As the textile machines are mainly supplied abroad, reliability among other things is a major concern. They should be productive, economical and reliable in operation under all circumstances and ambient conditions. Even the smallest error in the μ range would be promptly seen in the mesh structure. A special focus is on the components that are to be used. The energy supply systems of the igus® GmbH from Cologne have proved their worth since the beginning of the 90s. The cables and hoses that should function smoothly even after 50 million cycles lie inside these systems. In the meantime, over 30,000 energy supply systems, always highly dependent on the application, were successfully used in the entire product range in flat knitting machines.

The flat knitting machine CMS 730 S knit&wear from Stoll was introduced in 2005. It is, like all machines of this type series, compatible and flexible to use and guarantees a perfect knitting quality.

For example, the so-called "knit & wear" items could be knitted with the CMS flat knitting machine of the latest generation. There are no side seams any more, the pullover is finished by the machine. The individual knitting period is dependent on the pattern, yarn and the mesh width. It can take an hour or more. The knitting machine should be basically fail-safe and at the same time highly productive in continuous operation with a tidy mesh quality. As the employees are not always trained according to the state-of-the-art technology, simple operation too plays a significant role in all languages. Whereas in Germany an industrial flat knitting machine works rather under cleanroom conditions, the application conditions in China are very bad in parts. Besides heat, the individual setup in each location also plays a role here. The machines are basically in contact with air with oil particles. Brightening is in the neighborhood. That is a chemical process for dyeing yarns and cloth. Moreover there are fine and finer materials in the yarn types which blow over the machine base and the energy supply system.

Always aligned to specific applications, more than 30,000 energy supply systems have been mounted so far in flat knitting machines. One of the main requirements is that they function smoothly even after years of use.

The energy supply systems from igus®, Cologne, are used in all Stoll flat knitting machines. After some technical advancements, the company almost exclusively decided on the 27i series. In the course of the varying requirements, some modifications were undertaken. To prevent enhanced abrasion during the quick access times, for example, the composition of the plastic was altered. That is noticeable in holding times and ultimately in the service life. Here, very importantly, the long years of partnership become significant. Both companies work in close cooperation. All technical problems are jointly debated and argued to find the optimal energy chain solution. Not only were the speeds of the flat knitting machines significantly enhanced in recent years, the additional quick carriage reversal also had consequences for the modified requirements on the machine elements. In limited installation dimensions and continuous accelerations, the energy supply system displays its strength as the important component. It is a stable energy chain of medium size. It can be opened in the inner radius and is easy to mount. In addition it is corrosion-resistant, which pays the customer during the stipulated use for years.

The energy supply system cannot afford a failure with high accelerations and partly bad environmental conditions, like e.g. extreme heat and air with oil particles.