Circular Weft Knitting Machine Frame Structure & Different Types of Circular Knitted Fabric

Circular Knitting Machine:

The circular knitting machine consists three major sections. Yarn supply, knitting elements and fabric take-down. The Fig. 2.3 shows the machine frame, indicating its various parts. The knitting elements such as needles, sinkers, cylinder, cams and feeders are supported at the centre called as knitting zone. Yarn packages are mounted at the overhead creels and yarn are fed to knitting zone through yarn guides, stop motions and feeders. The knitted fabric goes down inside the cylinder towards the center of the machine, drawn into the take down device and finally collected on a roll winding mechanism. A fabric spreader gradually converts the tubular fabric zone. Single knit plain machines are fitted with a cylinder and sinker ring, whereas the double knit machines have cylinder ad dial.

Different parts of the machine:

1. Legs

2. Cylinder

3. Dial

4. Needle

5. Cam parts

6. Feeder guide

7. Cam

8. Supply package

9. Creel

10. Top stop motion

11. Anti snarl device

12. Tensioner

13. Positive feeder

14. Knitted fabric

15. Fabric spreader

16. Fabric withdrawal roller

17. Fabric winding roller

Drive: The drive to the knitting machine is simple and direct. The motor imparts rotary motion to the rotating needle beds, such as cylinder and dial and also to the take-down and cloth winding mechanisms.

Different Types of Circular Knitted Fabric:

1. Sinker body fine fabrics for outer wear

2. Plain fabrics (courser) for under wear fabrics

3. Interlock fabrics

4. 1×1 Rib fabrics

5. 2×2 Rib fabrics

6. Eyelet or perforated fabrics

7. Airtex fabrics with small eye holes

8. High pile fabrics

9. Plush or fleecy fabrics

10. Turkish or toweling fabrics

11. Three thread fleecy fabrics

12. Garment length fabrics

13. Needle and/or cam designed fabrics

14. Jacquard and wheel design fabrics