Proceedings of the ATNT 2007 on 18-20, June 2007

© 2007 Kumaraguru College of Technology,

Coimbatore - 6; India

Elements of Circular Knitting

Bhaskar Dutta
General Manager, Batliboi Ltd.

Knitting Industry in India contributes more than 50% in terms of volume & around
35% in terms of value of our total garment exports. It is the only sector which is
growing at a faster rate than any other segment in textiles & given the trend for casual
dressing with greater thrust on comfort, the knits sector holds immense potential for
growth in future as well. In the following paragraphs I will try to briefly explain the
basic elements & operations of a Circular Knitting Machine.

An overview of a circular knitting machine

To begin with Circular Knitting Machines are broadly categorized into two types i.e
Single Jersey & Double Jersey. In Single Jersey machines, Plain or Single knit fabrics
are manufactured which normally has plain stitches on one face & purl stitches on the
other face. This type of loop formation takes place with the help of one set of Needles
& assisted by one set of Sinkers which holds down the fabric during the upward
movement of the needle & also helps in knocking over the stitch at the knock over
edge thereby completing the loop formation. On the contrary in the double Jersey
machines, double face or double knit fabrics are produced & these fabrics display
plain & purl stitches on both sides of the fabric along the row. Basically two sets of
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needles are required for manufacturing double knit fabrics & this type of fabric is
usually more voluminous as compared to single knit fabrics.

The various types of Single & Double Jersey knitting machines are listed below under
their respective category:

--------------------------------- SINGLE JERSEY MACHINES ------------------------------

Plain Structures Fleece Plush Mini Jacquard Full Jacquard Stripers

--------------------------------- DOUBLE JERSEY MACHINES -----------------------------

Rib Interlock Structures Transfer Mini Jacquard Full Jacquard Striper

Next comes the basic elements in a Knitting Machine which are briefly described in
the following lines:

1. Needles : This is the most single important element of knitting

primarily responsible for formation of loops. The commonly used needles have the
following parts:
Hook, Latch, Shank & Butt

2. Sinkers : These are used primarily on Plain Circular Knitting

Machine its main function is to hold the loops during upward movement of the needle
& it also assists in knock over of the loops thereby completing the new loop . Sinker
has the following parts:
Nib, Throat, Shank, Bulge & Butt

3. Cams : This is another important element which impart the motions

needed by the needles & sinkers in connection with the stitch forming process.
Generally the following types Cams are employed in a Knitting Machine in order to
produce different types of structures by means of controlling the needles movement in
different ways:
Knit Cam, Tuck Cam, Non – Knit Cam, Support cam

4. Yarn Feeder : The yarn feeder is required to present the yarn to the needle
in a proper way & therefore an accurate setting of Yarn Feeders with respect to the
needle curve is of utmost importance for ensuring smooth knitting operation.

5. Fabric Take-Down : The Fabric Take Down system of a circular knitting machine
consists of the following devices:

A) A spreader device which converts the fabric tube gradually into a flat form by
slowly stretching the same.
Elements of Circular Knitting 3

B) Fabric tensioning & winding device which finally winds the fabric into a
proper roll form. A correct setting of tension values contributes in a major way
towards ultimately achieving a fabric with good shrinkage properties.

6. Yarn Supply : The Yarn supply in a Circular Knitting Machine system

consists of the following devices:

A) A Cone Carrier Device

B) A Yarn Guiding & Monitoring Device
C) A Yarn Brake
D) A Yarn Metering & Storage Device

7. Auxiliary Systems : There are several auxiliary systems present in a Circular

Knitting Machine each with exclusive utilities namely:

A) Lubricating & Oiling Device

B) Needle Monitoring Device
C) Yarn Monitoring Device
D) Fabric Monitoring Device
E) Fluff Removal Device

8. Machine Drive : The machine drive has a significant influence on the

operational reliability as well as quality of the output. Most of the latest Knitting
Machines are usually driven by an Inverter controlled electrical Motor equipped with
facility for jogging motion & soft start.

9. Machine Frame : Last but not the least important, a good quality Frame is
normally composed of a Lower Frame with Base Crossbeams, Feet & Supports for
Take-Down device & an Upper frame with Carrier Plate, Cylinder Carrier with
Cylinder bearing, Columns & Dial Carrier with Dial Bearing. Here again a good
quality Machine Frame is a pre requisite for the operational reliability of the Knitting
Machine as well as quality of the output.

Having completed this now I would like to briefly explain the stitch formation process
in a circular knitting machine. In order to produce circular knitted fabrics the needle
follows the following positions one after the other ( refer to Figure “Loop Formation
with a Latch Needle ):
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Stages in Loop Formation

1. Rest Position : The Needles are in the rest position when it is outside the
Cam.

2. Tucking Position : The Needle goes upward .In this position, the old loop is
still in the needle hook.

3. Clearing Position : The old loop is now outside the hook & rests on the
Needle stem.

4. Yarn Feeding Position : A new yarn is presented to the Needle hook while the
Needle moves downwards .When the Needle moves further down , The old loop
closes the needle hook ( Cast –on ).

5. Knock –Over Position : The new Yarn is drawn through the old loop. The
complete process is over when the Needle is at the lowest position again. The stitch
length can be changed by altering the position of the Knock –Over Point.

Now before concluding, I would like to briefly touch upon the subject of basic
Machine Parameters for benefit of all concerned:

A. Machine Diameter : The diameter of the machine ultimately determines the fabric
width. The machines are manufactured in various diameters normally between 8”
to 42” but in special cases, very low dia. or very high dia. machines are also
manufactured.
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B. Machine Gauge : The gauge of the machine actually denotes the density of
Needles population in the machine. Normally Single Jersey fabrics are
manufactured in gauges between 20 & 28 while for Rib 14 to 18 & for Interlock 18
to 28 gauges are more commonly employed.

C. No. of Feeders : This denotes the quantum of yarn supply to the Knitting
machine & the No. of Feeders are directly proportional to the production. But then
there is an optimum beyond which the fabric quality deteriorates rapidly & beyond
a certain point knitting becomes impossible. Normally for Plain Single Jersey as
well as Plain Interlock Machines between 3 & 4 feeders per diameter inch is
employed while for Rib machines 2 feeders per diameter inch is the most popular
choice.

I hope that through the above lines, I have been able to roughly cover the basics of
Circular Knitting. However this is an extremely vast & varied subject which can be
studied at great length. Further, keeping in pace with the changing times & fashion
demands , the leading circular knitting manufacturers in the world are continuously
innovating machines capable of producing unique types of fabric & one has to update
our knowledge continuously to stay in tune with the latest technology available in the
field of Circular Knitting.