Analysing The Effects of Knitted Fabrics Physical Properties to The Heating of Sewing Machine Needles

Abstract

Due to the increasing demand in the clothing industry, industrial sewing machines operate at high speeds ranging from 2000 to 3000 revolutions per minute. One of the most significant problems that adversely affect the stitching quality and efficiency is the needle temperature, which reaches up to 300 oC and is influenced by various parameters such as machine speed, thread tension, and fabric properties. In this study, the heat generated from the friction between the needle and the textile surface in knitted fabrics and the fabric properties affecting heat are examined. Four different knitting techniques and twelve different knitted fabrics with varying weights, thicknesses, and blend properties were used. An Optris CT3M pyrometer was employed to measure the temperature on the needle. The results can be summarized as follows: in all knitted fabrics, an increase in fabric weight and thickness was observed to correspond to an increase in needle temperature values. The highest needle temperature values above 90 oC were obtained in TF2-coded three-thread fleece fabric with a fabric thickness of 1.31 mm and a fabric weight of 340 g/m2, while the lowest needle temperatures of 66 oC and below were achieved in the lightest and thinnest fabric with a fabric weight of 100 g/m2 and a thickness of 0.39 mm. Additionally, no significant relationship was found between fabric stitching density and needle temperature.