A knitting machine is a technology used for knitting fabrics. The way it interloops one set of yarn with another with the use of needles is an overwhelming sight. You can just imagine how both easy and difficult it is to form the clothes you wear.
People used to knit their clothes with all the effort and hardwork. Knitting machines have changed the way we think about clothing and fabric. Since its invention in 1579, the business of making clothing transferred into small cottage industries, making hand knitting non-essential, a recreational activity.
Innovation has quickly transformed the growing capabilities of knitting machines in forming knitted fabrics and today, you can choose from a variety of knitting machines for your textile industry.
There are a lot of ways to classify knitting machines. Some sources have classified them according to its configuration such as either Flat Bed or Circular. In other references, it's sorted according to its function, like for example, Flat Knitting Machine, Computerized Sweater Knitting Machine, Collar Knitting Machine and Shoe Knitting Machine. Indeed, there are many different types of knitting machines used for making many types of knitted fabrics. We have listed and classified these knitting machines as either Weft knitting machine or Warp Knitting Machine.
Weft Knitting Machine
Weft Knitting Machines are used to make weft knitted fabrics by just a single yarn. Knitting in weft is a more common method than warp knitting. In Weft knitting, the looms are knitted horizontally in a circular form from left to right of the fabric. Weft knits are made from a yarn fed into the circular knitting machine needles.
Warp Knitting Machine
On the other hand, Warp knitting is done by knitting in a zigzag pattern along the fabric area. While weft knitting is done by knitting across the fabric, Warp knitting is accomplished by running knits through adjacent wales or columns.
Circular Knitting Machine
A Circular Knitting machine is one of the most popular knitting machines in use today. Even hobbyists make use of a small circular knitting machine such as an Addi Express Knitting Machine to create their own knitted pieces such as sweaters, gloves, scarfs and many small diameters sized creations. The mechanism of the industrial Circular Knitting Machines used to create apparels in large volumes and fast production rates is simple. Fabrics are knitted in spiral and cast on. The circle of stitches are joined forming seamless tubes. The layers it produces are counted on as the number of rows.
Machines of this type can produce a wide range of diameter from 12 inches to 60 inches. It can knit a variety of sportswear and fashion clothing with the cooperation of Flat Knitting Machine Accessories and
Linking Machine apparel in an incredibly fast rate.