#Knitting & Hosiery

2021-10-18

Warp knitting 4.0

Christof Naier, President of the Business Unit Warp Knitting at the KARL MAYER Group © 2021 KARL MAYER

The history of industrial production has been shaped by on-going evolutionary changes. Following the discovery of steam engines in the 1800s, mass production began 100 years later, and the invention of the computer in the 1970s ushered in the Industry 3.0 era. In the intervening years, computers have become established in all areas of daily life. With the subsequent development of the Internet and cloud technology, the current Industry 4.0 era has come into being. What changes does the latest stage of human development bring for warp knitting?

Christof Naier, President of the Business Unit Warp Knitting at the KARL MAYER Group, explains the digital future of warp knitting

Ulrike Schlenker frome KARL MAYER’s Corporate Communication department asked Christof Naier, President of the KARL MAYER Group's Warp Knitting Business Unit, about this.

US: What is the main difference between Industry 3.0 and 4.0?

CN: Essentially, the two eras differ in their focus. While the most important themes for Industry 3.0 were hardware performance and networking, Industry 4.0 is primarily about data. The collection and collation of big data allows for complete transparency. In turn, transparency allows us to predict events in areas such as maintenance. For example, continuous monitoring can detect a rise in a motor’s operating temperature, and appropriately obtained data can then be used to localise the reason for the temperature increase and remedy it before the motor fails.

Event predictions also give us the opportunity to automate certain actions. Staying with the example of the overheating issue, for instance, the speed of the machine could be reduced automatically until the motor problem has been resolved.

US: How important are cloud solutions in unlocking opportunities such as these?

CN: Thanks to WeChat, WhatsApp, PayPal & Alipay, Amazon and similar offerings, we already use a variety of cloud computing solutions in our everyday lives without even thinking about it. This technology is now finding its way into industrial use opening up new possibilities for us in areas such as after-sales support and maintenance for our customers’ machines. In this instance, we are building on three different cornerstones. One key area is Care Solutions: Until now, customers have communicated with our team via smartphone, app or email when they needed support services. As a consequence, communication was often quite unstructured. We now have a newly developed platform that allows us to guide communication in the simplest and most targeted way. Thanks to networking solutions, we then already have all the necessary information about the machine, have access to the current log file, and can provide support in the form of initial measures.

As the second cornerstone, we provide customers with access to all the warp knitting-related knowledge that is available to KARL MAYER. In principle, this is about helping our customers with special functions that ensure maximum productivity and reproducible quality. We have grouped these topics together under the umbrella term “Smart Machine”.

Finally, the third cornerstone comprises our digital solutions, including collecting machine performance and efficiency data, matching evaluation tools, and helpful functions such as an alarm system for the machine. For example, the machine can automatically send a warning signal to the operator’s mobile phone informing them when a warp beam will soon need to be changed.

We also offer solutions for innovative design software. The new technology has made it very easy for our customers to develop patterns collaboratively with their global partners across international borders. This works in a similar way to how we work on Microsoft Teams or Zoom.

Thanks to our innovative k.ey Box, we guarantee the highest level of data and IT security for customers – including all subsidiaries and partners – when using any of these services.

US: This support concept minimises operational risks and maximises benefits for the customer. How far have you got with the implementation so far?

CN: Our customers are already benefitting from numerous solutions. In the Smart Machine field, for example, they can load highly optimised lapping data from the cloud onto their machine using our Pattern Data System. These optimised movement sequences ensure that the machine will operate at the highest working speeds possible without affecting the quality of the product.

Our Care Solutions team is available 24/7 to provide support where needed. For first products, we already offer Care Solutions packages, which allow customers to benefit from fixed and – above all – plannable service costs. The aforementioned alarm system and evaluation tools are also already available. Using these tools, our customers can significantly increase their production efficiency.

KM.ON has developed a new planning tool for simple and transparent organisation of service measures. We are currently working at full speed on additional solutions.

US: Thank you for sharing your insights with me.

More Jacquard. More functionality. More fashion.

With the addition of another member to its successful RASCHELTRONIC® family, KARL MAYER is opening up new possibilities for creative product development for warp knitting mills and brands. The RJ 4/2 EL offers with two stitch-forming Jacquard bars entirely new design options for functional sportswear and bi-elastic lingerie. Available in gauges E 28 and E 32, this new model helps manufacturers set their collections apart from the competition. The fine E-32 gauges, in particular, impress with their clean surface, a pleasantly soft feel, and an exceptionally elegant look.

KARL MAYER's HKS 2-SE Expands Possibilities for Premium Stretch WARP KNITS

Warp knitted fabrics with a woven look are more in demand than ever in the fashion and apparel industries. Stretch WARP KNITS, in particular, impress with their freedom of movement, breathability, and virtually wrinkle-free wear – thereby opening up new style worlds such as smart casual or business casual. When it comes to the highly efficient production of premium-quality stretch WARP KNITS, the HKS 2-SE has long been the machine of choice. KARL MAYER’s best-selling tricot machine produces standard elastic fabrics characterized by high gauges, smooth, delicate surfaces, and a soft hand feel.

Footwear innovation enabled by warp knitting technology– insights from New Balance

The future of the athletic shoe is increasingly being shaped on warp knitting machines. For KARL MAYER, the footwear industry is one of the most important growth markets – and one of the sectors where innovative textiles can realize their full potential. In his keynote address at the opening of KARL MAYER’s TEXTILE INNOVATION CENTER in Obertshausen in April, Vishnu Prakash Muthusamy, Senior Textile and Materials Engineer at New Balance, explained the opportunities that warp knitting technology opens up for performance, sustainability, and faster development processes, and why textile manufacturers are transitioning from suppliers to development partners.

ITM 2026: Mayer & Cie. Global presents itself successfully at international industry trade fair

Mayer & Cie. Global has used ITM 2026 in Istanbul for its first major international appearance since the restart. Together with the Turkish representative Mayer Mümessillik, the company presented its premium circular knitting machines "Made in Germany", explained its future positioning within the group of companies and held talks with customers and representatives from numerous markets. The response to the restart was positive. The clear orientation of the company, the reliable worldwide network of representatives and the resumption of service and spare parts supply were welcomed by customers.

STOLL: Agreement signed for the divestiture of selected assets

In early 2025, KARL MAYER announced its strategic decision to focus on its core business areas of WARP KNITTING, WARP PREPARATION, and TECHNICAL TEXTILES. As part of this move, the flat knitting machine business under the STOLL brand was discontinued and the production site in Reutlingen was closed in October 2025.

KARL MAYER presents a textile TEXTRONIC® innovation at ITM 2026

With highly efficient machines and continuous textile innovations, KARL MAYER underscores its role as a reliable partner for discerning top-tier customers. Just in time for ITM 2026 in Istanbul, the industry leader is introducing a true innovation: an eyelash lace with its characteristic fringed look – combined with a previously unattainable 4-way stretch. While the established fabric could until now only be produced as rigid version or with one-dimensional stretch, the new elasticity in both dimensions expands the possibilities for cross-band panel fabrics.

Rieter sees Barmag integration on track as orders and sales rise

The first half of 2026 was shaped by the successful completion of the largest acquisition in Rieter’s history. The Man-Made Fiber Division enables entry into the growth segment of man-made fibers and sustainably strengthens Rieter’s market position in the Asia region. The expanded Group is now the world’s leading system supplier for the processing of natural and man-made fibers. In the first half of the year, initial cost savings in material costs and operating expenses have already been realized. The targeted synergies are expected to amount to at least CHF 20 million by the end of the 2028 financial year. Due to the completion of the acquisition on February 2, 2026, the first half of the year for the Man-Made Fiber Division only amounts to five months.

C&S strengthens its governance to support its evolution

C&S announces the appointment of Marco Lucietti to its Board of Directors. With extensive international experience across the textile and denim industries, Lucietti will work alongside CEO Federico Corneli, contributing to the company’s managerial development, organizational structure and long-term strategic direction.