Automatic handling of knitted outerwear garments

During the finishing of fully-fashioned knitted outerwear garments, these have to go through a complex series of operations that usually involve shrink resisting treatment, grease removal, dyeing and drying. The garments are left inside out as they come from the assembling stage but, when these operations are completed, they have to be turned the right way out, sorted and stacked according to their sizes, ready for the next operation; usually known as "trimming", the garments are steamed or steamed and pressed, with or without a manually inserted metal frame, to impart the desired final shapes to the garments. Finally, necks, buttons and other trims are assembled before the final inspection from where they are bagged and boxed. [Continues.]