Semi-finished weft knitted fabrics and weft knitting techniques

Abstract

This chapter details the most important development steps, binding elements, and basic bindings of weft knitting as well as the basic properties of weft knitted fabrics. This overview will include the various ways of influencing the properties of a mechanical engineering-based production of knitted fabrics. One focus of the chapter will be to provide an introduction to the wide range of possibilities in the realization of suitable, near-net shape, semi-finished, weft knitted fabrics, particularly for use in fiber composite components. One crucial prerequisite for that is the load-adapted integration of stretched reinforcing yarns into the knitted structure. In connection with the extensive technological shaping possibilities during manufacture, and with a subsequent drapability adjustable by means of stitch length, ideal conditions are created for a wrinkle-free production of weft knitted fabrics for complex component geometries. Due to the structure of weft knitted fabrics, such components exhibit outstanding properties, in particular with regard to impact loads.