mc

KNITTING

MACHINERY

CORP. OF AMERICA

MANUFACTURERS OF HOSE REINFORCEMENT MACHINERY

FOR THE PLASTIC, RUBBER AND SILICONE INDUSTRIES

MACHINES FOR HOSE

REINFORCEMENT

KNITTING MACHINERY CORP.

PROVIDING A GLOBAL INDUSTRY

KMC HOSE REINFORCEMENT

• INTRODUCTION

– 35 YEARS

– 11 PATENTS

– HISTORY

– CUSTOMER BASE

KMC HOSE REINFORCEMENT

• Knitting Machinery Corporation was founded in

1963 by John Greczin. After 38 years of building

and improving, including 11 patents, the company

is proud to have a world-wide customer base.

• Now a Crawford Group Company, our

headquarters is located in Cleveland, Ohio. We

have manufacturing facilities in Cleveland and

Greenville, Ohio.

OUR MISSION

• In-Line Hose Manufacturing

- Our mission was to produce a machine that

would provide reinforcing on a hose, without

distortion, as it was being extruded and then co-

extrude over the reinforcement. This would

result in a completed product at production line

speed.

OUR MISSION

• We also wanted to produce a single

machine that would provide our customers a

solution to their varied reinforcement needs.

-Various needs include:

•Different size of hose

•Knitting

•Spiral Wrap

•Combinations of Knitting and Spiral

Wraps.

PHILOSOPHY

• In producing a hose we want to minimize any

distortion from the manufacturing process. It is

necessary to keep the hose straight and to

minimize twists from yarn tension. Requiring

precise line control.

• KMC is minimizing those outside forces in

knitting head design, by allowing a relaxed knit

with tension applied as needed.

• KMC is minimizing those outside forces in spiral

head design, by using a low tension design.

OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• KMC has manufactured machines to do just

that.

• Our machines are able to provide

reinforcement to an extruded hose and then

co-extrude over the reinforcement; AND

one machine will allow the customer to

knit, spiral wrap, or run various sizes of

hose.

OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Our machines are

currently being used to

produce reinforced hose

around the world.

• We have designed and

built the machines that

have allowed us to

encompass the world

with reinforced hose.

TYPE OF HOSE

• There are 4 basic types of hose.

•Low Pressure - Non-Reinforced

•Low/Medium Pressure - Knit

•Medium Pressure - Spiral

•High Pressure - Braid

LOW PRESSURE HOSE

Non-Reinforced

LOW/MEDIUM PRESSURE

Knit

•Knit is produced by using a continuous line

process at a rate of 30-60 feet per minute.

MEDIUM PRESSURE HOSE

Spiral

•Spiral is produced by using a continuous line

process at a rate of 60-200 feet per minute.

TYPES OF REINFORCEMENT

• KMC provides four basic types of

reinforcement.

•Spiral Wrap

•Plain Stitch

•Lock Stitch

•Combination Radial/Plain Stitch

SPIRAL WRAP

PLAIN STITCH

LOCK STITCH

RADIAL/PLAIN STITCH

MACHINE HEADS

• KMC uses two types of machine heads:

– Spiral Heads

– Knitting Heads

•Both the Spiral Head and the Knitting Head

can be exchanged with one another.

SPIRAL HEAD

• Spiral wrap application is of a face-to-face

design with a tightly-controlled

environment. The Spiral process is

accomplished by wrapping a specified

number of yarns through the rotating yarn

guide; as the hose passes through at a

controlled rate. The heart of our Spiral

Head is the yarn guide and bushing.

SPIRAL HEAD

– The yarn guide comes in incremental sizes.

Each one with the various feeds required.

– To provide a tight-wrap pattern, we use

bushings that enable precision control of the

hose.

– We also use tension plates in conjunction with

the yarn guide immediately around the hose.

– The type, size, and/or denier of yarn effects the

tension of the machine.

SPIRAL HEAD

– Many times customers may have specific

requirements for tensioning; KMC will make

recommendations.

– Optional

• There is a three-part rotary tensioned head that

allows for an infinite tension adjustment.

SPIRAL (speed) OUTPUT

• The feed is determined by taking the

circumference of the hose divided by the

desired spacing between the yarns. The

linear coverage is determined by the

distance the hose moves through the spiral

head in one revolution divided by the feed.

The yarn angle is a determinant factor in the

burst strength of the hose. 90º = total

coverage.

KNITTING HEAD

• Design of KMC knitting heads include

these features:

–Self contained unit

–Compact

–Removable

–Low tension yarn flow

–Precision cams

–Precision adjustments

KNITTING HEAD

• The Knitting Head is designed for both ease

of setup and maintenance. All adjustments

of the Knitting Head are of special

micrometer threads to maintain parallelism

and concentricity. There is also an

alignment adjustment that gives the ability

to realign the head in the event it would be

damaged by mishandling.

KNITTING HEAD

• The flow of the yarn and the design of the

cam provides excellent needle life while

also making possible the ability to knit at

increased speeds.

ITEMS OF IMPORTANCE

• SIZE OF THE KNITTING HEAD SET-UP

– KMC has various sizes of knitting head set-ups:

• The knitting heads are available in sizes of 2 1/2”,

3 1/2”, and 5”.

– Size the knitting head as close as possible to the

hose inner tube outside diameter.

BURST STRENGTH &

EXPANSION

• Knitting a tight sock on the hose reduces

expansion.

• Obviously, burst strength is directly

effected both by the amount of yarn applied

and how it is applied.

• Burst strength and expansion are two

separate issues.

KNITTING (speed) OUTPUT

• The output of the knitting process is

determined by taking the feed or the number

of lobes on the cam, which gives the

number of stitches per revolution of the

yarn table, times the distance between the

stitches. The distance is determined by the

movement of the hose through the machine

per revolution of the yarn table.

THE KNIT PROCESS: FEEDS

• Each Feed is the result of a Cam Lobe.

– Ex. An 8 Feed has 8 Lobes. In one rotation, an

8 Feed Cam will produce 8 courses of knit on

the hose.

8 Courses of Knit

produced by one revolution

of an 8 Feed Cam

Nee

dle

s

PRODUCT STRUCTURE

• The total feed determines the number of

courses of knit on the diameter of the hose

per revolution. The needles determine the

lines of knit linearly with the hose.

NEEDLES

• The needles are what produces the loops or

stitches. The number of needles around the

circumference of the hose determines the

number of loops.

5 Needles 7 Needles

FEEDS

• You can then see, as the hose moves faster

through the Knitting Head the Courses will

be further apart. The slower the hose

moves, the closer the Courses will be.

Slower Faster

PLAIN STITCH

• Plain Stitch reinforcement is produced by a

single track cam with 4, 6, or 8 lobes.

• Plain Stitch allows for more expansion and

less separation than the lock stitch.

PLAIN STITCH

CAM

PLAIN STITCH

LOCK STITCH

• Lock Stitch, or Skip Stitch, is produced by

using a double track cam with 8 or 12 lobes.

Each track containing half of the feeds;

thus, allowing an alternating stitch to be

produced.

• Lock Stitch can run at a

higher speed and has

less expansion than the

plain stitch.

LOCK

STITCH

CAM

LOCK STITCH

RADIAL/PLAIN STITCH

• This reinforcement is produced by spiral

wrapping with one head and following it

with a knitting head in the same machine; at

the same time, in either direction.

RADIAL/PLAIN STITCH

MACHINES

• KMC offers a wide range of machines to fit

the customers needs.

–The two basic kinds are for: •Batch Process

•Continuous Line Process

BATCH PROCESS

•The batch-process method involves making

an inner tube then placing it in pans, reels or

in tubs. The tubs are then taken to the hose

reinforcement area, where the reinforcement

is applied. After reinforcement, it is placed

back in the tubs; requiring more labor and

subjects the tube to twisting, pulling, and/or

contamination. This can cause the tube size to

vary in shape and wall thickness.

BATCH PROCESS

•The next step in the batch-process method

involves passing the tube through the extruder

cross-head. At this time, a vacuum can be

applied to help achieve adhesion between the

inner and outer cover. In every stage of the

batch-process the quality must be checked

carefully, since the finished product may not

be completed for several days or weeks. The

batch-process also requires much more floor

space than the continuous line process.

BATCH PROCESS

• Batch Process Machines are:

– KM-72-S

– KM-90-NV

•The batch-process, however, is excellent for

short runs and just in time production.

KM-72

• This is an economical

machine that is used in the

batch-process method.

• The machine is available

in a variety of sizes: 2.5”

and 3.5” bore diameter.

• KM-72 is available with a

soft start or variable speed

drive.

KM-90-NV

• This is a state of the art

vertical machine for batch-

process method.

• The machine is available

in a variety of sizes: 2.5”,

3.5”, and 5” bore diameter.

• KM-90-NV offers large

yarn capacity, variable

takeoff and machine drive.

CONTINUOUS LINE PROCESS

• A line set-up and control must be precise in

every aspect. A precision line produces a

precision product.

• A precision line is also dependent on proper

puller placement. Keep the puller

immediately following the spiral/knitter for

precise reinforcement.

CONTINUOUS LINE PROCESS

• Things to consider in a continuos line process.

– Type of cooling (if needed)

– Type of bonding of the inner and outer layers. Hot

bonding or solvent bonding.

– Is the heat or solvent compatible with the yarn.

• KMC has three machines that are used in a

Continuous Line Process. They are:

– KM-89-SD

– KM-89-SS

– KM-89-SS-HS

KM-89-SD

KM-89-SD

• This is a single deck machine

used only for knitting. It is a 56”

machine to allow for adequate

yarn clearance and is of a very

heavy-duty construction.

•A standard machine is supplied with cat-pullers,

yarn interrupt detect, stitch interrupt detect, and

guiderolls.

KM-89-SD

• Knitting heads come in sizes of 2.5”, 3.5” and 5”.

• The knitting heads can quickly be removed and

interchanged with other knitting heads of various

sizes and/or stitches.

•The bore size is 6” in diameter and

is supplied with a knitting head of

2.5”. The knitting head is available

in either a plain or lock stitch.

KM-89-SD

• For special applications, send yarn specifications

to KMC.

•The machine allows for a large

yarn capacity of approximately 15

pounds per yarn package.

KM-89-SS

KM-89-SS

• This is a two-deck machine that

can be used for knitting and/or

spiral wrap. It is a 56” machine

to allow for adequate yarn

clearance and is of a very heavy-

duty construction.

•A standard machine is supplied with cat-pullers,

yarn interrupt detect, stitch interrupt detect, and

guiderolls.

KM-89-SS

•The bore size is 6” in diameter and

is supplied with a knitting head of

2.5”. The knitting head is available

in either a plain or lock stitch.

•It runs at a speed of 800 RPM.

•KM-89-SS can be set-up as a 12 feed, 8” yarn

package or a 24 feed, 5” yarn package machine.

Other combinations are available.

KM-89-SS-HS

KM-89-SS-HS

• This is a two-deck machine that

can be used for knitting and/or

spiral wrap. It is a 56” machine

to allow for adequate yarn

clearance and is of a very heavy-

duty construction.

•A standard machine is supplied with cat-pullers,

yarn interrupt detect, stitch interrupt detect, and

guiderolls.

KM-89-SS-HS

•The maximum bore size is 3” in

diameter to allow for a 2 3/4” hose

inner core outside diameter.

•It runs at a speed of 1100 RPM.

•KM-89-SS-HS can be set-up as a 12 feed, 6” yarn

package machine. Other combinations are available.

CAT/PULLER

• KM-89 or KM-

CAT/PULLER has a 5”

capacity. Provided with

a timing belt design and

an adjustable centerline.

It is fully guarded. It is

available with many

takeoff belt cover

options.

DISCLAIMER

• To the best of our knowledge, the information

contained herein is accurate. However, all

information contained is subject to revision as needed

and Knitting Machinery Corporation of America does

not assume any liability whatsoever for the accuracy

or completeness of the information contained herein.

It is the sole responsibility of the customer to

determine suitability for any particular end use. Such

usage should comply with all appropriate health and

safety standards. This publication is not a license to

operate under, or intended to suggest infringement of

any existing patents.

Knitting Machinery Corporation of America

15625 Saranac Avenue

Cleveland, Ohio 44110

Phone (216) 851-9900

Fax (216) 851-9909

Visit website (knittingmachinerycorp.com)