Knitting Science (2)

Jimmy Lam
Institute of Textiles & Clothing

Learning Objectives
Tightness factor and fabric properties
Maximum cover factor
Application of fabric geometry

Tightness factor and fabric

properties

Physical properties of the fabric that related to

cover factor or tightness factor:

transparency and air permeability;

shrinkage of a fabric
pilling and snagging effect
flexural rigidity and extension
tightly or slackly of fabric

Transparency and air permeability

Since the value of tightness factor can show the
openness of the fabric, ie the higher the tightness
factor, the lower the openness of the fabric
Also the openness of the fabric is directly related
to transparency and air permeability.
Therefore, the higher the value of tightness factor,
the lower of the transparency and air
permeability character or vice versa.

Shrinkage of fabric
If the same type of yarn is
used, the tighter the fabric (or
higher the tightness factor),
the lower the shrinkage of the
fabric.
It is because the tightly
knitted fabrics simply cannot
shrink as much as before
adjacent loops jam against
each other.

Pilling an snagging effect

Since the tightly knitted fabric,
the movement of fabric or yarn
is more difficult than snack
fabric, therefore the pilling or
snagging is more difficult to
occur in the tightly knitted
fabric.
It is because the effect of pilling
and snagging is determined by
the movement of fiber or yarn.

Flexural rigidity and extension

The higher the tightness factor of the fabric

shows the higher the flexural rigidity and lower
the extension properties of the fabric

Tightly or slackly fabric

They are related to the handle of the fabric.
As said previously, the higher the tightness
factor, the tighter the fabric or vice versa.
Also if the fabric is tightly knitted, the hand
feels of the fabric is not so soft.
However, a tightly knitted fabric gives a better
fabric dimensional stability.

Maximum Cover Factor

Maximum Cover
For a maximum cover, an equilateral
triangle is constructed.
CD2 = BC2 - BD2 = 1-(1/2)2
CD=Sqrt(3/4) = 0.866
Since AB is wale width and CD is
course depth;
the max cover is

wale width : course depth = 1: 0.866

Max Cover (2)

As wales per unit length and courses per unit
length are equal to the reciprocals of wales
width and course depth, therefore
wales/unit length : courses/unit length = 0.866:1
That is, 86 wales to 100 courses in the plain
fabric is the condition to have maximum cover
in a plain knitted fabric

Application of fabric geometry

Fabric weight per unit area

Fabric weight per unit area (g/m2)

let S is stitches per cm2;
l is loop length in mm; and
T is yarn count in Tex

No. of stitches in 1 m2 = S x104;

Fabric weight = S x 104 X l/1000 X T/1000

As S=Ks/l2;
g/m2= Ks/l2 X 104 X l/1000 X T/1000

g/m2=Ks T/(100l)

Fabric weight per running meter

Running meter is one meter length of fabric measured

along the direction of production irrespective of width.
Number of courses in one meter = cpcm X 100
If n is no. of needles, total stitches = n X cpcm X 100
g/m = n X cpcm X 100 X l/1000 X T/1000
Since cpcm= Kc/l
g/m = n X Kc/l X 100 X l/1000 X T/1000

g/m = nKcT/10000

Fabric Width
Width = number of needles in knitting / W = n/ W
where W is wales per unit width (wpcm)
Since W=Kw/l

Width = nl/Kw

Fabric length

Fabric length = number of feeders X rpm /C

where C is course per unit length

Since C=Kc/l

fabric length = Feeder X rpm X time taken (min)

X l / Kc