INTERACTIVE TOOLS FOR UNDERSTANDING THE METHODS USED TO CONTROL RACKING MOVEMENT OF THE NEEDLE BED OF A FLAT KNITTING MACHINE

The interactive method of teaching presented in this paper represents the outcome of the process of the innovating the working methods applied in the knitting laboratory of the flat knitting technology. The method applied successfully makes use of the benefits of computer-aided training and provides students with the following interactive animations: description of the raking device and how to control the needle bed positions, characterization of the three working positions for needle beds (ground position for knitting stitches, half rack for transferring stitches and half rack for knitting 1x1 or purl structures). In order to show methods for protecting the knitting process, two interactive applications are used: first, the over racking mechanism that pre-stretches the stitches prior to transfer, and second, the mechanism that racked very slowly the needle bed to protect the yarn used. Corel Draw was used for the drawings, Corel Rave for the interactive animations and video camera for the video clips. The laboratory module was designed based on an XML file taken as a model, amended contents according to the needs of the laboratory and then used for transformation in the HTML laboratory module using the ModulEst application. The Hot Potatoes software has been used to create interactive multiple-choice test for the World Wide Web. The application is available for the students in html format, and it is part of the module of "Advanced Knitting Technologies", developed within the project Adan2Tex, financed through the program Erasmus Plus, for supporting the professionals in the textile industry.