Shima Seiki has launched a number of new Whole garment knitting machines, computerised flat knitting machines and graphic design systems. Shima Seiki products cater to a range of industries, in addition to its traditional customer base in the apparel industry. The computerised flat knitting machine manufacturer is disrupting the conventional perception of knitting, offering its benefits to prospective customers who are as yet unaware of the true and current potential that knitting possesses. The company is proposing knitting as an alternative manufacturing solution for non-fashion related industries. To this end, its latest technological contributions aimed at promoting knitted applications in various fields range from fashion, sports, shoes and accessories to medical, automotive, aeronautical and other wearable and industrial textile applications.

The new flexible and versatile MACH2VS, which has evolved from Shima’s MACH2S machines, has the capability to knit in a range of production methods – as a conventional shaping machine, it is capable of all-needle knitting in gauges 8-16, whereas Whole garment knitwear can be produced in half-gauge (alternate needles). From a versatility perspective, the MACH2VS is also capable of gaugeless knitting whereby a number of different gauges can be knit into a single garment. A new full-color touch-screen monitor improves operability over the previous monochromatic one.