the effect of tucking courses' number on performance of knitted fabric
TRANSCRIPT
The Effect of Tucking Courses' Number on Performance of Knitted Fabric
Yuying Qiu 1, a
1 Design Institute of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, 314001, China
Keywords: tuck, course, fabric performance
Abstract. In this paper, four types of single needle tuck stitches which have different tuck courses are
designed and programmed through M1PLUS software. Using the blended yarns of apocynum fiber
and cotton fiber (10/90), these tuck stitched are knitted by STOLL computer flat knitting machine.
Through testing, comparing and analyzing on dimension property, thickness, air permeability and
drape, the change regulation of tuck structures is grasped so as to guide the design of the knitting
fabric.
Introduction
With improvement of living standard and cultural quality, the requirements for knitting garment are
getting higher and higher including fashion of style, variety of color and originality of structure [1].
The new development tendency of knitting products is becoming more and more serial, fashion,
high-grade, comfort and functional [2]. The appearance of apocynum fiber just meets product
demand. Apocynum which is a natural far infrared emitting material is a new developed natural fiber
in recent years, and has premium properties such as antibacterial effect [3]. So its development
accords with fashion trend of green, environmental protection and health.
Tuck stitches in knitting fabric is a common structure and is widely used in knitting apparel
because it can form a variety of pattern effect such as concave-convex and eyelet. So this paper
carries on research for four different tucking structures which are knitted by the blended yarns of
apocynum fiber and cotton fiber.
Design and Knit of Tuck Stitch
Knitting Principle. The Tuck stitch means one or several unclosed suspended arc setting under
previous closed loop and is constituted by closed loop and unclosed suspended arc [4]. The
experimental sample designed in this article has the same number of course and wale (300course,
250wale) and the number of tuck courses respectively is one, two, three and four.
Laboratory Instruments and Preparation of Materials.
Yarn: 30s/2 C90/L10
Laboratory instruments: CMS530HP（STOLL)
Gauge: 7.2.2(multi-gauge)
Stitch Knitting. Programming is carried on with STOLL M1PLUS software according to the
stitch designed. During programming, the same knitting parameter is used for four tissues as shown in
the following table.
Table 1 Knitting parameter
Parameter Loop Length Take-down Machine Speed
Value NP5=11.5
NP6=9.8 WMF1=5.0 MCEG=0.5
Advanced Materials Research Vol. 627 (2013) pp 353-356Online available since 2012/Dec/27 at www.scientific.net© (2013) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerlanddoi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.627.353
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Four tuck stitches of different tucking courses are knitted with computer flat knitting machine
according to reasonable knitting parameters. Their knitting diagram and fabric figure is shown in
Table 2.
Table 2 Knitting diagram and fabric figure of tuck stitches
Stitch type Knitting diagram Fabric figure
Single needle tuck stitch
with one tucking course
Single needle tuck stitch
with two tucking courses
Single needle tuck stitch
with three tucking courses
Single needle tuck stitch
with four tucking courses
Above tuck stitches are knitted by the same yarn and the same computer flat knitting machine.
From fabric figure, it can be seen that each fabric has a different appearance. The eyelet of single
needle tuck stitch with four tucking courses is biggest and its concave-convex effect is the most
obvious. Thereby, the number of tucking courses has great influence on the fabric appearance.
Performance Testing of Tuck Stitches
After retracting for 24 hours, four stitches are tested for size, thickness, permeability and drape under
standard experimental conditions, then the obtained data through testing are analyzed.
Testing of Size. Length and width are measured for five times respectively, and the average value
is obtained.
From Fig.1, it can be seen that the actual size of length and width for four tuck stitches is different
although there is the same course and wale during knitting. For single needle tuck stitch with four
tucking courses, its length is smallest and its width is biggest, and single needle tuck stitch with one
tucking course is just the opposite. The data is also shown that the length gradually decreases and the
width successively increases with the increasing of tucking courses.
354 Advances in Textile Engineering and Materials
Fig.1 Length and width for tuck stitches (unit/cm)
Testing of Thickness. Thickness is measured by digital thickness gauge for ten times, and the
average value is obtained.
Fig.2 Thickness for tuck stitches (unit/mm)
The data in Fig.2 shows the thickness of single needle tuck stitch with four tucking courses is
2.418mm which is thickest, and following is single needle tuck stitch with three tucking courses. The
thickness of single needle tuck stitch with one tucking course is 2.122mm which is smallest. So it can
concluded that the thickness gradually increases with the adding of tucking courses because of
superposition of tuck loop, and growth rate is very uniform.
Testing of Air Permeability.The experiment of air permeability is carried by YG (B) 461D
digital measuring instrument under the same condition(Test area=20 cm2; Pressure value =100Pa;
Nozzle diameter=Ф 6.0 mm). Each sample is tested for five times, and test data is showed in Table 3.
Table 3 Testing of air permeability for tuck stitch
SAMPLE Number of testing Average
(L/m2·s) 1 2 3 4 5
Single needle tuck stitch
with one tucking course 816.54 800.04 733.54 780.80 742.07 774.60
Single needle tuck stitch
with two tucking courses 804.78 769.39 809.70 760.71 779.25 784.77
Single needle tuck stitch
with three tucking courses 778.31 886.07 733.83 742.04 813.91 790.83
Single needle tuck stitch
with four tucking courses 978.71 963.09 879.64 799.26 883.93 900.33
Advanced Materials Research Vol. 627 355
From Table 3, it can be seen that breathable quantity of single needle tuck stitch with four tucking
courses is 900.33L/ m2·s which is biggest, so its air permeability is best; air permeability of the
remaining three stitches are almost. Generally speaking, because the tucking eyelet becomes bigger
and bigger as the number of tuck course increasing, the air permeability also turns better.
Testing of Drape. The experiment of drape is carried by YG（L）811-DN measuring instrument.
Fig.3 Drape for tuck stitches
The data of drape coefficient, aesthetic coefficient and stiffness coefficient from Fig.3 illustrates
that the drape property becomes better with increasing of tucking course and the drape property of
single needle tuck stitch with three tucking course is best. But the drape property of stitch with four
tucking courses is poorer than stitch with three tucking coursed which shows the drape property
contrarily becomes bad if tucking courses is too much.
Conclusions
Though performance testing for tucking stitches and analysis of data, it can be concluded that the
width, thickness and air permeability successively increases with increasing of tucking course and the
length gradually decreases. For drape property, single needle tuck stitch with three tucking courses is
biggest and its change presents parabolic curve.
Acknowledgements
Supported by Science and Technology Bureau of Jiaxing(2011BY11002).
References
[1] Hua'e. Wang: Knitting Industry. No.4 (2008), p.29-31,In Chinese.
[2] Shuqing. Dai, Yongye. Zhang and Zhicai, Jin: Knitting Sewing. No.4 (2010), p.12-15, In
Chinese.
[3] Mei. Fan and Zhongwei.Li: Knitting Industry. No.5 (2002), p.26-27,In Chinese.
[4] Zhongfu.Ding:Sweater Production Process(China Textile and Apparel Press, Beijing 2002),In
Chinese.
356 Advances in Textile Engineering and Materials
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