Karl Mayer, a leading warp knitting machinery manufacturer, will present its innovations in the tricot machine sector at the ITMA 2015 trade fair that starts in Milan this week.

The company will be showing an energy-efficient and ergonomic HKS 2-SE and a HKS 4-M of the next generation, which will be processing patterned sectional beams produced on the new DS Opto-EC.

During the trade fair the HKS 2-SE with a width of 130" and a gauge of E 36 will be producing an elastic locknit (charmeuse) for sportswear.

HKS 4-M EL

The HKS 4-M EL complements the four-bar high-speed tricot machine with N pattern drive which had already been presented to a wide audience at ShanghaiTex 2015. The speed of the EL version, same as that of the model with N drive, has been increased, so that it is up to 25% faster than its predecessor; at the same time it is also said to offer the usual high level of flexibility.

The EL configuration enables the patterns to be changed very quickly and easily by inputting data at the machine’s display unit, the company reports. In this way, the machine can process even small batches efficiently, and can reduce the amount of time needed to develop new and innovative fabrics.

During the machine show, the HKS 4-M EL will be producing a fabric for outerwear at a width of 180" and a gauge of E 28. It will be processing sectional warp beams (SWBs) with a sequence of colours in the warp to match the pattern.

DS Opto-EC

The company will not present DS Opto-EC as such at ITMA, only its products. This innovative direct warper for processing non-stretch yarns combines sectional and direct warping, thus, offering highest flexibility. Yarn warp for yarn warp, the winding is said to guarantee a high level of efficiency when warping short warps for developing new products. At the same time, short runs, processing trials on expensive yarns, and patterned SWBs can be worked economically.

Other advantages include cone warping with limited space requirements, since a minimum number of packages is needed. The machine can also be used for the rapid warping of SWBs in the piece – which is especially useful with long running lengths. The DS Opto-EC also offers optimum quality and a resulting high level of efficiency during the subsequent processing stages, according to the manufacturer.

Innovative features

The machines feature a new, ergonomic design with a high-tech appearance. The Low Energy Option LEO is based on an improved interplay of drive technology, oil viscosity, heat-resistant machine components and operating temperature. It is designed to reduce the energy consumption by up to 10% compared to similar, conventional models, which reduces costs and improves the sustainability of materials.

An integrated camera system for complete fabric inspection provided as standard equipment, ensures total coverage, i.e. 100% monitoring of the finished fabric. The monitoring zone now starts much closer to the knitting point, so that defects can be spotted much earlier.

www.karlmayer.com