Industrial Knitting Machine

Noisebridge has a flat double-bed knitting machine that runs Raynen F4000 control software, sourced from Changshu Shengxingda Co, Ltd. It's in our Hackitorium.

Current Status (Updated June 2026) The machine is operational, but finicky and poorly documented. Missing non-obvious operation steps or overlooking hard-to-find settings can cause knits to fail in confusing ways, and even damage the machine. Please check in with an active contributor before operating it, even if you've used similar machines before! Recently knit patterns include: A two-color Jacquard-knit QR code A tube knitting test Swatches of bird eye and double jersey fabrics Active contributors: Contact Drynn, fareycircles, maddy, or Jess on Discord for help getting started. Known issues: Before we learned how to enable the yarn supply rollers, certain yarn carriers and the left-side yarn feeders seemed especially prone to yarn breaks. TODO: Do we still see a difference with the yarn supply rollers running? The needles and needle bed deserve a deep cleaning. A multi-day cleaning party might be a good way to do this. Other documentation pages: The workflows page documents step-by-step procedures for various tasks. The patterns page has patterns we've knit successfully, with procedures to help reproduce them.

Machine operations

Knitting Machine

Workflows

The workflows page documents basic practices and procedures, like:

• Safety practices
  • This machine can easily cut or crush your hands if it moves while you're doing setup or maintenance.
  • When you make the machine move, you are responsible for your own safety and the safety of everyone around you.
• Turning the machine on and off
  • Both of these workflows involve multiple steps and a transformer.
• Enabling the yarn supply rollers
  • This hard-to-find setting is crucial for avoiding yarn breaks

Manuals

• Control system manual (en, zh)
  • This manual works better as a reference for experienced users than as a guide for getting started.
  • The English version can be very hard to interpret, and the user interface labels it shows don't always match the ones on our machine.
  • This control software is used in many different machines, so the manual sometimes refers to features our machine doesn't have, like a comb.
• Knitting machine operation playlist
  • This playlist includes lots of how-to videos.
  • The machines in the videos are significantly different from ours, but sometimes similar enough for the videos to be helpful.
• Manufacturer videos
  • The manufacturer's YouTube channel has dozens of videos. Most of them are promotional, but some discuss machine repairs and adjustments.
• Knit start videos from Junmay Zhang and Sinotricot
  • These videos each show the basic workflow of loading a file into a knitting machine, checking that the machine is threaded correctly, and knitting the first few rows
  • Crucial settings checks and operation steps are left out or de-emphasized
  • The featured machines are similar to but significantly different from ours in both their hardware and their control software

Yarn

Yarns you can use

• The yarn must be spooled on a cone
• This is a 7 gauge machine. The yarn/thread used should be between 4.5 - 8 NM (2232 YPP to 3968), or around 4 NeC
  • Yarn size conversion calculator
• We've had success with Super Lamb 2/24

Yarn tips from community experience

• Different yarns require different tension settings, so expect to do test swatches for new yarns
  • Write down settings for each test swatch
  • Diagnose issues and adjust tensions accordingly
• Years-old yarn may be degraded and break easily
  • The large spool of glossy blue yarn in the space works reliably
  • Other spools in the space may be weaker
• Recommended vendor for discount yarn: Old Mill Yarn

Maintenance

• Watch the machine while it's running, and stop it if you see or hear anything unexpected
• Needles wear out or get damaged regularly, so make sure you know how to replace and restock them
• Oil the needle bed often!
  • Last oiled: October 2025

Patterns

We've started collecting tested patterns on the patterns page.

A knit fall pattern automatically frees a piece by dropping the active loops off all the needles. We keep a knit fall pattern called knit-fall_full in the machine's memory.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Yarn Breaking During Knitting

• Try using the right-side yarn feeders instead of left
• Adjust the origin setting (try moving from 60 to 120)
• Use the glossy blue yarn on the large spool - it's more reliable
• Check yarn age - old degraded yarn breaks more easily
• Each yarn type needs different tension settings

Spurious "Yarn Not Brought" Errors

• This is a known false alarm that occurs at the end of rows.
• Yarn is usually intact and properly tensioned.
• Workaround: manually dismiss the alarm and resume knitting.
• The alarm will likely recur every row.

Weird errors from July 2024

• In July 2024, we saw some weird new errors: a stepper motor control error and a "carriage movement out of acceptable range" error.
• There was some kind of a rake resting on the machine and tugging on some cables, which might've been a cause.
• Some combination of restarting / powering off the machine in different ways resolved the errors.
• As of June 2026, we haven't seen these errors again.

Design Software

Knitting machine pattern design software is Windows based. It's installed on the computer in Noisebridge's print shop. You can also download it.

• HQPDS Software Download

• Raynen CAD download

3rd party tools may be easier to use than the included software. HQPDS can import DAT files, compile and simulate knitting for our machine.

• Knitout - Represent low level knitting operations in a machine-agnostic way. Requires a backend to compile into DAT and other formats.
• Knitout Visualizer - Visualization of Knitout instructions.
• Knit Script - Python library for knitting machine instructions. Outputs Knitout.
• Knit Utils - JS library for knitting machine instructions. Outputs Knitout & DAT.
• Knit Skel - Browser-based design tool for basic shape and pattern construction. Outputs DAT.
• Knit Sketching - Sophisticated, browser-based garment design tool. Outputs Knitout.
• Autoknit - 3D mesh to Knitout generation tool.

Software Tips & Resources

• Choose 7 gauge, H1-1 (simple/roll) when selecting a machine model.
• Manuals and examples are on the computer in Noisebridge's print shop.
• HQPDS has a steep learning curve. There are dozens of YouTube tutorials. Some are in languages other than English but provide steps you can follow along with. Examples:
  • Stitches Library
  • Insert and map an image for jacquard
  • Function lines
• Make sure you understand casting

Manuals

• Operation Manual of the Hengqiang Pattern Designing Software - Manual provides instructions for using the Hengqiang Pattern Designing Software for machine knitting.

• Raynen KnitCAD manual - Manual for KnitCAD

Community Notes

• HQPDS(x64) is installed on the 3D printer room computer
• Raynen KnitCAD design software is available but not user-friendly
• The Origin setting controls where the left edge of the pattern sits on the bed
• Pattern files from previous HQPDS installation may still exist on the computer
• For help with pattern compilation, ask on Discord - fareycircles has documented workflows

Projects & Research

Noisebridge Projects

A test knit

Your project could be here!

Other Projects

• Knityak
• QuineScarf
• Intro to Industrial Machine Knitting - Primer on industrial knitting machines, creating DAT files, jacquard, cast ons and cast offs.
• Some Narrative Accounts of using these machines.

Research

• A Compiler for 3D Machine Knitting
• Fabricating Accessible Designs with Knitting Machines
• Three Dimensional Seamless Garments On V-Bed Flat Knitting Machines
• Visual Knitting Machine Programming

General Knitting Machine Learning Resources

• Introduction to Machine Knitting
• Machine Knitting 101 at Noisebridge

It can be helpful to compare to manuals for other industrial-style knitting machines:

• Operating manual for a Stoll machine
• Operating manual for Kniterate

Acquisition Process

Container ship MOL Celebration at the Port of Oakland

A Noisebridge member using a forklift to move the knitting machine crate

Noisebridge's sewing guild raised money to purchase an automatic, industrial knitting machine for the space. Shima Seiki and Stoll machines were out of our budget and our initial plan was to buy from a start-up, Kniterate, which came out of the OpenKnit project.

These machines were facing production delays and increased cost, so we turned to manufacturers in China for something similar. We asked 5 vendors for bids via Alibaba/Made-In-China.com/the internet at large and settled on a single system, 52” 7 gauge automatic knitting machine with a controller by Raynen.

We engaged with Changshu Shengxingda Co, Ltd for a machine (model CHJX-1-52) at a cost of ~$4000. The cost of shipping and delivery from China to SF was ~$2000; we had some delays in port, a customs inspection, and needed to rent a forklift for delivery.

Here's the timeline of how everything played out.

• April 10 - Initial research starts.
• April 27 - May 5 - Decision-making and engagement with the vendor.
• April 27 - May 5 - Discussions and paperwork with the freight forwarder.
• May 5 - Deposit paid for the machine, production begins; freight shipper contracted.
• May 24 - Machine delivered to the freight forwarder at Shanghai Port. The sailing vessel is MOL Celebration, with an estimated arrival on June 22 in Oakland.
• June 29 - Ship arrival at the Port of Oakland.
• June 29 - July 14 - Container stuck in Port due to a holiday, port backlog, and a customs inspection.
• July 19 - First delivery attempt.
• July 24 - Machine delivered to Noisebridge successfully.

This is the second time Noisebridge has imported a giant machine. In 2016 we got a laser cutter. It is so big that walls had to be removed to get it through the door at 2169 Mission St.

Additional Resources

Subpages

Special:PrefixIndex/Industrial Knitting Machine/:

• Industrial Knitting Machine/Patterns
• Industrial Knitting Machine/Workflows