Circular Knitting Machine

Overview

A circular knitting machine produces tubular weft-knitted fabric on a rotating cylinder of latch needles. Yarn is drawn from cones on a side creel, tensioned and metered at each feed position, and worked into stitches as the cylinder turns past a ring of stationary cams. The fabric forms as a continuous tube that is drawn downward, spread, and wound into a roll. This model is a 30-inch, 24-gauge machine with 96 feeders, capable of single-jersey, rib and interlock structures depending on dial setup.

Yarn leaves the Side Creel and runs through the Yarn Feed System system, where a positive feed wheel and disc tensioner deliver each end at constant rate to the needles. Color-change striping fingers at selected feeds allow patterned courses.

How it works

The heart of the machine is the Needle Cylinder, a grooved steel cylinder whose tricks each hold a latch needle. As the cylinder rotates, needle butts ride the tracks of the Cam System: knitting cams raise each needle to clear the old loop, then lower it to draw new yarn through, while sinkers hold the fabric down between needles. The Dial Assembly carries radial needles that interlock with the cylinder needles to knit rib and interlock fabrics.

Rotation comes from the Main Drive, an inverter-fed motor turning the cylinder through a reduction gearbox and a large ring gear that sets stitch speed. Below the needles, the Take-Down & Batching draws the fabric tube down under controlled tension and batches it onto a cloth roll.

Continuous running depends on supporting systems. The Lubrication System sprays an oil mist onto the needle and sinker tracks to cut friction and wear at speed. The Lint Removal System blows fly and lint clear of the knitting zone with a rotary blower and air ring. The Stop Motion & Sensors watches every feed for a yarn break and halts the machine on a fault before a hole or press-off can form, protecting both fabric and needles.