SEAMLESS GARMENT KNITTING ON
V-BED FLAT KNITTING MACHINES
In 1995, there occurred the introduction of the technique of seamless garment knitting on Vbed flat knitting machines. We consider the invention of the technology of seamless knitting as an innovative process. Seamless fabric knitting is growing around the world concerning its commercial application. After the invention of the complete garment knitting there occurs the elimination of the cutting and sewing processes. V-bed knitting of seamless fabrics offers us a lot of benefits in knitting production such as quick response production, higher productivity, savings in cost and time etc. We can create one entire complete garment with minimal or no cutting and sewing process by using the seamless knitting technique. It is an innovative technology which eliminates the post labour work. The method of seamless knitting also helps in saving the production time as well as reduces the cost of the fabric. Moreover, the technology provides more comfort and better fit to the knitwear consumers by eliminating the seams. Thus, seamless knitting offers a variety of benefits to the manufacturers as well as the users. As v- bed knitting of seamless garments provides a lot of advantages. Therefore this technology has now entered into the mainstream of the knitwear market.
MECHANISM OF V-BED MACHINE KNITTING OF SEAMLESS GARMENTS:
We can create seamless garments on a v-bed flat knitting machine in the three separate tubular forms. We usually knit two narrower tubes for the sleeve parts and one wider tube for the body part. For creating the tubular knitting, we use both the needle beds simultaneously, but on the
other hand, we do front and back bed knitting alternately. For creating a single plain tube, all the needles continuously knit alternately, both in the front as well as the back needle beds. The technique of tubular knitting is not new. We are producing single jersey tubes on flat knitting machines since the 1800s. But, the latest seamless garment knitting technology is better than that of the technique of tubular knitting because it can connect the three tubes for creating a sweater and also can increase and decrease the measurements of the tubes. By making use of complete garment knitting, we can produce various structures such as plain, rib, and purl. On the v-bed flat knitting machine, we knit the three tubes on a pair of front and back needle beds. During the process of knitting, the flat knitting machine transfers the loops between the front and the back needle beds. There are different yarn carriers for one body tube, i.e. feeder 2 and for two sleeve tubes, i.e. feeders 1 and 3. We continue the process of three-tube knitting up to the underarm point. When we reach the underarm point, then the two carriers which we have for knitting the sleeve parts, i.e. feeders 1 and 3 come out of the knitting zone. Feeder 2the remaining carrier which knits the central body part of the garment, also knit together the three tubes to finally form the one tube. We join the three tubes, one for the central body part and the other two for the sleeves, at the underarm points as well as at the shoulders and neck points. In this way, we accomplish the whole process of seamless garment knitting. However, we should select alternate needles to form the loops if we want to transfer the loops to create different shapes or design structures.
By transferring the loops using the alternate needles, we can easily knit single jersey tubes as well as rib type tubes on the v-bed flat knitting machines. In seamless knitting, we have to make an alternate needle selection due to which the fabric tends to be less elastic and more open as compared to the traditional fully-fashioned garment while using the seamless knitting machine we make use of the more elastic yarns as compared to the other regular V-bed flat knitting machines such as fully-fashioned knitting machines. The number of tubes which we are going to knit on the machine depends on the type of the knitted product which we desire to create. If we are using the complete garment knitting machine, then it does not mean that we will always have to make three tubes. For example, for creating a sweater, we need three tubular type forms whereas for knitting a seat cover we need only one type of tube for the entire cover.
CONCLUSION: Complete garment knitting on V-bed flat knitting machines creates one full garment by using several different carriers. The technique of seamless knitting also eliminates the need for additional cut and sewn processes. By using the technology of v-bed machine knitting of seamless garments, we create three tubular structures: two narrower tubes for the sleeve portions and one wider tube for the body portion. The seamless garment knitting machines not only have the capability of creating shaped knitting but also of making different types of knit designs or structures in the fabric by making
alternate needle selection. However, the process of alternate needle selection makes the fabric more open and less elastic as compared to the traditional fully-fashioned garment. The technique of complete garment knitting offers a lot of advantages for the technical production as well as for the knitting market. By using seamless garment technology, the manufacturers do not have to utilise the cutting and sewing process thus it minimises the consumption of the yarn and also offer savings about the production times and cost. Moreover, we get more consistent and homogeneous product quality by utilising the seamless garment knitting process. Complete garment knitting provides lightness and comfort to the garments. Knit designers can knit more creative knit designs and patterns by making use of the seamless garment knitting technique. Three-dimensional seamless knitting on the v-bed flat knitting machines has diverse capabilities, and we can apply it to the numerous products like medical textiles, fashion, automotive, upholstery, aerospace etc. Seamless knitting will continue to grow further and will become one of the most significant next-generation knitting techniques in the coming time.
Contact us: Bharat Machinery Works has been manufacturing reliable quality v- bed flat knitting machines for seamless knitting since 1987. To ensure that these machines fulfil all the quality standards as well as to gain superior performance, our skilled professionals always check every flat knitting machine on various parameters before the final dispatch of the machines. So, whenever you require v-bed flat knitting machine for manufacturing seamless garments then feel free to contact our company- Bharat Machinery Works.
