Shima Seiki Mfg., Ltd. – a leading Japanese flat knitting technology provider – together with its Hong Kong subsidiary Shima Seiki (Hong Kong) Ltd., is all set to participate in the ITMA ASIA + CITME 2020 exhibition which is scheduled to be held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC) in Shanghai, China from 12 to 16 June 2021.
Through its exhibit theme – Step Beyond – Shima Seiki will present its vision of the future, while addressing a variety of solutions for the new normal, including proposals in factory automation, digital transformation (DX) and various online solutions.
According to the company, factory automation has become a necessity in the textile industry and the interest for the same has accelerated due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“At ITMA Asia we will be making proposals for factory automation centered on the special manufacturing capabilities of our WHOLEGARMENT knitting machines,” says Shima Seiki, which further adds that WHOLEGARMENT knitwear can be knit in one entire piece without the need for linking or sewing, and allows for on-demand knitting.
As pioneer of complete garment technology with over 2,700 patents and over 25 years of experience in the field, SHIMA SEIKI will present its WHOLEGARMENT knitting technology in the form of two of the latest machines – MACH2XS and MACH2VS.
The flagship MACH2XS is the most advanced flat knitting machine in the world, featuring proprietary four-needle bed and SlideNeedle technology combined with spring-type moveable sinkers and i-DSCS+DTC Digital Stitch Control System with Intelligence and Dynamic Tension Control, and capable of all-needle knitting of WHOLEGARMENT items.
On the other hand, MACH2VS is a flexible V-bed machine capable of knitting WHOLEGARMENT knitwear using every other needle, or conventional shaped knitting using all needles.
It also features spring-type moveable sinkers and i-DSCS+DTC Digital Stitch Control System with Intelligence and Dynamic Tension Control. MACH2VS is presented in ultrafine 18G with auto yarn carriers as a prototype option.
It’s worth noting here that MACH2XS and MACH2VS will be shown for the first time in China.
As per the flat knitting bigwig, the large number of patents for WHOLEGARMENT technology is not limited to mechanical hardware, but span the range of software and programming, as well as stitch structures and knitting techniques. A variety of WHOLEGARMENT knitwear samples featuring these patents are presented at the Shima Seiki booth as well.
ITMA Asia will also be the place for a sneak preview of Next-Generation 4-bed WHOLEGARMENT knitting technology. The new machine is named SWG-XR, adopting the SWG moniker from the first-generation WHOLEGARMENT knitting machine introduced back in 1995.
In order to further support efforts in digitalisation in the fashion industry, Shima Seiki will showcase three new online services as well: ‘APEXFiz’ subscription-based design software; ‘yarnbank’ digital yarn sourcing web service; and ‘SHIMANAVI’ e-learning service.
