How to quickly master the method of covering fabrics in HANMA  circular knitting machine?

The fabric setting (also called "cloth setting" or "cloth threading") of the circular weft knitting machine is a key preparation step before starting production. Improper operation may cause fabric defects or equipment failure. The following are the standard fabric setting steps and operation points, which are explained in detail in combination with the requirements of equipment safety and production efficiency:
I. Preparation before fabric setting
1. Equipment inspection
Mechanical status: Confirm that the needle cylinder, needle plate (if it is a double-sided machine), knitting needle, sinker and other components are not damaged or foreign matter, and the lubrication system is normal.
Electrical system: Check that the control panel display is normal and there are no abnormal alarms for each motor (main motor, yarn feeding motor, etc.).
Auxiliary tools: Prepare scissors, tweezers, tensioner, cloth head fixing clamp, chalk (marking position), etc.
2. Grey cloth preparation
Cloth head processing: Trim the grey cloth head to be set neatly, remove the burrs or damaged parts, and avoid jamming when rolling in; if the cloth head is loose, it can be sewed or folded with thread first.
Confirm the specifications: Check whether the width and gram weight of the grey cloth are consistent with the process requirements to avoid using the wrong raw materials.
II. Core steps of fabric covering (taking a single-sided circular knitting machine as an example)
1. Position the needle cylinder and adjust the speed
Low-speed start: Set the machine to "jog" or low-speed mode (50-100 rpm) to ensure that the needle cylinder rotates slowly to facilitate the observation of the fabric covering process.
Mark the starting point: Use chalk to mark a starting position on the outer circle of the needle cylinder (such as the corresponding position of a certain knitting needle) to facilitate the subsequent alignment of the cloth head.
2. Cloth head introduction and preliminary fixation
Threading path:
Lead the cloth head from the cloth roll rack or cloth feeding device under the machine and pass it through the tensioner (adjust to moderate tension to avoid pulling and deformation);
Feed it from the bottom of the needle cylinder upwards to align the edge of the cloth head with the needle plane of the needle cylinder mouth to ensure that the cloth head is horizontally flat.
Temporary fixation: Use a cloth head fixing clamp to temporarily clamp the cloth head on the fixed rod outside the needle cylinder (or tie it to the adjacent knitting needle with thread) to prevent the cloth head from slipping when covering the cloth.
3. Cloth and needle hooking
Manual assisted hooking:
Slowly rotate the needle cylinder, and use tweezers or a special hook needle to hook the yarn on the edge of the cloth head to the needle one by one (starting from the marked starting point, hook the yarn in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction);
Make sure that each needle hooks the yarn evenly to avoid missing stitches or multiple yarns entangled with the same needle.
Check the tension: Observe the yarn tension while putting the cloth on. If it is too loose (cloth drooping) or too tight (yarn is tight), adjust the tensioner or cloth head position immediately.
4. Cloth head docking and loop fixing
Head-to-tail connection: When the needle cylinder rotates one circle and the cloth heads meet, overlap the two ends by 10-15 cm and sew with a sewing machine or hand thread (the suture line needs to match the raw material of the grey cloth to avoid thread breakage);
Fixed loop: After sew, fix the cloth head connection to the outside of the needle cylinder again with a fixing clamp to ensure that it will not loosen during rotation.
5. Test operation and adjustment
Idle inspection: Run the machine at medium speed (150-200 rpm) for 1-2 minutes to observe whether the grey fabric is rolled in smoothly, whether the needle hooks the yarn normally, and whether there are skipped stitches, missed stitches or curling of the fabric edge;
Tension fine-tuning: If wrinkles or stretching are found on the fabric surface, stop the machine to adjust the tensioner scale (usually increase the tension clockwise and reduce it counterclockwise), or check whether the cloth feeding device is smooth.
III. Special points for double-sided circular machine cloth-covering
1. Synchronous cloth-covering of needle disc and needle cylinder
Double-sided machine has two layers of needle beds (needle cylinder and needle disc). The cloth yarn needs to be hung on the needles of the needle disc and needle cylinder at the same time to ensure that the tension of the two layers of yarn is consistent to avoid skewed fabric surface.
When operating, cover the needle cylinder first, then the needle disc, and adjust the upper and lower tensioners to make the yarn evenly distributed.
2. Handling of intermediate connecting parts
Pay attention to the position of intermediate parts such as the triangle seat and sinker to ensure that the cloth head is not scratched when passing through. Wrap the sharp edges with soft cloth if necessary.
IV. Safety and common problem handling
1. Safety operation specifications
Do not wear gloves when putting on the cloth to avoid being drawn into the machine;
When adjusting the knitting needles or parts, you must first stop the machine and cut off the power supply;
When the yarn is found to be wrapped around the motor or transmission parts, press the emergency stop button immediately.
2. Common faults and solutions
Problem phenomenon Possible cause Solution
It is difficult to hook the yarn on the cloth head. The hook tip of the knitting needle is worn or has burrs. Replace the knitting needle or polish the hook tip with fine sandpaper
Uneven tension on the cloth surface. Improper adjustment of the tensioner or slippage of the cloth feed roller. Recalibrate the tensioner and clean the surface of the cloth feed roller
Missed needles after putting on the cloth. Missed or misplaced knitting needles when hooking the yarn