Japanese flat knitting machine manufacturer Shima Seiki – leading the industry with its pioneering WHOLEGARMENT® technology capable of producing an entire garment in one piece without the need for cutting or sewing – is raising the benchmark with constant evolution for the customers with the vision to innovate, reach new heights in conventional flat knitting with the help of its latest offering in shaped knitting technology. Proven technology, along with Made-in-Japan quality, reliability, productivity, user-friendliness and increased patterning capability all combined make Shima Seiki a renowned name in satisfying the high expectations of the world’s fashion industry. Team StitchWorld reviews Shima Seiki’s latest and most popular computerized flat knitting machine model – SVR123SP.
Spring-loaded movable full sinker system in SVR123SP provides a gentle hold-down movement and yields ideal loop formation, thus improving fabric quality.
The flat knitting machine manufacturer is known for regularly bringing out improved and innovative version of technology and SVR series is one of its latest offerings with innovative features. The machine comes with a single loop presser bed placed above the rear needle bed, a feature which allows the machine to produce unprecedented designs in knit fabrics, especially inlay patterns, which combine knit and weave characteristics to produce hybrid textiles.
Inlay fabric is produced by inserting yarn into existing knit fabric in a weave fashion, yielding unique fabrics that are neither typically knit nor woven. Inlay also suppresses typical stretch characteristics of knitwear, and since new yarns and materials can be used for inlay structures, new applications in addition to fashion apparel such as sports and medical as well as other industrial applications can be anticipated. With fine 14 gauges, the machine can achieve knitting width of 122 cm with a knitting speed of 1.4 metres per second. However, knitting speed can vary according to yarn and other knitting conditions.
Capable of a wide range of knitting from fashion to technical textiles, the machine offers WideGauge capability whereby a variety of gauges – from finer-gauges using all-needle knitting, to lower-gauges using half-gauge knitting – can be knit on a single machine. It benefits the user in handling changing seasons and shifting trends without investing in a machine for every gauge or resorting to the complex, time-consuming task of gauge conversion.
Shima Seiki’s patented Digital Stitch Control System (DSCS) continuously adjusts yarn feed and tension to yield loop consistency with tolerance to within a remarkable (±) 1 per cent. Apart from loop consistency, it also allows consistency among different batches and repeat orders. This results in quality control and thus, higher productivity.
Another feature which aims to improve quality of the output is spring-loaded movable full sinker system. While in the conventional forced-operation type sinkers, fabric is subjected to unnecessary stress and cause compressed loops and even yarn breakage. However, spring-loaded movable full sinker system in the machine provides a gentle hold-down movement and yields ideal loop formation which in turn allows a significant improvement in fabric quality for complicated patterns.
The machine also features a R2CARRIAGE (R2 = Rapid Response) system that features an advanced carriage mechanism combined with improved software programming that achieves quicker carriage returns after each course. Field-tested and market-proven in the industry for 30 years, the company’s patented Digital Stitch Control System (DSCS) continuously adjusts yarn feed and tension to yield loop consistency with tolerance to within a remarkable (±) 1 per cent. Apart from loop consistency, it also allows consistency among different batches and repeat orders. This results in quality control and thus, higher productivity.
Furthermore, a network connector is repositioned on the side of the controller for easier access when performing production data management with Shima Network Solutions. The USB interface is also placed directly below the control monitor for improved access in data exchange. The control display is available in various languages such as English, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Turkish, Arabic, Russian, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Japanese. A backup power supply for situations when power abruptly fails, allows work to resume, thus offering a confirmation that an entire garment will not be lost due to blackouts. In addition, the stop motion sensor incorporated in the machine stops the running of machine in situations such as yarn break, large knot, fabric pileup, shock detection, piece count, over-torque, program error, etc.
This highly productive and flexible machine when used with SDS-ONE APEX3 – a special 3D design solution for the Shima Seiki machines is capable to turn the SVR123SP into a power house of a design solution.
