German company KARL MAYER Textilmaschinenfabrik GmbH, one of the leading manufacturers of warp knitting machines, has developed a 3D printing system for mass production of knitwear.

The innovation combines a knitting machine with a 3D printing system in a uniform roll-to-roll process. According to the company, the result is maximum flexibility and efficiency in the production of customized products.

In the new solution, 3D printing on textiles is carried out immediately after its manufacture on a warp knitting machine. In this case, the machine is directly connected to the printer's template system, which allows targeted control. The printhead mounted on the H-gantry can be quickly moved to any required production position in all directions at a speed of 5 m/s. The camera system and pattern recognition software “ensure the highest positioning accuracy” of the print head on a 2 x 1 meter printable area.

The current version of the printer prints with polyurethane and silicone without the use of heat. Materials commonly used in textile finishing are printed at a speed equivalent to a textile production speed of 85 m²/h on a base working width of 138 inches (3.5 m).

KARL MAYER has already tested the new 3D printing solution with its development partner Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences for the production of shoe fabrics. It is reported that a working prototype was already ready last year and was presented at the Techtextil 2022 exhibition in Frankfurt am Main.
“3D printing allows us to completely rethink our entire approach to textile product design. The world of sportswear is already showing us that this is possible. Mass production of products with 3D printed branding and functional elements is already well established in this area,” says Michael Kieren from the KARL MAYER New Business Development team.

The press release emphasizes that the new products have a good carbon footprint, as savings are made on materials and energy-intensive work operations.

In a press release, KARL MAYER highlights the particular benefits of its solution for the sports, footwear and automotive sectors. According to her, the innovation is especially suitable for custom-made products. With direct fabric printing, a large number of textiles can be embellished with logos, brand names or team names, and also opens up new possibilities “to successfully meet the growing needs of customers for customization”.

In the sports sector, where high demands are placed on product performance, the new 3D printing system makes it easy to integrate into functional sports equipment, for example, partial reinforcement elements such as kinesio tapes or support zones for muscles and motion stabilization.

The automotive sector, according to the company, may be interested in the new 3D printing system due to the small number of work steps required, for example, to integrate reinforcement elements into door panels, headlining and seats. Drawings, team logos and company names can be easily and accurately applied for use in automotive interiors. In addition to these traditional applications, future implementations are also possible, such as the integration of switches in textile structures, the use of textiles for control and protective covers for electronic components.

Source: https://www.3dpulse.ru/news/promyshlennost/karl-mayer-predstavlyaet-sistemu-3d-pechati-dlya-tekstilnogo-proizvodstva/