Weft-knitted structures for industrial applications

The mechanical properties of weft-knitted fabrics are strongly related to fabric structure, yarn properties and fabric direction. These properties may be designed according to the needs of a particular application by choosing the fibres and yarns with the most appropriate properties and placing them in the most appropriate structure to obtain the required fibre architecture. The flexibility provided by weft-knitting technology enables the production of a wide range of structures with different properties. 3D structures and directionally oriented structures (DOS) are reviewed and represent types of textile fabrics developed for engineering applications, especially for the reinforcement of composite materials. In composite materials the ends of straight or nearly straight yarns are introduced to engineer the fabric characteristics and to enhance the fabric properties in the required directions, thus the fabric produced offers the ideal combination of excellent mechanical properties and cost-effective production. Simulation and modelling are reviewed, these being very important tools for engineering design. They may enable the development of new structures with particular properties and a significant reduction in time and costs of sample manufacturing and testing. The industrial applications of weft-knitted fabrics are reviewed.