The Multiaxial machine from Karl Mayer Malimo is a high-tech knitting machine with several weft insertion systems. It can process high-performance materials, such as textile glass and carbon fibres, to produce multiaxial textiles for reinforcing a range of materials. The rigidity of the fibre-reinforced composites produced can be adjusted and they can withstand extreme mechanical loads; above all, they are lightweight and are resistant to corrosion and chemicals. These characteristics have enabled multiaxial fabrics to win a share of the market and have opened up new applications. For example, they are already being used in tail assemblies, the fuselage and wings of aircraft, fast-moving machine parts, tennis rackets, skis, snowboards, and rotor blades for wind turbines.

The machine technology is continuously being improved in order to make the most of the expanding business in these lightweight ‘power packs’.

The latest modifications that have been made to improve the efficiency and quality of the machines have involved equipping the inserting mechanism with compensators for continuous yarn take-off from the roving, with simultaneous optimisation of the weft yarn tension, simplifying the electronic systems and software solutions, thus reducing the likelihood of downtimes, and integrating a new suction system. This continuously removes any dust and fibre fly produced during the process, and greatly reduces the number of machine stoppages which used to occur as a result of having to clean the machine. The mechanical features of the weft insertion carriage have also been modified to make it more stable, and to ensure that the yarns are positioned extremely accurately. The insertion accuracy is one of the most important quality features of multiaxial fabrics. It has a decisive influence on their characteristics, especially their strength, and therefore on their end-uses and applications.