No.3
`
`September 2003 ~
`co
`
`Frankfurt • Istanbul • Milan • New York • Shanghai
`
`Ciba Specialty Chemicals adds value to your technical fabrics with
`a complete range of textile effects. Our high-tech solutions will
`help you develop the textiles of the future. Make your mark with solutions
`from Ciba.
`
`We provide technical textile solutions
`To give you a jump on the future!
`
`~ To find out more, olease visit:
`
`Skechers EX1058-p.1
`Skechers v Nike
`
`

`

`[Mill.€
`
`]
`
`250 , -_------;::::======:::;-,
`1 ■ 2002
`2003 1
`200 +--• - - - - - - '===== ' - - - - - I
`
`.• elltancl
`
`INTERNATIONAL
`Volume 9 • Issue 3
`September 2003
`
`PR
`China
`
`Turkey
`
`USA
`
`Italy
`
`Czech
`Rep.
`
`India
`
`In the first quarter of 2003 German textile
`machinery exports increased by 19 % with
`main markets in China , Turkey, USA, and
`Italy (see page 182 of this issue) .
`
`Porcher Industries: successful in technical textiles ............... 223
`Shape 3: new process for 3D-tubular fabrics ...... ......... ...... .. 223
`Knotex Dispos spare parts management system ...... ............. 224
`Is th e oli gomer problem in polyester dyeing solved?
`Early automation: the Jacquard loom
`W ohn ............... .......... ......................... .... ........... 172 WR. Potsch .......................... .. ... ... ................... ........ 224
`Sewing of airbag fabrics ............................................... 225
`
`~~
`
`Industry News -
`
`• I I IHffl
`. tHHJ Knitting
`
`More polyester fibers than cotton ....... ........ .. ... ... ....... .. .. .. 174
`Acord is: reorgan ization of PET and PA yarn business ...... .. .. .. . 176
`DuPont/Xingda Nylon: JV for PA monofilaments .... ... .. ... ... .... 176
`Teijin(Twaron: p-aram id capacity 18,500 tons/year ............... 176
`Hercules takes over Meraklon ........................................ 178
`50 years Fehrer ......................................................... 178
`Western Europe: nonwovens production +8 % ..................... 178
`Neumag with Nanoval license ........................ ...... ...... ... 178
`Sales ranking list of Italian textile machinery producers ......... 180
`First lyocell fiber plant in China ............. ................. ..... .. . 180
`Neu mag: BCF business boom ......................................... 180
`German textile machinery: exports + 19 % ..... .......... .. ..... ... . 182
`USA: increasing machinery imports ................. .... .......... .. 183
`Zimmer acquires Fleissner ............................................ 183
`Barmag: higher order inflow •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 186
`
`Fibers/Yarns
`
`[fill
`World market trend for filament texturing machines .............. 188
`ITMA preview .. .................................................... 189-193
`Small and special production batches in texturing:
`a challenge, a new opportunity
`M. Pyra, D. Noss
`.. ........................... ....... .... .... ...... ..... 194
`
`Spinning
`
`High investment in rotor spinning .... .. ........ .. .................... 196
`ITMA previ ew ............. .. .. .......... ......... ... ............... 197-204
`Traveler lifetime of over 1,000 h - utopia or standard?
`H. -J. Furst .... .. .............. ............... ... .. .. ....... ..... .. ....... 205
`ComforSpin technology for fine COM4 yarns .. ... ........... .... ... 206
`R 40 roto sp inning machine - now equipped with 4 rotors
`..... 206
`Hairiness - sink or swim for downstream processing?
`A. Hellwig ....... ... ..................................................... 207
`New unconventional direct staple fiber yarn production process
`P. Artzt, A. Arnold, G.E. Simmonds
`..... ............................. 208
`
`I
`
`Weaving
`
`PR China: record investment in weaving .. ... ....... ................ 210
`ITMA preview .... .... ................ .... ......... .. .. ... .. ........ 212-219
`Problem of incomplete weft insertion in air-jet weaving
`S. Mangold, H. Weinsdorfer ... .... ... ......... .... .............. .. ... 220
`
`■
`
`L......C... _______ __,_ _ __________ _J
`
`Shipments of large circular and flat knitting machines ........... 226
`ITMA previ ew ... ...... ... .. .. ....... ............................... 227-232
`IKME preview ..... ... .... ................................................ 234
`Typical influences of selected circular knitting fabrics and
`machinery variables on dyed and finished knitted fabrics
`G. W Smith, F. da Silva
`................................................ 235
`Comez: 50th anniversary ..................... ... .. ..................... 236
`Quality plush caters to wide-ranging markets ...................... 237
`3D products for fashion and technical textile applications
`from flat knitting machines
`M. Legner ................................................... ....... .. .. . 238
`
`._I~-~--_I --~_e_'Xt_i l_e_B_in_,_·s_f1_1_·n __ g,.___ ___ __:_:::j
`
`ITMA preview ...................................................... 242-254
`Phenomenon, analysis and minimizing of PET oligomers
`W Hohn ................................................... ....... ....... 257
`GTM Goller: new Unirelaxa ........................ ... ... ....... ...... 261
`Bleaching and washing after dyeing of knit fabrics on
`one single machine
`U. v. Christen
`............................ ......... ...... ................ 262
`Worldwide web-based study on identifying the world top
`standard in terms of energy efficiency within the finishing
`of cotton fabric industry
`A. Trautmann, J. Meyer, A. Tonges ......... ... .... ............ .... ... 264
`Briickner: split-flow stenter supplied to Cape Town ... ..... ... .... 264
`Evenness of thermal treatment in stenter drying frames
`W Hartmann ............. ................ ... ............................ 266
`Developments in wastewater treatment methods
`E. Menezes ............................. ................................. 269
`
`Te"itile Industry
`
`Latex-free tufting carpets: new process for bonding of
`carpet backings
`A. Watzl
`.... ... ...................................... ... .. .... .. .... ..... 274
`NSC Nonwoven: new carding machines and Out!sys .............. 275
`Resch took over Suessen GVA heatsetting machine ............... 276
`
`Company Index ........................................................ .. 277
`Imprint ....... .. ... ....... ......................... .. ........ ........ .... .. 278
`Advertiser Index ....................... .... .... ........ .................. 278
`
`Skechers EX1058-p.2
`Skechers v Nike
`
`

`

`3D-products for fashion and technical textile
`applications from flat knitting machines
`
`M. Legner, H. Stoll GmbH & Co., Reutlingen/Germany
`
`Against the trend, most of the other tex(cid:173)
`·Ie machinery sectors have experi(cid:173)
`enced, the demand for modern flat kn it(cid:173)
`ting machines has grown steadily over
`the past years and kept an astonishing,
`relatively high level of machines being
`sold per year. There are both economic
`and technical factors to be found in order
`to explain this phenomenon:
`Economic reasons:
`• high demand for knit goods supported
`by knit-friendly fashion trends
`• immense demand for modern ma(cid:173)
`chines in Far East to replace large
`numbers of hand knitting machines
`• concentration of knitwear production,
`primarily in Far East, such as China,
`Korea and India as well as in Turkey
`and some Eastern European and Ara(cid:173)
`bian countries with the effect to build
`up new and modern production units
`• global supply of the world markets out
`of the aforementioned regions, howev(cid:173)
`er, also increasing domestic demands
`in the delivery countries due to a grow(cid:173)
`ing prosperity of the home population
`• fast response of the traditional , trend
`setting knit wear production countries
`towards the use of new techniques to
`incorporate new design ideas and pro(cid:173)
`duction concepts.
`Technical factors:
`• increased versatility of modern ma(cid:173)
`chines regarding the diversity of pat(cid:173)
`terning designs
`• enhanced flexibility of the machine
`technology towards gauge conversion
`and multi- or flexible gauge applica(cid:173)
`tions
`• facilitated programming and styling of
`knitted articles by means of modern
`CAD/CAM systems, supported by
`mostly automated programming tools
`• steadily improved technology to pro(cid:173)
`duce integral knit garments to revolu(cid:173)
`tionize the way of garment manufac(cid:173)
`tu ring and to strip down the production
`process.
`How@Yer, even if the success of the flat
`knittjR~ technology has been proven as
`steady, there are more and more indica(cid:173)
`tions, that it might just be a question of
`time, that the era of this technology will
`be terminated not only due to a market
`saturation, which will occur somewhere
`along the way, but also due to new knit(cid:173)
`ting technologies, which do not base on
`the flat kn itting principle.
`
`Lecture held at the World Congress Knitting for the
`21 st Century in Manchester/UK, October 7/8, 2002
`
`Some people say that there is a growing
`demand among the manufacturers of
`knit wear products following the pressure
`of the powerful purchasing organizations
`to produce knitted textiles, respectively
`garments in a faster and finally cheaper
`way. This demand goes hand in hand
`with an expectation that there will be a
`technology available, which produces at
`a generally good quality level and which
`requires less experienced personnel to
`program and handle the machines.
`The arguments to be found in favor for
`this thesis are the continued demand for
`cotton machines, as well as the enlarged
`and specifically explored use of circular
`knitting machines for the production of
`seamless knit garments, where first at(cid:173)
`tempts to produce coarser gauge outer(cid:173)
`wear articles have been started as well.
`In addition , there are tendencies to pro(cid:173)
`duce exceptionally designed fully fash(cid:173)
`ion and seamless garments on tricot
`warp knitting machines.
`These new technologies might represent
`possible alternatives for the manufactur(cid:173)
`ing for coarser knitted articles in the fu(cid:173)
`ture in order to achieve the aforemen(cid:173)
`tioned expectations, particularly as far
`as mass production is concerned.
`Producers of flat knitting machines fol(cid:173)
`low these development trends closely
`and are able to respond to it by showing
`new sides of the flat knitting technology.
`The way the vast patterning and design
`possibilities, in conjunction with the ca(cid:173)
`pabilities of producing 3D products, are
`applied to generate new designs and
`concepts for the general fashion industry
`as well as for alternative application ar(cid:173)
`eas is looked at more closely here.
`
`Scope and versatility of 3D
`applications for knitted fabrics
`In comparison to other builders of textile
`machinery producing fabrics, the flat
`knitting machine manufacturer is caught
`in something of a conflict situation . On
`the one hand, knitting metered goods
`using flat knitting machines is a relative(cid:173)
`ly slow process. On the other hand these
`machines offer a scope for design op(cid:173)
`tions which cannot be matched in terms
`of implementation simplicity as regards
`their styling and design versatility.
`Thereby fabric characteristics can easily
`be influenced as well.
`A flat knitting machine comprises two or
`more needle beds, which are run over by
`a carriage bearing knitting systems. With
`every stroke of the carriage, stitches are
`
`generated or other knitting functions pe'(cid:173)
`formed. Each stitch is created by a ~
`die, which
`is selected by electr
`-
`means following a program laying do
`the knitting sequence of a pattern .
`To knit, for example, a spherical she
`the needle on the left begins with onl ' =(cid:173)
`few stitches, increasing the number
`•
`stitches towards the center needles arr:
`then decreasing their number again _
`the time needles, positioned further -
`the right, are reached . When this p~ ►
`cess is continued regularly with once a -
`tivating the needle operation and once
`disabling its function, a spherical shell ·'°
`produced, presuming, that every nee e
`knits precisely the number of stitches
`corresponding to its section of the pe(cid:173)
`riphery, considering the fact, that eve
`stitch theoretically represents an objec;:
`of a constant parametrical size.
`Consequently such a spherical shell is
`not made by a particular 3D forming de(cid:173)
`vice , but is generated by a 3D knitting
`program .
`Spherical shaped objects are not the
`only 3D realizations possible with fla·
`knitting machines. Within the framework
`of three-dimensional styling options, the
`following possibilities can be implement(cid:173)
`ed by using all techniques of fabric
`forming of flat knitting machines. All
`these possibilities can normally be pro(cid:173)
`duced and even jointly applied on the
`same machine:
`• Voluminous knit structures
`The double bed set up is used to create
`two-faced knit structures which have a
`higher volume compared to single-face
`fabrics . This can lead to a considerable
`fabric thickness of approx. 1 cm , when
`applied on a machine of gauge E 3. De(cid:173)
`pending on the knitted construction, the
`fabric
`thickness can be
`further
`in(cid:173)
`creased and strengthened by tuck stitch
`insertions.
`By means of needle selection, volum i(cid:173)
`nous stitch allocations can be optionally
`positioned in a regular knit fabric for op(cid:173)
`tical design affects or cushioning pur(cid:173)
`poses.
`• Spacer structures
`With this type of kn itted fabric, two or
`more single-faced
`fabric sides posi(cid:173)
`tioned opposite to each other are joined
`together by stitch or tuck links. The gen(cid:173)
`erated volume as well as the fabric char(cid:173)
`acteristics depend on the construction
`and the selection of the pile material by
`causing stuffing or springing effects.
`
`238 MELLIAN D INTERNATIONAL
`
`Volume 9, September 2003
`
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`
`Skechers EX1058-p.3
`Skechers v Nike
`
`

`

`- Web or Interface structures
`Here, the three-dimensional formation of
`the fabric is created by a knitted bridge
`or crosslink connection of two or more
`fabric layers positioned opposite each
`other.
`By knitting the fabric layers with every
`second needle (1x1 needle selection),
`the remaining empty needles can be
`used for formation of the connecting
`webs. In this process, the length of the
`webs and thus also the height of the
`overall fabric can be optionally selected
`and also varied in terms of the appear(cid:173)
`ance of the surface evenness. The ori(cid:173)
`entation of the connecting webs can also
`be modified by influencing the rhythm of
`the stitch formation of the individual lay(cid:173)
`ers. The cavities created by this process
`could be subsequently filled , for exam(cid:173)
`ple, by inserting reinforcing materials,
`pipes, cables or others.
`- Tubular structures
`With the aid of the double needle beds,
`tubular structures of optional diameters
`can be produced on flat knitting ma(cid:173)
`chines. Besides the production of tubes
`as such, tubular extensions and attach(cid:173)
`ments can be implemented in a knit fab(cid:173)
`ric in various manners. Knitted tubes can
`be placed along the selvedge or in any
`location of the fabric face .
`- Spherical 30 structures
`In contrast to volumetrically engineered
`3D fabric forms as described, the so(cid:173)
`called wedge
`technique permits
`the
`shaping of a knitted fabric in a three-di(cid:173)
`mensional, spatial way. The technique of
`implementing spherical curved fabrics
`as described before can also be applied
`in segments of other, more complex knit
`applications, such as in the heel area of
`stockings or contoured seat covers. Dur(cid:173)
`ing the knitting process, individual nee(cid:173)
`dles or groups of needles are allotted
`fewer stitches than others. The stitch al(cid:173)
`location per needle can be performed
`along geometric fabric lines or homoge(cid:173)
`neously distributed over the surface of
`he knit object. This knitting method ,
`known as the wedging technique, forms
`less fabric in certain sectors and more in
`others. This causes the fabric to take on
`a three-dimensional shape. This tech(cid:173)
`nique can be additionally supported by
`different stitch sizes in individual sec(cid:173)
`tions. Different materials and narrowing
`or widening processes can also be ap(cid:173)
`plied. Warp and weft threads can be in(cid:173)
`egrated , as can floats and tuck stitches.
`Equally, functions such as stitch splitting
`and transfer can additionally extend the
`repertoire.
`The variable use of the wedge technique
`opens up new possibilities for fabric
`styling and product customization. The
`
`Volum e 9, September 2003
`
`immense potential of 2D and 3D shaping,
`which is inherent to the styling techniques
`of modern flat knitting machines howev(cid:173)
`er needs to be seen in the option to freely
`combine all the above mentioned tech(cid:173)
`niques in - if required - one knitted prod(cid:173)
`uct. This permits an enormous degree of
`design variabi lity, which can be utilized in
`the development of new ways of produc(cid:173)
`ing and designing knit garments as well
`as in generating new fields of application
`for knit products.
`
`Use of 3D knitting applications in
`fashion
`
`- From yarded goods - cut to size -
`to fully fashioned fabrics
`In former years, the standard method of
`production was to knit a length of fabric,
`cut out the required panels and make
`them up into a finished article.
`Using modern electronic control sys(cid:173)
`tems, it is now possible to simply pro(cid:173)
`gram a flat knitting machine in a way,
`that the individual needles perform pre(cid:173)
`to conduct
`intended
`cise operations
`functions. This capability has led to the
`success of "fully fashion" manufacturing
`of knitted articles. By widening and nar(cid:173)
`rowing the fabric, parts are fashioned on
`the machine. Panels, fashioned in this
`way for the body and sleeve compo(cid:173)
`nents are sewn together to create the
`end product. The benefits - besides en(cid:173)
`hanced optical appearance - are materi(cid:173)
`al savings and exact, reproducible gar(cid:173)
`ment sizes.
`In the fashion sector, whe n producing
`conventional outerwear garments, 3D
`applications have been restricted largely
`to structural design features . These refer
`to famil iar relief-type effects produced by
`interchanging plain and purl stitches,
`missed stitch applications and pattern
`formations such as cable and Aran de(cid:173)
`signs.
`Kn it-in pockets can also be viewed at as
`3D applications. Additionally, varied ac(cid:173)
`cumulation of stitches in the form of
`"wave motifs" can be termed as 3D fab(cid:173)
`ric appearance.
`- From fully fashion to ready-to-wear
`articles
`With the introduction of the knit and wear
`technology by H. Stoll GmbH & Co. ,
`Reutlingen/Germany and the way to pro(cid:173)
`duce complete garments on flat knitting
`machines, an actual 3D manufacturing
`process is commonly applied on flat knit(cid:173)
`ting machines.
`This technology is based on a technique,
`where - when producing a pullover -
`three fashioned tubular parts are joined
`to form a finished , ready-to-wear article
`through knitting, transfer and
`linking
`processes.
`
`~ ""....;:'.-:'.'."' --~· 1111111_!:f
`
`The way, ready-to-wear garments can
`be designed, hardly finds any restric(cid:173)
`tions any longer, since besides structur(cid:173)
`al effects, simple jacquard and lntarsia
`patterns, typical knitwear formations for
`the shoulder, neck and collar area can
`be applied . Thus shoulder formations
`such as inserted sleeves, Raglan and
`Saddle shoulders can be standardly in(cid:173)
`corporated in new, very fashionable vari(cid:173)
`ations.
`The same applies to the styling of neck(cid:173)
`lines and collars, which also allow com(cid:173)
`mon designs, however open up the cre(cid:173)
`ativity for new, ready made solutions as
`well.
`The underlying knitting principle applied
`in the production of knit and wear articles
`is that of knitting with halved gauge, in
`which knitting takes place only on every
`second needle. As a result of the 1 x1
`needle selection, free needles remain in
`both needle beds which can be used for
`any optional transfer processes required
`for structural effects or narrowing opera(cid:173)
`tions.
`Within an increasing acceptance of so(cid:173)
`called "seamless garments" , today, ma(cid:173)
`chines have been majorly asked for in a
`gauge range from E3 to E12 as con(cid:173)
`cerns the appearance of the finished
`outerwear garments . . As regards the
`needle bed configuration
`these ma(cid:173)
`chines are capable of producing finer
`gauges but are fitted with needles with a
`larger needle hook to allow a coarser
`textile look, when the knitting process is
`performed by every second needle.
`Depending on th e required knit fabric de(cid:173)
`sign and by the possible use of ma(cid:173)
`ch ines with additional needle or transfer
`beds, such as the Stoll CMS 330 TC-4
`and TC-R, complete outerwear gar(cid:173)
`ments are also produced in finer gauges.
`Looking at
`technical
`restrictions of
`seamless circular kn itting machines to
`implement the perfect shape, this com(cid:173)
`plete garment technology of flat knitting
`machines might open up their use for
`new or former fashion areas, which have
`not been of particular interest to most of
`the flat knitting machine manufacturers
`in the past.
`Alongside the advantages offered by th is
`production technology to integrate knit(cid:173)
`ting and making-up in one process, this
`knitting technique also allows new ap(cid:173)
`proaches in the design and styling of
`fashion articles and other applications.
`The restrictions posed by the making-up
`process, which also apply to regular ful(cid:173)
`ly fashion production , are no longer bind(cid:173)
`ing when using the knit and wear tech(cid:173)
`nique. This manufacturing process per(cid:173)
`mits new paths to be explored in the pro(cid:173)
`duction of different fits which were not
`possible or are only possible by using
`
`MELLIAND INTERNATIONAL 239
`
`Skechers EX1058-p.4
`Skechers v Nike
`
`

`

`Knitting
`
`ighly complex conventional manufac(cid:173)
`ring methods. Thus contemporary
`fashion trends like tight fits can ideally be
`supported accentuating particular body
`curves and lines.
`
`- Benefits of the knit and wear
`manufacturing
`Even if - depending on the actual design
`- the summarized knitting time for the in(cid:173)
`dividual components of a sweater might
`be less than the manufacturing of a
`complete sweater, the overall produc(cid:173)
`tion time, needed to sew and finish the
`product, generally takes much longer.
`Compared to the manufacturing period
`required to produce, for example, a
`complete woman's fully fashion sweater,
`time savings of about 35% can be
`reached. This is not very surprising,
`considering, that steps like cutting, if still
`required, checking and pressing of the
`individual parts become obsolete. Final(cid:173)
`ly linki ng and sewing operations do not
`apply either.
`Depending on the production organiza(cid:173)
`tion further stages like a build up of gar(cid:173)
`ment components, handling and ship(cid:173)
`ping of the individual parts to the mak(cid:173)
`ing-up locations and all relevant organi(cid:173)
`zational and control efforts around these
`stages are not required either.
`The production of complete garments is
`the optimal process regarding yarn con(cid:173)
`sumption , since there virtually is no
`waste generated due to the missing cut(cid:173)
`ting and sewing operations. All yarn is
`supposed to run into the sweater. The
`particular knitting process also allows
`the continuous use of yarn cones and fa(cid:173)
`cilitates and optimizes the actual yarn
`processing . The volume of the yarn or(cid:173)
`ders can be adapted and does not need
`to fo resee a comprehensive excess
`charge.
`An economic evaluation of the afore(cid:173)
`mentioned points indicates that due to
`shortened lead time the cash flow is pos(cid:173)
`itively activated due to an overall reduc(cid:173)
`tion in idle times. The streamlined process
`resulting in the knitting being the major
`production part reduces the number of
`personnel being involved in the manu(cid:173)
`facturing and the production control.
`Further positive cost reductions are
`achieved by the optimized yarn con(cid:173)
`sumption, minimized storage and logistic
`costs as well as by less expenditure for
`waste disposal. The decreased number
`of production and handling steps re(cid:173)
`duces the risk of defects and damages.
`As a consequence of the single piece
`production method, the product quality
`can be seen as more constant and ho(cid:173)
`mogenous. This helps avoiding the dam(cid:173)
`age and loss caused by defective parts.
`Besides its general economic advan-
`
`tages the Stoll - knit and wear manufac(cid:173)
`turing method makes the whole knitwear
`production more compact and faster.
`The knitwear producer controls a more
`reliable and simpler production process,
`which will allow him to accept orders
`more flexibly. Thus he can respond to
`short termed orders more easily than
`with any traditional production operation.
`
`- Supplements to the Stoll -
`knit and wear technology
`1. Multi - layer fabric applications
`(Stoll - applications)
`Both in the traditional and in the seam(cid:173)
`less production method the use of every
`second or even higher numbered needle
`permits the production of multiplied tex(cid:173)
`tile structures. This ability can be used
`either to create certain design effects or
`to implement specific pattern or function(cid:173)
`al applications. This way, it is possible to
`enhance knit fabric designs and to man(cid:173)
`ufacture simple integrated pockets and
`structural designs on seamless gar(cid:173)
`ments. The same technology can be ap(cid:173)
`plied
`at
`conventionally
`fabricated
`knitwear to generate interesting multi -
`layer fabric appearances and to inte(cid:173)
`grate finished collar oversteps, button
`tapes and complex pockets with struc(cid:173)
`ture effects and flaps by knitting inde(cid:173)
`pendent fabric layers which are linked
`along specific lines.
`2. Multi - gauge applications
`(Stoll - multi gauges)
`The possibility to freely apply the needle
`selection on modern flat knitting ma(cid:173)
`chines according to the knitting pattern
`and operation demand allows to select
`adjacent needles subsequently or to se(cid:173)
`lect needles deliberately following a par(cid:173)
`ticular sequence, i.e. every second, third
`needle etc.
`On machines, similarly equipped like the
`Stoll CMS knit and wear machines, this
`feature is particularly used to combine
`fabric structures of different fineness .
`The larger hook of the fine gauge nee(cid:173)
`dles permits to use coarser yarn quali(cid:173)
`ties and follows the idea applied for the
`complete garment manufacturing by
`working with every second needle and
`as such producing fabric structures of
`coarser appearance.
`The yarn feed technique bases on the
`lntarsia principle, which allows the cre(cid:173)
`ation and free combination of various
`fields of different fabric fineness .
`Thus particular pattern and lntarsia de(cid:173)
`signs are possible, enhancing the quali(cid:173)
`ty of the knit fabric appearance in a way
`of imitating elaborately made up knits
`and enriching the scope of patterning
`possibilities.
`The technique can also be applied dur(cid:173)
`ing the making of complete garments
`
`opening up another field of design op(cid:173)
`tions for three dimensionally styled kni
`products.
`
`Future and alternative 3D-knitting
`applications
`- Underwear and foundation garments
`In earlier times, stockings, leggings and
`underwear garments were traditionally
`flat knitting mach ines,
`produced on
`mostly run by hand. Nowadays by ex(cid:173)
`ploiting the experience gained from the
`Stoll - knit and wear technology and the
`availability of machines of fine gauges,
`i.e. E 18 and E 20 or with additional
`needle beds
`these garment sectors
`might gain in importance again for the
`flat knitting technology due to the new
`ready-to-wear production
`concept of
`combined with the above described pat(cid:173)
`terning options.
`In the clothing sector, the fine gauged
`machine range can open markets for ar(cid:173)
`ticles worn next to the skin .
`Even , if we take the impressive achieve(cid:173)
`ments in the development and imple(cid:173)
`mentation of seamless garments of the
`circular knitting technology into account,
`there is still interest in improving the ac(cid:173)
`tual shaping performance and the capa(cid:173)
`bility to get complete garments off the
`further making up
`machine without
`works.
`If we contemplate, for example, the com(cid:173)
`plex making-up involved in the produc(cid:173)
`tion of leg wear articles, the elimination
`of the following work stages by an inte(cid:173)
`gral knitted process is possible:
`• sewing together the two leg halves
`and adding an elastic waistband
`• cutting out and sewing in the gusset
`insert
`• closing the ends of the toes
`• producing a uniform
`fabric quality,
`without seams.
`There are possibilities to generate vari(cid:173)
`ous waistband solutions added to a com(cid:173)
`pletely finished hose with integrally kn it(cid:173)
`ted in gusset section and toes regularly
`linked on the machine.
`to a tension-controlled yarn
`Thanks
`feeding and adjustable stitch densities,
`the processing of elastic yarns repre(cid:173)
`sents no problem and permits the manu(cid:173)
`facture of a homogenous stitch quality.
`The field of application ranges from a
`coarse-knit pantyhose and leggings in
`staple fiber qualities and - if required -
`with structured patterning in the custom(cid:173)
`ary gauge segment up to fine products in
`gauge E 18 or E 20 in an elastic multifil(cid:173)
`ament quality.
`In a similar way to the above described
`production optimization the use of the
`knit and wear technique might also be
`evaluated for other areas in the sports(cid:173)
`and home wear or lingerie sector, partic-
`
`240 MELLIAND INTERNATIONAL
`
`Volume 9. Seotember 2003
`
`I,
`Su
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`po
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`I
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`Volu1
`
`Skechers EX1058-p.5
`Skechers v Nike
`
`

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`ularly, when highly labor intense work
`stages are involved.
`Narrowing and widening processes per(cid:173)
`mit the styling of contours and shapes of
`knitted tops and brassiere types of gar(cid:173)
`ments. The wedge technique can sup(cid:173)
`port the 3D shaping of cups. Further knit
`applications and structures might be ap(cid:173)
`plied to integrate technical details to en(cid:173)
`hance the performance and quality of
`the knit product.
`- Functional and medical garments
`The field of knitted compression textiles
`with weft or tuck inlaid pressure generat(cid:173)
`ing elastic yarns, covers a wide spec(cid:173)
`trum, starting with the manufacture of
`various
`forms of sport and support
`braces for orthopedic problems, through
`to custom-made compression garments
`for treating disorders of vein and lymph
`vessels as well as of wounds after burns
`and plastic surgery.
`Flat knitted stockings are preferably
`used wherever high compression values
`are called for and the strength of the ma(cid:173)
`terial structure needs to exert a certain
`supporting effect. The perfect and adapt(cid:173)
`able fit of the fully-fashioned kn itted gar(cid:173)
`ments still raises the quality and effec(cid:173)
`tiveness of these articles above most of
`its competitive products .
`The possibility of reliably securing an
`elastic weft or tuck thread into a tubu lar(cid:173)
`ly knitted formation allows the flat knit(cid:173)
`ti ng method to combine the above-de(cid:173)
`scribed capability of producing articles
`as ready to wear with the characteristics
`of a classical compression article. The
`scope for fashioning is not restricted
`and even allows producing complex and
`customized seamless gloves. The prod(cid:173)
`ucts demonstrate a good compressive
`effect and can be manufactured within
`an economically viable period on the
`machine. The aesthetic appearance of
`the products has improved by elimina(cid:173)
`tion of the seams, and this has been
`very positively received by affected pa(cid:173)
`tients.
`If this production method is able to as(cid:173)
`sert itself in today's largely automated
`knitwear manufacture of custom - made