Retrofitting knitting machines improves efficiency and sustainability
The knitting machine industry has not changed much over recent decades. It still uses the same mainly mechanical and partially electric machines that it did in the last millennium. This stasis extends to the way garments are produced. Sock production tends to be a two-step process. First, a circular knitting machine produces the ‘tube’ of the sock, then a different machine encloses the ‘toe’. This latter stage is the most labour-intensive and time-consuming step, requiring costly infrastructure which takes up additional factory space. The EU-supported ClosedToe project developed a solution that retrofits circular knitting machines with a device which folds the sock toe together so it can be sewn by the same machine. “With ClosedToe, producers won’t have to buy an expensive and bulky new machine or throw out the old one,” says project coordinator Andrea Polizzi from project host Siet Meccanica. The project has completed 50 pilots that ran over a year in two knitting machine models (FDS Future 5C and FDS Magic2000 S) and has already generated industry interest.
The retrofit solution
Sock production, as with a lot of manufacturing, is actually beset by a number of inefficiencies. Most manufacturers produce a range of socks such as jacquard, terry, inlay or rib. Catering for this variety can mean regularly upgrading machines to meet current needs. This means that sock manufacturers can invest in four to five different knitting machines, each comprised of as many as several hundred components depending on the design and finishing required. “This traditional machine-specific way of making socks means that producers struggle to match demand, as the equipment overheads are high. We wanted to allow producers to adapt what they already had,” adds Polizzi. The solution is a hardware device which is integrated within the circular knitting machine and is controlled by its software. ClosedToe offers several advantages. Firstly, as well as negating the need for a second machine to enclose the toe, as the device is small, once installed, it doesn’t increase the size of the knitting machine. Secondly, having one machine reduces the overheads of operators, maintenance and power costs while also freeing up space on the shop floor. Thirdly, enabling a one-step automatic solution doubles the speed of production. Lastly, it also offers a better-quality product for the consumer. “Our 50 pilots have confirmed that the technology is ready to market for one model of circular knitting machine, achieving high quality and reliability standards. Now the challenge is to reproduce these results with other models,” notes Polizzi. “We have already selected nine models to target. We believe we could be ready in 2 years.”
For a more sustainable industry
Aside from benefitting producers and consumers, ClosedToe also contributes to the European Green Deal initiative, as the technology reduces energy usage. It also reduces the amount of waste produced, in terms of both scrap textiles and retrofitting old machines, rather than replacing them. Additionally, by shifting manufacture back to Europe, the need to transport goods long distances, with the associated environmental impact, will be greatly reduced. “Hosiery represents a snapshot of European innovation stasis as we lose market share to cheaper producers outside Europe,” says Polizzi. “Whilst our plan prioritises machines adopting our technology based on the market, longer term we aim to have it available for all machine types. In principle, there is no limit to market share, this is a true revolution in hosiery!” The team don’t intend to compete with the big knitting machine producers, but rather build partnerships with SMEs and installers/distributors.
Keywords
ClosedToe, knitting, manufacturing, hosiery, socks, sustainability, Green Deal, textiles, retrofit
