Development of a software for appropriate costing, technical calculation and visual simulation of weft knit fabric

Knitting, as a backward linkage for readymade garments, is the second largest industry in the domestic and worldwide market, behind wovens. A software with three modules has been developed to aid in the further strengthening of this industry. The first module is the Activity Based Costing system, which is expected to replace the currently used traditional costing approach incapable of providing accurate cost information. The second module calculates various fabric parameters using a set of standard equations that assist technicians in producing a fabric with expected specifications. The third module provides a fully functional fabric development environment. The developed software automatically validates the given fabric structure, detects recurrent patterns, and calculates optimal cam setup and needle arrangement for that fabric. Finally, it displays a visual simulation of the fabric based on the notation diagram with assigned colors, allowing the fabric designer to view and assess the actual fabric before it is produced on the machine. Key Words: Knitting, knitting geometry, activity-based costing, knit fabric, visual simulation