Karl Mayer Launches RDJ 7/3 For Spacer Fabrics

Karl Mayer has introduced the RDJ 7/3, a new Jacquard Double Needle Bar Raschel machine designed to meet the evolving demands of the athletic and casual footwear market. Featuring three jacquard bars, the machine offers unprecedented design flexibility, enabling manufacturers to create highly functional and visually striking spacer fabrics for a wide range of applications.

Spacer fabrics continue to gain popularity in sports and casual footwear due to their combination of comfort, breathability, lightweight construction and aesthetic versatility. With trends changing rapidly and cost pressures remaining high, innovation has become a key differentiator for textile manufacturers. The RDJ 7/3 addresses these market needs through enhanced design capabilities and efficient production performance.

Three Jacquard Bars Unlock New Design Possibilities
At the core of the RDJ 7/3 are three split jacquard bars with the option for counter-lapping, significantly expanding design potential compared to conventional configurations.

The machine enables the creation of mesh structures with nearly perfectly round and larger openings, while also allowing integrated patterns and functional zones with greater contour variation and design complexity. Mesh structures can be produced on one or both fabric faces, offering manufacturers additional flexibility in product development.

Enhanced Colour Effects and Creative Designs
The addition of a third jacquard bar also elevates the machine’s colour design capabilities. Manufacturers can produce freely designed jacquard patterns featuring two-colour effects and multiple pattern variations. Up to six different colours can be combined across various design zones, creating dynamic visual effects and greater product differentiation.

Integrated 4D and Embossing Effects
A key innovation of the RDJ 7/3 is its ability to create subtle raised and recessed structures directly within the fabric surface. Using the third jacquard bar, an additional yarn is incorporated into the pile area according to the pattern design, alongside the monofilament.

Depending on the yarn selected, manufacturers can introduce stretch through elastane-containing core yarns or achieve greater shrinkage characteristics. This creates localized variations in fabric thickness, generating multidimensional and embossed effects that expand the functional and aesthetic possibilities of spacer fabrics.

The machine incorporates eight guide bars dedicated to pile formation, providing exceptional flexibility in the design of the spacer layer.

Applications Beyond Footwear
While the RDJ 7/3 is particularly suited for shoe upper production, its versatility extends to other applications, including mattress covers and technical spacer fabrics. The machine is designed for products requiring comfort, breathability, varying mesh structures and sophisticated surface effects.

Technical Features
The RDJ 7/3 is available with a working width of 138 inches and a gauge of E 24. The trick plate distance can be adjusted between 2 mm and 5 mm, allowing the production of spacer fabrics in different thicknesses for diverse end-use applications.

The machine also features Karl Mayer’s wireless jacquard system, simplifying operation, improving visibility around the machine and enhancing overall efficiency. Combined with its user-friendly design, durability and high production speeds, the RDJ 7/3 is positioned as a solution for manufacturers seeking both productivity and design innovation in large-scale spacer fabric production.

With its combination of advanced design flexibility, fabric quality and production efficiency, the RDJ 7/3 sets a new benchmark for modern spacer fabric manufacturing.