Inlay - Design or Technology
Within the wonder that is weft knitting inlay as a technique can serve several purposes. Inlay is a technique where an additional yarn is introduced into the fabric without being knitted into every loop/stitch. Instead, the inlay yarn is laid across the loops of the base knitted structure, held in place by the primary yarns.
This single yarn has a huge influence on the three dimensional (3D) and sculptural effects that can be introduced into a textile. At Footfalls we are known for our ability to incorporate sensors into almost any knitted textile and design is often a secondary consideration.
Inlay - a design staple for the ages.
Well, stop the presses, textile design is really important as to how customers perceive our technology! The knitting team, particularly MO is a very gifted designer as well as technical knitter. Evidence above is a sample of the fabric that will find its way into our first products to market. Using bulkier yarns our technical heritage has been sculpted into the very fabric of our products.
Design is utterly essential to selling anything and as a technology company at the frontier of knitted sensor know-how Footfalls and Heartbeats are no exception. As that tech company we also need to knit, design, iterate and invent new sensor tools to satisfy our different customer needs.
And once again, inlay as a technique comes to our rescue. Here the inlay technique provides a repeatable and robust sensor element. The robust nature of the inlay allows for a significantly reduced knitting time and a reduced amount of structural hysteresis which is vital to sensor repeatability.
The inlay yarn choice also provide precise structural stable areas in a stretch fabric which also enhance the performance and durability of new sensor systems.
To conclude, inlay in weft knitting is a design tool that can be used for aesthetic enhancements, functional improvements, and innovative fabric properties. This makes it a critical technique for the Footfalls and Heartbeats sensor systems adding knitters, designer and engineers in equal measure.
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