Computer graphics and pattern preparation

Of all knitting machines, the modern electronic V-bed flat machine, with its comprehensive patterning and garment shaping facilities, offers the greatest challenges as well as the greatest opportunities for the application of a CAD/CAM system.

Interactive computer graphics enables a dialogue to occur between the operator terminal and the system, with the resulting development of the design being immediately visually represented on the screen. The position is defined and located by two numbers in the Cartesian co-ordinate system. On the horizontal (X) axis, the numbering increases positively from zero towards the right, whilst on the vertical (Y) axis, the numbering increases positively upwards from zero at any point on the design.

Generally, an input device is employed that can be moved by hand in the direction of either axis, with its location and movement over the screen being indicated by a special character symbol termed a cursor. The physical movement of input devices such as digitizers, joysticks, and trackballs is converted by the system into the series of numbers, whereas a light pen detects the presence of light whose position is being generated on the screen.

Computer graphics provides a tool for the efficient creation and development of designs and overcomes tedious and repetitious aspects, enabling realistic representations of the knitted designs and garment shapes to be prepared, to be easily modified on the screen, and to be outputted as accurate, to-scale, coloured, hard-copy prints. It provides a much quicker response to customer requests than is possible with traditional knit sampling techniques whilst postponing the expensive knitting operation until such requirements have been fully identified. Recognised standards for these systems are now becoming established so that there will be greater compatibility in the future and choice of system will be less dependent upon the preference for a particular make of knitting machine.

The Quantel Paintbox has established the standard for an interactive computer graphic design system. It consists of a digitising table, a pressure-sensitive stylus, an interactive computer with integral software, a digital frame store, hard disc storage and a colour monitor that communicates commands via menus displayed on the screen.

Selections include colour, brush size, paint mode, and the automatic drawing of various shapes and structures. Enclosed areas of the design may be filled in with a colour (if this facility is available) and the locations of the colours may be exchanged. Stored sub-routines may also be recalled to assist with the development of the design. By relating the co-ordinate points of the design to other co-ordinate points within the design area, the design can be rapidly modified, with motifs being multiplied in number or geometrically transformed. Each transformation may occur separately or as a combined effect: for example, a motif may be reflected (mirror imaged) across the width (the X axis) or the depth (Y axis) of the design area. It can be translated (moved in a straight line without altering its appearance), rotated (moved in a circular path around a centre of rotation), and scaled (increased or decreased in size along the X or Y axis or along both axes). Graphic capabilities are obviously dependent upon the type of system and its software. Electronic pattern preparation thus provides the designer with an immediate visual representation of the design as it is being conceived, amended, and edited, without recourse to the knitting of trial swatches. The grading of sizes and the introduction, manipulation and placing of shapes and colours, is achieved with the minimum of effort and the elimination of all tedious and repetitious actions.

The program can be structured to guide and assist the designer and thus ensure that the resultant design is compatible with the knitting machine and the end-use requirements. Once a satisfactory design is achieved, a permanent record may be outputted onto hard copy and/or onto a carrier acceptable for controlling the knitting machine.

Not only is a programme required for knitting the fabric structure, one is also required for knitting the garment-length sequence, and a further programme is required for shaping. Many automatic modules are already installed that can be quickly recalled and ‘seamlessly’ co-operate with each other. The technician is guided throughout his programming by software that recognizes the constraints imposed by the fabric and the technical specification of the knitting machine.

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<== попередня сторінка	\|	наступна сторінка ==>
Knit Stitch Formation	\|	William Lee inventor of the Knitting Frame

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