Italy's Santoni Group launched a brand new Mecmor open width garment length knitwear or sweater knitting machine at ITMA, which is space saving and is said to have a lower price and greater flexibility than earlier Mecmor models.

The Mecmor Compact's added flexibility is derived from the fact that knit and transfer systems are now combined. Each of the Compact's 12 systems is now available for knit or transfer at any time with three way technique in both cylinder and dial.

With all earlier Mecmor machines, knit and transfer systems had to be physically removed and replaced to optimise the machine for a particular fabric structure. For example, to optimise for jacquard production, transfer systems were removed and replaced by knit systems.

The new 33 inch diameter Compact has a circumference of 210cm and uses completely new electronics throughout.A new Logica programming software package which runs in Windows, makes for easier programming and uses a knit colour system similar to those employed by the leading flat knitting machine builders.

"Our world-renowned Mecmor open panel circular knitting machine, recognised as the most complete knitwear machine in circular motion, has now been redesigned into a new physically smaller model called the Compact," says Santoni Marketing Manager Patrick Silva.

"This latest machine has most of the advantages of the larger model, but now with the addition of some very important new features such as, for example, the enhancement of the production by having the feeds no longer divided into those specialised in knit stitches and those in transfer stitches. Here each feed is completely integral and can do either according to the required selection," Patrick Silva says.

"Santoni has always considered that circular knitwear production is a necessary compliment to flatbed knitting and a well-equipped knitting mill should have both types, especially as the circular system has of course an incomparably huge productivity in the finer gauges," says Patrick Silva.

"With this new smaller model, called the Mecmor Compact, with its remarkably high productivity and fine quality of fabric, we have made circular knitwear production more accessible due to its compact space dimensions, its latest electronic management, and also due to its investment cost for rapid depreciation whilst keeping all the circular advantages of fine stitch quality and the highest productivity, especially in the finer gauges," Mr Silva adds.

The Mecmor Compact is available in a range of gauges from 10-20, with 20 being a brand new gauge. Previously, 18 gauge was the finest available. On show at ITMA was a 14 gauge machine.

The Mecmor Compact, which is manufactured in Italy, is also able to rack for the production of cable patterns and other racking structures. Three needles racking to the right and left is available.

The exhibited machine was knitting a men's blue slip over with fashioned v-neck in a 2/60s wool yarn, utilising 1156 needles - knit time for the garment was said to be 3 minutes 50 seconds. A second sample displayed, a jacquard dress in 14 gauge (above right) was said to have a knitting time of just 2 minutes 45 seconds.

Download Mecmor Compact brochure