A State of the Arts Survey and a Study of the Feasibility of Research in the Area of Needle Heating During High Speed Sewing

摘要

A review of the literature and extensive interviews have been conducted on the subject of needle heating in high speed sewing. As a result of this study, a survey of the current state of the art and knowledge available in the field has been completed and is presented in the following categories: (1) the nature of the problem and the difficulties which arise in commercial operations; (2) quantitative methods of measuring needle temperatures; (3) the influence of machine factors such as sewing speed, length of sewing time, and needle design on the heat generated during sewing; (4) the influence of material factors such as fabric structure and finish, layers of fabric, and sewing thread on needle heating; (5) techniques for alleviating needle heating problems; and (6) the mechanism of heat generation and dissipation of the sewing process. From the results of the survey, it was concluded that the most fruitful area for additional research would be a study of needle-fabric interactions. Some exploratory results of such a study are presented along with suggested techniques for use in further studies. A second area of useful research would be to determine the economic loss resulting from needle heating problems. Such knowledge would help in assessing the potential economic gains to be achieved from investments in research on needle heating. (Author)