the yarn from a knitted fabric.
Two types of meter may be employed to mo
nitor yarn feed during knitting- yarn length co
unters and yarn speed meters.

Monitoring every feed of a large diameter m

ulti-feeder machine is time-consuming and
provides no guarantee that the course lengt
h will remain constant after measuring. Posi
tive feed devices are designed to overcome
this problem.

3 Warp let-off

In the form of run-in, it is determined by the warp let-off whi

ch is either negative or positive.

In the first arrangement, tension on the warp causes it to be

pulled from the beam ad it turns against a controlled frictio
n.

In the second arrangement, the warp beams are positively

driven to deliver a predetermined run-in.

On multi-guide bar raschel and tricot lace machines, the sp

ot beams that supply the partly-threaded pattern guide bars
are completely negatively turned.
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An intermittent negative-brake-type let-off may be e

mployed on slow speed (below 600cpm) machine t
hat are knitting fabrics from full-sized beams.

On high-speed raschel and tricot machines, the ligh

tweight tension rails are completely separate and c
an oscillate rapidly at high knitting speeds. Each wa
rp beam shaft has a separate positive drive and wa
rp-speed-to-machine-speed adjustment arrangeme
nt.
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4 Weft knitted fabric relaxation and shrinka

ge

Changes of dimension after knitting can create major pro

blems in garments and fabrics, especially those produced
from hydrophilic fibers such as wool and cotton. Articles k
nitted from synthetic thermoplastic fibers such as nylon a
nd polyester can be heat-set to a shape or to dimensions
that are retained unless the setting conditions are exceed
ed during washing and wearing.

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It is now possible to achieve a shrink/feltin

g-resist finish in wool yarns during spinnin
g so that, as with cotton yarns, little yarn s
hrinkage will occur during washing and we
aring.

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Knitted fabrics tend to change dimensions in width and length

after being taken off the machine, even without yarn shrinkag
e, indicating a change of loop shape rather than of loop lengt
h.

There are a number of states which may be achieved by diffe

rent relaxation conditions, such as dry relaxation, steaming, s
tatic soaking, washing with agitation, centrifuging, and tumble
drying.

A satisfactory relaxation technique applied during the finishin

g of cotton fabric in continuous length form is the compacting
or compressive shrinkage technique.
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5 Knitted fabric geometry

Doyle

S -- stitch density
l -- loop length
-- a constant independent of yarn and
machine variables.

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Munden

R= loop shape factor

His k values for plain worsted fabrics in dry and

wet relaxed states were supplemented latter by
values proposed by Knapton for a fully relaxed
state that required agitation of the fabric.
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It is now thus possible to pre-determine the fully-rela

xed dimensions of shrink-resist treated plain knitted
wool fabric before knitting.
Compactness is an important fabric property that infl
uences durability, drape, handle, strength, abrasion r
esistance, dimensional stability and, in the case of w
ool, felting behaviour.

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6 Tightness factor
Originally termed the cover factor but now
referred to as the tightness factor (TF), he
defined it as the ratio of the area covered
by the yarn in one loop to the area occupi
ed by that loop.

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7 Robbing back

Knapton and Munden suggested the phenomenon

of robbing back to be the reason why the measur
ed loop length in a knitted structure is smaller than
the theoretical loop length when calculated from th
e depth of the stitch cam setting, as well as the re
ason for fluctuations in input tension producing lar
ge variations in loop length.

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As the needles descend the stitch cam, the t

ension required to pull yarn from the packag
e increases rapidly and it becomes easier to
rob back yarn in the opposite direction from t
he already-formed loops of needles further b
ack that are then beginning to raise from thei
r lowest position.

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8 Needle bounce and high-speed knittin

g

The horizontal cam track sections have been reduced to a

minimum whilst needle hooks and latches have been reduc
ed in size wherever possible in order to reduce the extent of
the needle movement between the clearing and knock-over
points.
Knitting bounce is a major problem in high speed knitting.
This is caused by the needle butt being suddenly checked b
y the impact of hitting the upper surface of the up-throw ca
m after it has accelerated away from the lowest point of the
stitch cam.
To reduce this effect, a separate cam is often used to guide
these butts at a more gradual angle.
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9 The Cadratex unit

The Cadratex unit replaces the conventional spre
ader with two complementary elements, one insid
e and the other outside the fabric tube, that caus
e the tube to adopt a square cross-section and th
en a gradually flatter configuration but of constant
circumference, right into the nip of the take-down
rollers.

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10 Positive needle control

Positive guiding of needles through a cam system

can be achieved on circular machines knitting plai
n unpatterned fabric.

In cam systems on jacquard machines, needle but

ts have to be switched to a choice of cam-tracks.
At this point they cannot be under positive control
so the cam-track is open.

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To reduce the chance of the unguided needle butt moving

to a wrong position, needle movement is slowed down by
using one or more of the following methods:
1. Reducing the machine speed.
2. Using friction needles, which also cause wear.
3. Using flatter cam angles, which cause holes in the fabr
ic.
With positive needle guidance, the needle has an additio
nal control butt that attached to a jack.

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