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Knitted Fabric Manufacturing

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Lecture 01Course Introduction

Course Outline To give an understanding to participants about

knitting technology and its management. This course will cover history of knitting and most

modern development in knitting technology. Participants will be made familiar with the knitting

manufacturing systems and its managements.

Expected Outcome

Participants will be able to understand one of the most important fabric formation process and this would also help understanding forthcoming courses of textile e.g. wet processing and garment manufacturing etc.

Course Material

Books: Knitting Technology David J Spencer Notes prepared by Mushtaq Mangat Class notes Hand-outs Survey of the industry Interviews of industry leaders Net Surfing

Attendance Policy

Five classes missing means “Grade F” Five minutes late means no entrance in class Have to justify five minutes late We will start class at exact time INSHALLAH

Missing of one class means losing one mark

Grade Policy

Assignments: 12.5% Quizzes: 12.5% Midterms: 20% Project 15% Attendance: 10% Final: 35%

Lecture 02

Knitting History

Fabric Formation Process

Conversion of fibers into a sheet, which should have following properties:

Strength to bear stretch and stress A determined surface area Dimensional stability Elasticity Holding capacity to liquid or solid Able to be used for any particular purpose

Fabric Formation Techniques

Weaving Woven fabric Knotting Nets Knitting Hosiery fabric Bonding Namda (a sheet used by

nomads) Tufting Carpet manufacturing

Lecture 02Knitting History

From Hand Knitting to Computerized Knitting Machines

Knitting Start

The art of hand knitting has been practiced since thousands of years.

How this art was learnt by ancient human is still a mystery and so is the country and time of its origin.

However, some believe that this art originated in Persia. Others claim Israel, Jordan and Syria belt as its origin, and still others claim mountains of North Africa.

Knitted socks discovered in Egyptian tombs have been dated between the 3rd and 6th centuries BC.

Ancient Times and Knitting

Job of ladies Pastime hobby For safety and decoration Popular where temperature was generally low For specific parts of body, like, hands, feet,

head, face not for main body

Starting of New Knitting Era

In the medieval Europe hand knitting was an important industry and had developed into an advanced craft by 16th century

Hand Knitting in England

Hand knitting in England expanded as an industry in Tudor times (1485-1603).  Knitted caps and stockings were highly fashionable.  From the time of Henry VIII, fine knitted silk stockings imported from Spain were part of court fashion.

  Previously, a piece of cloth was cut to the shape of a leg and

the edges sewn together to create a stocking.  By the time of Elizabeth I, knowledge of how to hand knit stockings had spread around England and documents refer to the industry in places as far apart as London, Kingston (Surrey), and Richmond (Yorkshire

William Lee and Knitting

In 1589, William Lee, a clergyman invented the first knitting machine in England.

After this invention, in the 17th and 18th centuries the art of knitting was gradually taken over by guild organized cottage industry.

Interestingly, the basic technology of the modern day knitting machines is similar to Lee's machine.

Even the full-fashioned machine invented in 1864 by William Cotton of Leicestershire, England used the same bearded-spring needle, which was part of the original model of Lee.

The foundation of the knitting industry

Investing in frames During the early seventeenth century, knitting frames remained

an expensive investment and few were built.  Even in the 1660s, frames could cost as much as £20 to £30 each, more than a worker's yearly wage.  The hand knitters did not have to pay such high costs and could knit as long as they had a pair of knitting needles.  Demand for the output of hand knitters and framework knitters allowed both branches to expand during the two centuries after Lee's invention.

Changing products

New technology In the second half of the eighteenth century there were a

number of advances in the development and use of knitting-frame technology.  These followed on from Jedediah Strutt's patent for his Derby Rib machine in 1758, which created a more elastic fabric.  Hose made using this type of fabric soon became more popular than hand-knitted stockings.  With money to be made from successful inventions, many individuals invested time and money in experimenting with new adaptations and patterns

Transition to factory production Working at home Framework knitting was traditionally carried out in

workers' homes.  Hosiers supplied yarn to the workers, children commonly wound the yarn onto bobbins, men knitted it into stockings and women seamed and embroidered the stockings.  The industry could keep the whole family occupied

Knitting and 19th Century

In the 19th century power was applied to the knitting machines and simultaneously circular-knitting machines appeared on the scene.

Women's stocking when knitted on original machines were a straight knitted tube, because stitches could not be added or dropped on circular knitting machine. So these products were known as hosiery.

The word hosiery is derived from the old English hose, which means a covering for the leg. Now seamless stockings are knitted even on circular machines, developed in the mid-19th century.

To start with cotton, wool, silk and later rayon yarns were used for making hosiery, but with the emergence of nylon in the 1940s women preferred nylon hose, because they could be permanently formed into the desired shape by heating. The use of nylon also improved the fit of hosiery due to stretch ability of nylon fabrics

Subsequently, in Great Britain, hosiery came to be associated with all types of machine-knit garments, now called knitwear. In United States they still call stockings, socks, panty hose, and tights as hosiery products.

Between 1880 to 1910 knitwear was mainly a female fashion, later knitted pullovers, cardigans, skirts, men's underwear, sportswear and swimwear became popular.

Developments in the 20th century increased the production speeds of the machines and offered wider choice to pattern the knitted fabrics.

Now computer controlled knitting machines have come on the scene, which are highly versatile. Knitted garments have now become every day dress.

Knitting in 20th century

Workshop of the world

A resourceful Britain Between 1840 and 1860 Britain experienced a period of rapid

growth that saw many changes in the workplace and in society.  The rail network in Britain expanded to around 10,000 miles of track, cutting travel times between many cities and towns.  For the first time in history, goods could be transported across the country within a matter of hours.  Opportunities for business opened up and the economy boomed.  The construction of the railways alone employed 200,000 people and at its peak used 40% of the country's expanding output of iron

Seamless improvements

The circular knitted stocking was technologically improved by the use of nylon.  The thermoplastic properties of nylon meant that when placed on a shaped board and heated the yarn softens, and permanently takes on the shape of the board when the heat is removed.  Unlike steamed natural fibres, heated nylon stockings did not lose their shape when washed.  Technology had reached the point where the quality of seamless stockings could rival fully-fashioned stockings

In Current Era

We have: Circular knitting machines of high speed (plus

50 RPM) gauge more than 40, dia plus 50 inches. Feeders more than 200, fully garment knitting machines, stripers, terry and many thing more

Latest Developments in Knitting

The art of knitting has come of age. From hand knitting to hand operated machines was a long way. Gradually it upgraded to power operated V-Bed and circular knitting, and then it leapfrogged to microprocessor controlled machines. Now lately CAD/CAM has revolutionised the knitting industry. However, in the developing countries including China, they still use manually operated flat and V-bed knitting machines for thier bulk production since cheap labour is available.

Whole garment knitting

Lecture # 3

Significance of Knitting

Significance of Knitted Fabric

Knitting Clothes---a modern way of living

Knitted Fabric Characteristics Flexibility Elasticity Adaptability Air permeability Crease resistance Hand feel Bulky Easy to wear Less size problems Price at the last

Change in life style

More traveling More casual life style Shortage of time Busy life More work Fashion More colors and embellishments

Knitted Garments in new era

Most popular dress Comfort and convenient Cheap and highly fashioned Fit for body Easy to produce Easy to make changes in designs

Lecture # 4

Knitted and woven fabric evaluation

Woven and Knitted Fabric Comparison

Each one is better than other

Areas where Woven and Knitted Fabric differ Method of production Fabric properties Machine requirements Usages of fabric Price Style and fashion

Lecture # 5

woven and knitted fabric

Woven and Knitted Fabric

Production Method

Woven

Insertion of weft through warp Warping Sizing Beaming Bobbin winding Loom machine working

Knitted

Direct supply of yarn to knitting needles No warp in weft knitting and no weft in warp knitting No application of size No beaming in case of weft knitting Beaming process in case of warp knitting Very quick start of production

Properties

Woven Knitted

Stable Unstable

Rigid Flexible

Harsh feel Soft feel

Less shrinkage Highly shrinkage

Less adaptability Highly adaptability

Long procedure of production

Very quick production

Need machine Can be done with needles manually

Need sizing No need of sizing

Costly process Cheap production process

Difficult to make designs

Easy to make designs