Electronic Link Between the Needle Cylinder and the Dial of the Small Diameter Knitting Machine

The article is focused on verification of the applicability of individual drives in the design of small diameter knitting machines. The current arrangement of the drive ensures the mechanical transmission between the needle cylinder and the dial is via a central servomotor; this mechanical link raises limitations in terms of efficient utilisation of these elements of the machine. The new drive system eliminates the mechanical link and allows separate operation of the individual aggregates used in the knitting process. From the technical viewpoint, it is necessary to ensure compliance with the manufacturer’s prescribed maximum deviation of rotation between the needle cylinder and dial during the working cycle. For this reason, the article discusses an experiment verifying the capability of the new drive system to achieve the above-stated rotation deviation.