Novel manufacturing of advanced smart garments: Knitting with spatially-varying, multi-material monofilament

In this paper, we propose a novel method for knitting advanced smart garments (e.g., garments with targeted electrical or mechanical properties) using a single, spatially-varying, multi-material monofilament created using additive manufacturing (AM) techniques. By strategically varying the constitutive functional materials that comprise the monofilament along its length, it is theoretically possible to create targeted functional regions within the knitted structure. If spaced properly, functional regions naturally emerge in the knit as loops in adjacent rows align. To test the feasibility of this method, we evaluated the ability of a commercially available knitting machine (a Passap® E6000) to knit a variety of experimental and commercially available, spatially-variant monofilament. Candidate materials were tested both to characterize their mechanical behavior as well as to determine their ability to be successfully knitted. A repeatable spatial mapping relationship between 1D filament location and 2D knit location was established, enabling the ability to create a variety of 2D functional pathways (straight, linear, nonlinear) in the knit structure using a single monofilament input. Using this approach, a multi-material monofilament can be designed and manufactured to create advanced functional knits with spatially-variant properties.