A model of the loop formation process on knitting machines using finite automata theory

S.

A. Grishanov
Russia

St. Petersburg State University of Technology and Design, St. Petersburg

T. Cassidy
De Monlfort

and D. J. Spencer
University, Leicester, UK

Computer control systems, currently available for industrial knitting machines, have been developed by individual machine manufacturers. The result is that each system is applicable only to a particular machine type. This work is aimed toward the determination of a genetic control system that could be applied to a wide range of knitting machine types. A model of a knitting needle operation is proposed. This takes the form of a multitape controlling automaton and an operational automaton functioning together. The conformity between the technological functions of the separate parts of knitting machines and the functions of an automaton is determined. Diagrams of states and alphabets of input, stack and output symbols of an operational automaton are defined. The functioning of this automaton is reduced to the performance of nine operations, which are its system of instructions. This enables the processes of basic structural element formation, i.e., knitted loop, tuck loop, and float, on needles of different types and on knitting machines of various constructions to be modelled uniformly. The model proposed abo describes the process of a loop transfer, the new knitted fabric commencing on empty needles and finished fabric press-off: Furthermore, consideration has been given to the operation of a multitape controlling automaton that would be integrated in the design of a knitting machine. An algorithm for output symbol determination has been developed that provides independent automaton control of the number of cam layers, the identification of cam track, and the number of needles in use. The software for minimization of the disjunctive normal form of Boolean functions, based on the methods of Quine and Gorbatov, has been developed. The possibility of modelling knitting machine malfunctions is described, enabling deviations from the correct process, such as hook or latch damage, to be studied. 0 1997 by Elsevier Science Inc. Keywords: finite automaton, knitting machine, knitted structure, needle damage, malfunction

1. Introduction During the last decade the methods for computer-aided design (CAD) of knitted structure and the calculation of the required parameters have developed very rapidly. At the present time special computers are also used for control of the knitting process on both circular and flat-bed machines. Much of the published literature in this area is in the form of overviews of commercial CAD and CAD/CAM systems. r, However Vaamonde et a1.3 have

Address reprint requests to Dr. Cassidy at the School of Design and Manufacture, De Montfort University, The Gateway, Leicester, LEI 9BH, UK. Received 1997. 19 June 1997; revised 20 March 1997; accepted 11 April

described an integrated CAD/CAM system for a limited range of Jacquard knitting machines. This system cannot be used for machines using purl needles. This limitation does not apply to the system described in this paper. Miyazaki et a1.4 have described a system for generating stitch symbols from knitting pattern images. This would make a useful adjunct to any existing or future CAD/CAM system. Together with the well-known advantages of these systems their common limitation is their narrow specialization as they are dedicated to specific knitting machine types. This specialization is the result of a lack of a general mathematical model describing the knitting process using various needle types. Another important point is the lack of a mathematical model for the study of defects arising in the knitted structure caused by a failure

Appl. Math. Modelling 1997, 21:455-465, July 0 1997 by Elsevier Science Inc. 655 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10010

0307-904x/97/317.00 PII SO307-904X(97)00042-5

Loop formation process

in the knitting process. These factors prevent the further improvement of CAD systems for knitted garments and the unification of electronic control systems that can be based on the use of universal PC-compatible computers.

on knitting machines: S. A. Grishanov et al.

2. The finite automaton knitting needle

as an analogy of the

To build a model of a knitting process it is necessary to consider the process of knitted structure formation on a circular knitting machine having latch needles (Figure 1) in the tricks of a revolving needle cylinder. The needles are caused to move up and down within the tricks under the action of the cams. Interacting with the cams each needle performs the separate successive operations of the knitting process, which are dependent upon the type of cam configuration, the length of protruding butt, the presence of yarn, and the correct functioning of all parts. These factors determine the sequence of knitted structural elements obtained, which also depends on the previously formed knitted structure. Consequently it may be stated that the needle is a program-controlled device that recognizes and performs an algorithm determined by the configuration of the cams.

Figure 2.

The model of the knitting needle.

Aradiqehadofthcmultii-tspe-lliug&omatonA, Figure 1. The analogies between latch needle and finite automata. different parts of knitting

It is knownS that a finite automaton can be used as a model of a device for recognition and performance of an algorithm. For this purpose it is necessary to set up a relationship between an automaton and the function of a needle. It can be noted that the different parts of a needle perform different functions. The butts are situated on the needle or on a selector, and together with the cams they control the movement of the needle. The upper part of the needle, where the latch is situated, acts to create the fabric structural elements. In accordance with this, one can represent each needle as two automata operating together (Figure 2). Each cam track can be considered as an input tape, where each cam is an input symbol of an algorithm written on a tape. In this case the needle butt corresponding to this cam track will represent a reading head of the multitape controlling automaton A,. The needle latch corresponds to the operational automaton A,. The latch provides storage of the knitted structural elements under the needle hook and/or their transmission to the wale or to another needle during loop transference. Thus the space under the hook and needle stem is a memory of the operational automaton, and the structural elements situated on the needle can be considered as symbols in the memory. The resultant wale and fabric structural elements in this model are an analogy of the output tape with the output symbols. The function of automaton A,, which has a stack memory, is to read the input symbols in succession, to determine the operation of the automaton A, to be performed, and to form the output signal. As far as the latch needle is concerned such a signal is the direction and the distance of needle displacement. The automaton A, performs the operation determined by A, and transforms the contents of its memory. This leads to the output symbol appearance, i.e., to the formation of the corresponding structural elements. The action of both au-

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Loop formation process

tomata is synchronized in such a way that the automaton

on knitting machines:

S. A. Grishanov et al.

A, reads the next input symbol only after the automaton A, has performed the previous operation. On the knitting
machine this is provided by the cam configuration. Thus the knitting process model is reduced to an analysis of a succession of input symbols and its transformation into output symbols.

3. The operational

automaton

functions

The operation of a latch needle is modelled by means of the automaton A,. It has been reported by Bratchikov5 that a stack automaton can be determined with the following ordered set:

where Q2 = the finite set of automaton states; VIZ, Vsz, V,, = the alphabets of input, stack, and symbols, respectively; pz, 6, = the transition and output functions that mine a new automaton state and the symbols, are written into the automaton memory or to an tape; z2 = the original symbol in the memory; q2 = the initial state; and F2 = the finite set of final states.

output deterwhich output

Here and further the upper index f= 0,l designates the needle bed number. It is then necessary to determine the relationship between the influence of a cam, the change in the needle position, and the resultant fabric structural element produced. This corresponds to the conformity between the input symbol, the automaton state, and the output symbol. As a result the alphabets of input, memory, and output symbols and also the transition and output functions will be determined. To numerate the lower indices of input symbols the 16-based system will be used. The transition function p2 is shown in Table 1. It also can be represented as a graph of states depicted in Figure 3. At the end of the arrows corresponding to the transition from one state to another the automaton operations and the input symbols are denoted. When the technological process is performed correctly the symbols hi, h[, h{, hf, and h{ determine the presence of yarn and the symbol h{ determines the presence of a loop to be transferred. The absence of a yarn and a loop for transfer are denoted by means of the same symbols overlined. So the alphabet of input symbols is the set:

To determine the set Q, the basic needle positions relative to the plane of rest were classified. Each of these positions produces a vital and unique operation or group of operations in the knitting cycle. At present the influence of various random factors, such as latch or hook damage and yarn breakage, that impede this process are not taken into consideration. Below it will be shown that the model proposed enables these features to be described. Let us suppose that the boundary between two successive cycles of needle operation is a state whereby the whole process of fabric structural element formation is completed. Consequently this needle position is the initial and the final state simultaneously. Thus the set Q2 includes the following states: qof= the rest position; qf = the position when intermeshing, knocking over, and sinking have been performed; q,f = the position achieved when the needle is moving down and the latch closing and landing have been performed; q{ = the position when tuck height is achieved and later yarn feeding is performed; qf = the position when full clearing height is achieved and subsequent yarn feeding is performed; q[= the posftion of the needle when receiving a loop; q6f==~cz positron of the needle when transferring its loop;

The symbols of alphabet V,z correspond to the structural elements that can be situated in the space under the needle hook or on the needle stem. These are denoted as follows: dg = the yarn being fed prior to loop formation; df = the tuck loop; and d{ = the old loop which has not been knocked over. Let us designate the symbol of the stack bottom as I and the empty symbol that denotes the absence of yarn as E. Thus the alphabet Vs2 is the set: (3)

Table

1.

The transition

function

of operational Transition 9; + q; Q; + 4; 4; + 4 q; + 4;

automaton

Input symbol ; h: ;i

h;
;s

4; +
(7; q: + +

1-t 97 0: q&

h; hi ;; hli hi h:,

q{= the engagement

of both hooks of a double-headed purl needle with the sliders of opposite needle beds (this is true for the purl machines).

q: q: 4 4 q: d d

+ 4: + 4: -4: -+ 4; -4; + 4; + 4:

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Loop formation process on knitting machines: S. A. Grishanov et al.

Figure 3.

The graph of states of operational automaton.

The symbols of output alphabet V,,, correspond to the structural elements of knitted fabric. These are denoted as follows: e&= a float; ef = a tuck loop; and e{ = a knitted loop. Thus the alphabet V,, is the set: (4) The automaton memory is a linear-ordered succession of cells in a form of a double-ended queue (DEQ).7 DEQ is not restricted at both ends and is provided with two reading heads, R, and R,, and two writing heads, W, and W,. Originally, the automaton is in the state qofand the bottom symbol is contained in its memory. The reading heads R, and R, and the writing head W, point to the cell with this symbol. The head WI is set on the empty cell at the left side of the bottom cell (Figure #a]). Later the automaton will change its state and perform the operation with memory contents dependent on the input symbol and current state. The output symbols appearing at the automaton exit are determined by means of functions Z.L~ and S,. The automaton operation can be reduced to the performance of the nine operations listed below and are shown in Figures 4-9. In these diagrams an additional index is given to the memory and output symbols. It shows the ordinal number of structural elements created on the needle under consideration. 1. hcsh In (PI). This operation is performed by head WI. If the previous state was the original one, then the memory symbol is placed in the cell to the left of the symbol I. After that the heads R,, R,, and WI are moved left to the next cell, but the head W, does not change its position (Figure 4[a, b/l. Otherwise the new memory symbol is placed in the cell at the left of the previous cell used, then the heads R, and WI are moved left to the next cell, but the heads W, and R, do not change their positions (Figure 4[c, d/l.

Write (WR). This operation is performed by head W,. As far as the initial state is concerned the new memory symbol is placed in the bottom cell, then the head W, is moved right to the next cell and writes the bottom symbol to the new position. The heads R,, R,, and WI remain stationary (Figure Slu, bl). Subject to the DEQ not being empty the new symbol is placed in the bottom cell, and the head W, is moved right to the next cell and writes the bottom symbol to the new position. Then the head R, is moved one cell to the right. The heads R, and W, remain stationary (Figure Sk, d/l. The fish Up CPU) operation is performed by the head R,. If there are not any symbols in the DEQ except I , this operation is not run. At all other cases the memory symbols beginning from the last left symbol are transmitted to the output tape until the only symbol placed

a)

b)

Rl

R2

c)
Figure 4.
The performance of operation Push

d)
In.

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Loop formation process on knitting machines: S. A. Grishanov et al.

RI

7T
R2 I w,

WJ

Q)
Figure 7.
The performance of operation Reed.

6)

RI

RJ

c)
Figure 5.
The performance of operation Write.

d)

Figure 8.

The operation

Transmit.

0)
Figure 6.
The performance of operation Push Up.

b)

11) Figure 9.
The performance of operation Swap.

b)

left at the bottom remains (Figure 6[u, b/. As a result all the heads will take the position illustrated on Figure 4(b). The operation Read (RE) is performed by the head R,. Like the previous operation this one is not performed if the DEQ is empty. Otherwise the memory symbols beginning from the last right one are transmitted to the output tape until the last left symbol remains (Figure 7[u, b/l. At the finish of this operation all the heads will come to the position shown in Figure I(b). Trumrnit (TR). If the DEQ is empty, this operation is not run. In all other cases all stack symbols beginning from the left of the bottom of the automaton considered are transmitted to the DEQ of the automaton destined to operate synchronously as a receiver (Figure 8[a, bl). At the end of the operation the heads R,, R,, W,, and W, come to the original position (Figure 4[ul). The receiving automaton at this moment performs the operation RC as it is described below. To be performed properly this operation requires an additional parameter, which is the address of the automaton to which it is destined.

6. Receive CRC). The performance of this operation is similar to the operation WR for the needle, which knits the back loops, and the operation PI for the needle on the face side. 7. Swap (SW). As a result of this operation all symbols situated in the DEQ reverse the order of sequence but all heads remain in their original positions (Figure Ha, b/l 8. The empty operation, No Operation (NO). This operation changes neither DEQ contents nor the head positions. 9. Squeeze (SQ). This operation is performed at any time when the automaton comes to the state q& with the result that all empty symbols E are removed from the DEQ.

4. The model application A different structural element formation is now shown by means of the proposed model. This enables the output function 6, to be determined. Initially the symbols d{ and

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Loop formation process on knitting machines: S. A. Grishanov et al. in the DEQ, and the automaton is in the h $, hb, and hAf enter the automaton A,, it in succession performs the operations PI, SW, and PU and comes into states qf, qf, and again into qof. This corresponds to the performance of a complete cycle of the knitting operation beginning from the full clearing and ending with rest. p9 The output symbol in this case is e{. The complete process is illustrated in detail in the Table 2. Tucking formation is modelled by means of the performance of several operations PI and NO when the symbols hf and hi enter the automaton A,. The number of pairs of these symbols is equal to the number of tucks obtained. Obviously, such a process cannot continue endlessly and has to be finished with the formation of a plain knitted loop, as shown previously (see Table 2). Missing elements are the result of the performance of the empty operations NO when the input symbols hi are processed (Table 2). The work of the purl needle used in order to obtain the purl structure T9 can also be modelled by means of the automaton proposed. Let the input symbols hy, hi, and h; enter the automaton A,. As a result of this the operations WR, SW, and RE are performed (see Figure 3), i.e., the direction of information reception from the automaton A, and the direction of information transmission to the output tape are changed in comparison with the plain knitted loop formation (Table 2). Obviously the processes of tucking and missing element formation on the purl needle can be considered in the same way. The processes of new knitted fabric commencing on the empty needles and also the finished fabric or garment press-off are represented in Table 3. The peculiarity of the latter process is the treatment of the input symbol h{, corresponding to the full clearing height without yarn. The loop transfer (see Table 3) is performed like the loop press-off, however, in this case the input symbols are h{ and hi.
state q&. If the symbols

are situated

To model the loop formation on the two-bed machine it is enough to assume that all needles knitting the face side originally are in the state qg and that later their states are changed in accordance with the left part of the graph (Figure 3). At the same time all the needles producing the back originally are in the state q& and the right part of the graph is true for these needles. Also it is of interest that the work of a needle with two latches or more, if necessary, can be described on the basis of this model. It is known that these needles are used to obtain the so-called tied-up loops. For this it is enough to enlarge the set (X2 and to add to it another state qi. The alphabets V,, and Vo2 have to be enlarged as well with symbols h: and e{, respectively. In this case if the symbols h!, h:, ht, and hz enter the automaton A, the operation SW will be performed twice, and it is this that will effect the knitting-in of the additional thread. On the graph of the automaton states (Figure 3) the distinct part of the process is shown by dotted lines. The succession of the automaton operation is illustrated in Table 3. Using the principle of movement relativity and taking into consideration that for the spring needle the analogy of the operational automaton is the beard presser together with the beard itself one can come to the conclusion that the model of the knitting process described above can be completely used for this needle type without any changes. It is also true for compound needles.

5. The binary system of coding for the parameters the knitting process

of

Further consideration is now given to the controlling automaton A,, the task of which is to read the input symbols in succession, to determine the operation of automaton A,, and to form the output signal. In this case the automaton output function is of main interest, there-

Table 2. Automaton

The basic knitted structural elements formation state Input symbol Memory contents Operation Memory contents Automaton state Output symbol

~~-

Plain loop formation 9: 940 9: Tuck loop formation 900 930 900 9: 9P Float element formation 900 Purl structure formation 9: 9: 9; d; I dd,oo I d;d,o I dg2d,0do0 _L d$Odf1di2 I d; I PI NO PI SW PU NO WR SW RE d:df _L d,od,o I d,02d,od,oo I d,Odd,O I do: 2 d$ I d,OdO I d,od; I d; _L 930 900 9: 9: 9: 9: 9: 9: 9;
e2

do0 I d&do0 1 d;d> I

PI SW PU

d,od,o I d;d I do 2 I

9: 9: 900

00 e2

00 9
01

00 e. ei

do0 I d$d,o I d,od,o I

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Table 3. Automaton The performance state of basic knitting process Input symbol Memory contents Operation

on knitting machines:

S. A. Grishanov

et al.

Memory contents

Automaton

state

Output symbol

New knitted fabric commence 4 4: 4 qoo 9.40 QP Loop press-off & 9.40 47 Loop transfer roe q: Tied-up loop formation 400 4: 4: (r10 ;z hi h: $ I d,oOI d,o I d,o I d,od,o I d,od,o I d,o I sd; d;, d; I I PI SW PU PI SW PU PI SW PU TR NO PI SW SW PU d,oOJ_ d,o I do0 I d$d;_L d,od,o 1 d; I sd; d;, _L _L I d,od; I d,od,o I ddoO I
die:

q: q: q: 440 4:
so0

01 el

Fl2 : hA

I I

I I

q4 4P qoo qso so0 9.40 4: 4:

4

00
e2

;I

;: hi hi?

d; _L d,od; I d,od,o I

d,Od,O

e$J

fore the set of internal states and the alphabet of stack symbols are not considered. Let us assume that the construction of needles in a knitting machine enables three basic structural elements to be obtained, i.e., knitted loop, tuck loop, and float. Also loop transfer and knitting of purl structures can be performed. If the needle control is performed by means of cams, in order to provide the required needle displacement they must have p = 5 levels. Thus the cams will be the input symbols of automaton A,. At the present stage of investigation it is supposed that after a complete loop formation process the needles are returned into the rest position under the action of stitch cams. Therefore it is assumed that the automaton A, acts in such a way as if the output symbols hl, h{, hi, h{, h5, hi, hg, and hi are not produced. To manufacture complex patterns of knitted fabric it is necessary to obtain various combinations of structural elements. Let us assume that for this purpose cams having r gradations of thickness and needles with the same number of gradations of length of protruding butt are employed. Moreover the butts can be situated on t different levels with a cam track or needle trajectory corresponding to each. Let us denote the levels of cams by symbol Chij, where the lower index h can be equal to one of the following values (see Figure 10): 0 = the rest position; 1 = the tuck position; 2 = the full clearing position; 3 = the loop transfer position; and 4 = the engagement of both hooks of double-headed purl needle with the sliders of opposite needle beds. Here index i means an ordinal cam number, and i is the cam track number counting from the needle head. As each cam can have r layers it will be represented in the form of a word having r symbols. Examples of the

coding of cams with different structures are shown on the Figure 10. It is assumed that r = 4 and that the needle is situated at the right side of the cam. The butt design restricts the cam construction. Accordingly the level of cam height on each next layer from the needle has to be equal or higher than the previous one. Thus for the cam denoted as
[c,cbc,C,lij

(5) that the condition (6)

it is necessary a<b<c<d

would be observed, where indices a, b, c, and d have the same value as index h for the above-mentioned symbol Chij for cam denotation. Let us denote the output automaton symbols corresponding to the displacement of needle to the different position as H,, H,, H,, H,, and H4. Let us number the cam track from 0 to t beginning from the needle head. For butts with different length situated on the different levels the symbol nkj will be

h4 h=3

h=2
h=l h=O

010 001 001 000

Figure 10.

100 010 010 010

Examples of different cam structure coding.

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Loop formation process on knitting machines: S. A. Grishanov et al. used, where k is the ordinal number of the needle and j is the cam track number. It is convenient to represent the output function 6, of automaton A, in the binary Boolean form as a function of binary arguments. This then allows us to simplify the production of the compact function by means of a search of the minimum disjunctive normal form of this function. For these purposes let us introduce a binary code system for all the symbols. As has been stated the cams have five levels of height, hence in order to represent each cam layer it is necessary to have at least log, 5 + 1 = 3 binary digits and 3 x r digits for the whole cam. Therefore any cam can be represented as the following: functions fo, fr, and f2 are used, and each of them gives the value of one of the digits of the output symbol. On the second stage at the beginning the output symbol for the cam i in the cam track (j + 1) is sought. After that by means of functions go, g,, and g, the intermediate results found for the two successive cam tracks are compared. This result is used when the second stage is applied to the cam track (j + 2) and so on until the finished output symbol has been obtained. The successive performance of this algorithm for all the needles leads to the determination of the knitted pattern. The truth table of functions fo, f,, f2, go, g,, and g, are given in Tables 4 and 5. The method described provides the means of controlling automaton modelling independently of the number of cam layers, the number of cam tracks, and the number of needles. To minimize the complexity of the above-mentioned Boolean functions a computer program has been worked out. Using this program the implicit Quine table1,12 has been constructed on the basis of the truth table of a Boolean function, and then the frequency-minimum algorithm r3 has been applied to find the minimum disjunctive normal form of a given function. The forms found by means of this program are shown in Appendix 1. The use of formulas (Al.l)-(A1.6), determining the output symbol of automaton A, together with the states graph of automaton A,, facilitates the modelling of the process of the knitted structural elements produced on knitting machines of various constructions.

where upper indices 0, 1, 2, correspond to the lower, middle, and upper digit and the lower indices r, r - 1,. . . ,O show the ordinal layer number. Each of the output symbols is represented by means of three digits:
H, =

~0;

H,

= 001;

H, = 010; H, = 011; H4 = 100

(8) Let us denote the butt length as an r digit word having such a number of units in its lower part that is equivalent to the number of gradations of length by which the butt protrudes. For example, in the case of four gradations of butt length we will have
nkj = 0000; nkj = 0001; nkj = 0011;

nkj=O1ll;

nkj=

1111

7. A model for knitting machine

malfunction

6. The algorithm

for output symbol determination

In accordance with the definition of the multitape automaton operation lo the minimum number of states has to be equal to the number of input tapes. If at the first time an automaton is in the state q. and the input symbol number nought from the nought tape enters the automaton, then after this symbol is processed the automaton changes its state into q1 and the treatment of the nought input symbol from the first tape is begun. This process is continued until all the tapes have been read. As a result the nought output symbol will be determined. After that the automaton comes back to the state qo, all the first symbols are processed, and so on. When one models the knitting process by means of such an automaton it is necessary to analyze not the single symbols but the words consisting of r symbols. The determination of an output symbol based on this algorithm is performed in two stages. On the first stage the output symbol for the layer k of the multilayer cam i in the cam track j is sought depending upon the cam structure and butt length. The symbol sought services to determine the outcome on the layer (k + 1) and SO on until all the r layers have been analyzed. For these three

The previous models considered correspond to the normal conditions of the performance of the process when a needle is raised to a height that is determined by a cam, a latch is set in the required position, i.e., opened or closed, and a yarn is fed so that it can be caught by the needle hook, etc. However the models proposed are applicable also to the study of needle operations and the determination of knitted structural elements under various deviations from the ideal conditions. For this it is necessary to consider the behavior of automata A, and A, under errors. It is known4 that the errors in an automaton operation can be classified as follows: 1. An unexpected refusal is caused by a change of state of the automaton parameters that determine its behavior resulting from mechanical damage of elements. In this case a set of states and an output alphabet remain the same and other functions are realized as the automaton requires. Another possibility is that new states and output symbols are generated that have not been determined by the set of states and the output alphabet. 2. A gradual refusal happens when the automaton parameters step by step go out of admissable range. Initially it is possible that separate errors in the automaton operation develop, later they become more frequent, and eventually they result in incorrect behavior.

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Table 4. The output function

process

on knitting

machines:

S. A. Grishanov

et al.

for a multilayer cam Output symbol 000 001 010 011 100 000 001 010 011 100 000 001 010 011 100 000 001 010 011 100 000 001 010 011 100 Butt length 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Cam height 000 000 000 000 000 001 001 001 001 001 010 010 010 010 010 011 011 011 011 011 100 100 100 100 100 Previous result 000 001 010 011 100 000 001 010 011 100 000 001 010 011 100 000 001 010 011 100 000 001 010 011 100 Output symbol 000 001 010 011 100 001 001 010 011 100 010 010 010 011 100 011 011 011 011 100 100 100 100 100 100

Butt length 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Cam height

Previous result 000 001 010 011 100 000 001 010 011 100 000 001 010 011 100 000 001 010 011 100 000 001 010 011 100

000 000 000 000 000 001 001 001 001 001 010 010 010 010 010 011 011 011 011 011 100 100 100 100 100

3. A local refusal from the correct operation usually has no determined reasons and does not affect further functions. For instance, hook damage of a latch needle leads to such a change of output function of the automaton A, that for any input symbol an outcome

Table

5.

Output function for the multitracks cam system Previous result 000 000 000 000 000 001 001 001 001 001 010 010 010 010 010 011 011 011 011 011 100 100 100 100 100 Output symbol 000 001 010 011 100 001 001 010 011 100 010 010 010 011 100 011 011 011 011 100 100 100 100 100 100

Input symbol 000 001 010 011 100 000 001 010 011 100 000 001 010 011 100 000 001 010 011 100 000 001 010 011 100

becomes constant, i.e., 6, = e,, which corresponds to the float formation. Subject to damage or the jamming of a latch in the open position the operations SW and PU or RE stop performing, therefore, no symbol is transmitted from the DEQ to the output tape, and they are accumulated in the DEQ. This results in a defect such as a tuck loop or a Jacquard loop. The same situation can arise if a latch remains in the closed position. A duration of the period of wrong automaton operation is determined by the mechanical properties of a yarn and a needle. This can result in needle hook damage or the breakage of all the loops on a needle. In case of yarn breakage-the input symbols hi, h{, h$, hi, and h{ become hi, hf, h$, hi, and h{, respectively. The worst consequence of this is the performance of a press-off process subject to symbols hi and hf and a defect in the form of a hole in the fabric appears. The appearance of the various malfunctions in the operation of the knitting machine can be described by means of a function of probability distribution

pi = +ii(?) where
pi = a probability
& =

(10)

of malfunctions rise due to reason i; a function of probability distribution of malfunctions due to reason i; and t = a time.

In accordance with the influence of each of type of malfunction on the alphabet of input symbols and the set of automaton states it is then necessary to determine the

Appl.

Math.

Modelling,

1997, Vol. 21, July

463

Loop formation

process

on knitting

machines:

S. A. Grishanov

et al.

conditional distribution of probability product of sets Vo2 and Q2

m(q+

within the Cartesian

V

>~olql, v,)

(11)

nkj A ciij nkj A ctij

A clij A Ciij

A f$ AfF
Aft A!:

A!;

This function gives the probability that, subject to an input symbol v, coming to the automaton entrance, which is in a state ql, it will change its state into q+ and an output symbol vO will appear at the automaton exit. Thus the distribution (11) is the basis for the modelling of various defects arising on the knitting machine. The parameters of this distribution have to be determined by empirical means.

Aft

(Al.l)

f; 1= iikjA

cfij

A ciii

A i?;,j

A$

f,V
V

nkj A czij nkj A ciij

A Clij A Clij

A ciij

Ati

A!:

A Ctij Afi

Af,

8. Conclusions In order to determine the succession of instructions for the knitting machine it is necessary to transform the information regarding the knitted structure into a succession of actions performed by the needles. The proposed model enables the process of knitted structure design and the process of knitting machine control to be connected together without intermediate stages. This linkage is double sided and does not depend upon the type of needles employed. The proposed mathematical model setting the definite linkages in the system needle-cam-structural element enables a knitted fabric pattern to be determined, subject to the succession of needles and cams being known. The solution of the inverse task, i.e., to produce the succession of cams under known knitted fabric pattern and the arrangement of butts on needles, can be performed on the basis of the program of Boolean functions minimization. It should be noted that the immediate use of the model proposed for the solution of these tasks requires the processing of a considerable amount of information describing the knitted fabric structure and the construction of needles and cams in the binary form. At the same time, from the designer and technologists point of view, the preferable form of representation of this information is the graphical form. Therefore the practical realization of this model could be successfully performed on the basis of the CAD/CAM system for knitting. The first part of this system concerning the graphical design and analysis of weft-knitted fabric has been tested.15

Ti,j A ~ij

A ~~ij

A ~~ij

A~~

f:V f;
V

?ikj A ciij

A clij

A ciij

A!;

iikj A ciij

A ciij

A ciij

A?;

f; V
V

iikj A c;,j

A ciij

A ciij

Af;

Af:

nkj A clil

A ciij

A cjij

A!:

f: V
V

nkj A a?tij A ciij nkj A ctij nkj A ciij

A Clij A Clij

A C,fij Afi

Aft

A ciij A Cii,

Af[

f:
f,"

Afi

(Al .2)

fi 1= iikjA

ciij

A ciij

A i?iij

A!;

f2 V

nkj A ciij

A cfij A Ciij
1 -0 Ckij

Aft

A!;

f; V
A

nkj A czij
-2 Ckij

C,jij Af[
-k k

f! V
k

ckij

Afo Afi Af2

A!; Aft V

?ikj A
ciij

ctij

A 2;kij A f;

A ciij

A ciij

Aft

fiA f;
Aft

Appendix 1: Minimum disjunctive normal form Boolean functions for output symbol determination

of
iikj A ciij A clij Af; A?; V

f;+l=

nkj A Ctij A ciij

A cfij

Aft

fi

nkj A ciij

A clij

Afi

Aff

fl

nkj A Ctij A t?iij A t!?iij Afi

ciij A ciij A ciij Af; A!;

Aft

czij A cjtij A cfij

A$

f;

f; V f;
V

Af;

ZkjA
ctij

ctij

A clij

A cfij

Af;

iikj A ciij

A ctij

Aft

A!;

Aft

A clij

A c,oij Af;

A?;

f2

(Al .3)

464

Appl. Math. Modelling,

1997, Vol. 21, July

Loop formation process on knitting machines: S. A. Grishanov et al.

valuable advice. We would like to thank Prof. N. N. Truevtzev (St. Petersburg State University of Technology and Design, St. Petersburg) for encouraging our investigations. Particular thanks are due to Dr. R. J. Harwood, Head of the Department of Textile and Fashion (De Montfort University, Leicester, UK), who provided the resources and support for this investigation. (Al .4)
References
1. Nakashima, T. CAD/CAM technology in the knitting J. @n. Sot. Prec. Eng. 1989, 10, 175551758 industry.

2. Eckert, C. and Stacey, M. CAD system and the division of Iabour in knitwear design, IFIP Trans. A Comput. Sci. Technol. 1994, A-57,409-422
3. Vaamonde,

R., and Ollero, A. An integrated A., Marin, CAD/CAM system for a textile industry with knitting machineries. Information Control Problems in Manufacturing Technology:
Sympo-

Selected Papers from the 6th IFAC/IFIP/IFORS/IMACS sium, 1989, pp. 571-577 4. Miyazaki,

(Al 3

T., Shimajiri, Y., Yamada, M., Seki, H., and Itoh, H. A knitting pattern recognition and stitch symbol generating system for knit designing. Comput. Indust. Eng. 1995, 9, 669-673 I. L. The
I975 Syntax of the Programming Languages.

5. Bratchikov,

Moscow,

6. Aho, A. V. and Ullman, J. D. The Theory of Parsing, Translation and Compiling. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1972

7. Knuth,

Algorithms.

D. The Art of Computer Programming. Addison-Wesley, London, 1973

Theory

Vol 1:

Fundamental

8. Dalidovich, A. S. The Basic Moscow, 1970 9. Spencer, 1989. 10. Mirkin, D. J. Knitting B. G. Toward

of Knitting.

Light Press, theory.

Industry, Oxford,
CybernetAmer. Math.

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Pergamon automaton truth

the multi-tape

ics 1966, 5, 12-18

(A.161

11. Quine, 12. Quine,

Monthly

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W. V. The problem of symplifying 1952, 59(8), 521-531 truth

1955, 62(9), Logical 627-631 Structure Design,

function.
Amer.

W. V. A way to symplifying V. A., Demyanov,

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13. Gorbatov,

Acknowledgments

of Complex

V. F., and Kuliev, G. B. Automation Energy, Moscow, 1978

of Non-reliable Automata.

We wish to express our sincere appreciation to Prof. L. P. Rovinskaya (St. Petersburg State University of Technology and Design, St. Petersburg) for useful discussion and

14. Levin, V. I. The Probability Analysis Zinatne, Riga, 1969

15. Grishanov, S. A. A software for design and analysis of weft-knitted fabric. Ref. J. Textile Indust. Inf. N 3244-LP, 1990

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1997, Vol. 21, July

465