New dimension in technical knits from Mayer & Cie.

27 January 2009, Albstadt – Leading circular knitting machine builder Mayer & Cie.has launched a new double jersey machine for fine rib knit fabrics and 3D spacer fabrics for technical applications.

Mayer’s new Technit D3 uses technology pioneered on its single jersey MLPX 3-PL which is aimed at high production high quality plush fabrics for car upholstery and furnishing where long fabric life is important. The MLPX 3-PL produces fabrics with a very high cover factor which are ideal for raising and shearing using the novel MCT cam concept where the machine produces a complete plush course per feeder with a ground yarn and up to two colour yarns.

The new Technit D3 applies the MLPX 3-PL technology to double jersey knitting and Mayer is confident that the new design of the Technit D3 is an exciting innovation which is set to open up new fields of application for circular knit fabrics. According to Mayer, the Technit D3 yields a more stable fabric than the MLPX 3-PL which is important for applications such as shoe fabrics. Mayer confirmed that it has already delivered a Technit D3 for shoe fabric manufacture to a Taiwanese customer.

The Albstadt company is keen to stress the importance of the high stability of its D3 fabrics and claims that the Technit D3 makes the most stable weft knitted fabrics available today. Warp knits can of course be engineered to be more stable but circular knitted fabrics are cheaper to produce and can be produced in smaller lots more economically due to the relatively high cost of yarn preparation and machine set up in warp knitting. These economics lend themselves to shoe manufacturing where relatively small quantities of fabric are used in each shoe.

Technit D3 knits 3 yarns per feeder, a ground yarn and two plating yarns. The first plated yarn is fifty percent visible on the fabric face, while the second plated yarn is located inside the fabric, depending on the yarn application and therefore concealed, allowing both yarns to be used as functional yarns which give additional functionality to the fabric. Mayer & Cie. says that the new technology produces fine rib knit goods and 3D spacer fabrics capable of addressing a wide variety of applications, such as fine rib with incorporated functional yarns which can be used for example to provide a shield against electromagnetic waves (EMC) in clothing.

Functional yarns can also be used for the electrical transmission of heat in outdoor clothing or seat covers and thermal functions permitting, the selective dissipation of body moisture while offering simultaneous thermal insulation are additional application fields for these new-style fabrics.

Due to their substantially higher abrasion resistance values (2 yarns per stitch and 3 per feeder), Technit D3 fabrics are particularly suitable where durability is called for. Examples are the home textile sector for seats and upholstered furniture, the automotive sector for linings and seat covers, or for inner linings and inlay soles in shoe production. Mayer says that Technit D3 fabrics can also be used in medical applications where functional yarns can be introduced to impart new fabric properties. An example of this would be the introduction of a silver yarn to give anti-bacterial properties.

Mayer says that Technit D3 is undoubtedly set to open up new and exciting scope for replacing conventional methods by lower-cost circular knitting technology with all its benefits such as outstanding elastic stretch and recovery capability. Technit D3 comes with up to 4 needle tracks and is offered as standard with a machine frame for 520mm fabric rolls and Mayer’s Quick-Change for simple gauge conversion. Technit D3 is optionally available with an industrial frame (920 mm fabric rolls), a giant frame (1250 mm fabric roles), or with an open-width frame.

Technit D3 is available in gauges E18, E20 and E22 and in 30 and 34 inch diameters. It has 1.6 feeds per inch (48 feeds on a 30 inch dia.) and can run at speeds of up to 18rpm (30inch). The machine can be supplied in rib or spacer fabric versions and also a conversion kit can be supplied which will allow one machine to be used for producing both rib and spacer fabrics. By exchanging cam parts the production of Interlock-based fabrics is also possible.

Mayer has a number of patents pending for the Technit D3 technology and is keen to work with partners to develop new applications for the technology.