#Knitting & Hosiery

2020-02-27

Constant control of yarn tension

Modern sensor technology and data processing systems can be used to control all the important processing parameters and also to implement a wide range of optimisation measures. The production sequences can be optimised, as well as entire value-added chains. The efficient monitoring of yarn tension and feed during warp preparation can increase weaving efficiency by up to 5 %.

The new MULTIGUARD yarn monitor gives advance warning of a yarn breakage

The new MULTIGUARD stop motion from KARL MAYER can make an important contribution here. This innovative system gives a warning in the event of yarn breakages or tension peaks, and generates parameters that can be used for internal production data management as well as external quality assurances within the framework of a quality management system.

All the yarn tension levels at a glance

MULTIGUARD continuously determines the tension values of each individual yarn at the exit of the creel and transmits the data to a computer for comparison with the target values. This generates a clear status report. The coloured indicators show the customer immediately which creel position lies within the tolerance, warning or stop ranges. This enables him to intervene quickly in the warping process if there are any deviations from the target values. The specific, measured tension values are displayed in a compact diagram. They can be used for internal analyses and for quality management of the warping process. KARL MAYER has also developed the PROACTIVE-Warping three-level, modular recording system, whereby each level contains more information. Module 1 manages all the basic data supplied by sensors on the warping machine relating to the warping or beaming quality.

For example, the data relates to the exact positioning of the bands in relation to the drum axis. Level 2 complements these values with optical analyses from an integrated camera on the machine, whereby the focus is on the width, position and parallel arrangement of the bands. In module 3, the data is also transferred to the quality record from the creel monitoring system, i.e. the individual yarn tension values from the MULTIGUARD system.

A good start on the market

MULTIGUARD was launched as a prototype for the first time at ITMA 2019, and this innovative system generated a huge level of interest. “The possibility of detecting critical deviations in yarn tension levels early on, and to intervene in order to adjust them was well received by our customers,” says Martin Fuhr, the Head of Development in KARL MAYER’s Warp Preparation Business Unit. A Belgian customer has already ordered the new yarn monitoring system. Further promising projects are currently being negotiated. MULTIGUARD is suitable for every type of creel. It is integrated into the machine’s software and monitor on new machines.

The newcomers HKS 3-M EL ECO and HKS 4-M EL ECO set new standards in the tricot market

Short development cycles, frequent pattern changes, and maximum efficiency – even with small batch sizes: Today's global fashion and apparel market demands more flexibility than ever before. High-performance warp knitting machines with compound needles (HKS) and EL pattern drive are KARL MAYER's answer to this challenge.

KARL MAYER celebrates 35 years of EL pattern drive

KARL MAYER is celebrating an anniversary this year: on 30 November 1990, the first warp knitting machine with electronic guide bar control, the KS 4 EL, was delivered – another milestone for patterning. As early as 1980, the SU gearbox with the MRS42SU had initiated the transition from mechanical chains to digital data.

India becomes growth engine for the warp knitting industry

ITMA ASIA 2025 exceeded all expectations for KARL MAYER – above all thanks to the strong interest from India: around 30% of the qualified discussions were held with partners from this traditional textile country. The response underlines the growing importance of the Indian market, which could become the second largest sales region for KARL MAYER after China. The warp knitting industry in particular is developing dynamically.

Solution for lower energy consumption proves itself in practice

Getzner Textil is one of KARL MAYER’s first customers to use PROSIZE with CASCADE. The innovative weaving specialist has tested the steam and condensation system by KARL MAYER and determined the energy savings it achieves. Karl-Heinz Vaaßen, Head of Textile Drying at KARL MAYER, assisted Getzner Textil’s production specialists both with the tests and with all questions relating to CASCADE. In a conversation with Werner Egger, Head of Weaving, and Thomas Rossi, Head of Warp Preparation at Getzner Textil, he learnt more about the system’s benefits for his customer.

SHIMA SEIKI returns to ShanghaiTex

Leading flat knitting solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, together with its Hong Kong and Chinese market subsidiary SHIMA SEIKI (HONG KONG) LTD., will exhibit at the ShanghaiTex 2025 exhibition (Booth No.: Hall N3, Booth A20) held in Shanghai, China this month. This marks the return of SHIMA SEIKI to ShanghaiTex after a 14-year hiatus, its last exhibit at the show having been in 2011.

Groz-Beckert showcases textile innovation at ShanghaiTex 2025

From December 16 to 19, 2025, the global textile industry will gather at ShanghaiTex at the Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC), where Groz-Beckert will present its latest highlights and innovations across its five product areas – Knitting, Weaving, Nonwovens, Sewing, and Spinning – at Hall N3, Booth A05.

Mayer & Cie. to shut down after failed search for investor – 270 jobs affected

Mayer & Cie., the long-established German manufacturer of circular knitting and braiding machines, will cease operations after its international search for an investor ended without success. The company, based in Albstadt-Tailfingen, had been undergoing insolvency proceedings in self-administration since its filing on 23 September 2025. As Schwarzwälder Bote reports, the insolvency court has now formally opened the proceedings, triggering the decision to wind down the business in an orderly process.

Innovation and customer proximity – KARL MAYER’s clear focus makes an impression

ITMA ASIA in Singapore was a resounding success for KARL MAYER, exceeding all expectations. The company welcomed visitors from 39 countries and held around 570 expert discussions. Most guests came from India, followed by China, Indonesia and Pakistan. The exchange with them was both well-founded and targeted. Conversation topics ranged from investment projects and new technologies to opportunities for cooperation and business expansion.

More safety and comfort for protective clothing thanks to auxetic fabrics

When everyday materials are pulled, they stretch or elongate in the direction of the pull and become narrower in cross-section. We can also observe this property in two-dimensional textiles. Auxetic structures behave differently here. They have the striking property of not changing under tensile stress or even increasing their width or thickness. These properties are advantageous, for example, in protective textiles or textile filter media. The DITF are researching auxetic fabrics for various applications.