Comparative Performance Evaluation of Ultrasonic Welding and Conventional Sewing Methods in Knitted Fabrics

Abstract

Abstract When transforming two-dimensional fabric pieces into three-dimensional clothing with different sewing methods, choosing the proper technique is one of the primary factors affecting the quality of the product. Within the scope of the study, five different types of knitted fabric alternatives, which are frequently used in products for daily use, are discussed. The conventional joining methods (lock stitch and overedge stitching) and ultrasonic welding were evaluated in terms of joint performance. All the evaluations made in terms of seam strength and seam efficiency showed that the overedge stitch is more performant in sewing knitted fabrics. One of the critical advantages of ultrasonic welding, the absence of the need for needle and thread and the absence of these costs, necessitated the evaluation of one more feature of the joining methods in the study. In this context, the energy consumption values of all the methods were evaluated. As a result, the energy consumption value of ultrasonic welding is approximately 1.3 times higher than overedge stitching and approximately 10.7 times higher than lockstitching.