Billy Hunter reports from Brescia.

Santoni SpA, leader in circular knitting machines for seamless garments has stunned the knitting and hosiery industries once again with a foray into warp knitting.

In a remarkable move, the Lonati Group company showed two prototype SDW8 double needle-bar raschel knitting machines for producing seamless garments during its Santoni Days exhibition at its Brescia headquarters over the weekend.

The SDW8 is a double needle bar raschel knitting machine equipped with eight guide bars with a working width of 44 inches (1118mm). Two versions of the machine were shown in 24 gauge (needles per inch), each of which was knitting two seamless garments side by side in chain formation, with garment blanks to be separated later by cutting. A women’s long sleeved top was being produced which required some cutting but no sewing except for the addition of trims if desired.

The more complex version of the SDW8, which was knitting women’s patterned long sleeved tops, was equipped with electronic patterning by means of piezo elements giving the machine almost unlimited patterning scope. Guide bar movement is also electronically controlled via linear motors. Both machines were fitted with 21 inch warp beams which are controlled at each beam position by electronic let-off devices.

A second version of the SDW8 was knitting two pairs of pantyhose side by side which later required cutting and some sewing. Apart from the patterning device, the machine was of similar specification to the machine with unlimited patterning capability.

Lonati Group spokesperson, Franco Sciacca told Knitting Industry: “We want to emphasise that it is not our intention to move into the warp knitting field to compete with the long established warp knitting machine builders. Rather, we see this development as an extension of our Seamless garment philosophy.”

Sciacca added: “Santoni is now known as the world leader in Seamless and we want to explore different technologies so that we can widen the reach of Seamless. We see this as more of an evolution rather than a revolution. Lonati Group has always been in the garment machine business, whether that be for socks, pantyhose or Seamless garments. That is where we will remain, even if we do use warp knitting technology. ”

For the full story and more “Santoni Days” news, visit Knitting Industry over the next few days.