Department of Textile Engineering, Primeasia University; Bangladesh
Features of Rib Knitting ( Machine, Process and Structure)
1.Machine has two beds- may be flat or circular.
2.There are two sets of needles- one in each bed.
3.There are two cam systems- one in each bed.
4.Needles in the two beds are not face to face but needles in one bed are in between the needles of the other bed so that they do not touch while raised for clearing.
Rib Circular Knitting Machine
5.Rib fabrics are double-faced structures as well as balanced structures.
6.Both face loops and back loops are visible on both sides of the fabric and fabric has an identical appearance in face and back.
7.Each course is made of the face loop and back loop in an alternative order.
8.Face loops are made by the needles in front bed/ cylinder bed and back loops are made by needles in the back bed/ dial bed.
9.Fabric surface is vertically corrugated or ribbed.
10.Fabric is much thicker, generally double than single jersey fabric.
11.Fabric has good extensibility in the length direction, but the widthwise extensibility and the recovery are much higher than single jersey fabric which makes it suitable for neck collar, cuff, waistband etc.
12.Fabric surface is rough or harsh in feel.
13.Fabric does not curl at the free edges.
14.Fabric can easily be unroved from the end last knitted.
15.Loop length can be changed by varying dial height or vertical gap between two beds and timing of knitting in addition to stitch cam setting in both the beds.
16.Rib machines require finer yarn and result in comparatively costly fabric.
17.Simplest needle gaiting is 1 x 1 but other combinations like 2 x 2, 3 x 3, 6 x 3 etc. are also possible.
18.Minimum one yarn is needed to produce a fabric.
Reference Book
1. Fundamentals and Advances in Knitting Technology
