The key points of pressure adjustment in sock shaping

The key points of pressure adjustment in sock shaping
Understand the principle of pressure action: In the sock shaping process, pressure is one of the key factors. Appropriate pressure can help socks maintain their shape, make all parts of the socks fit closely, and enhance the three-dimensional sense of the socks and the fit when wearing. If the pressure is insufficient, the shaping effect of the socks will be greatly reduced, and quality problems such as looseness and deformation are prone to occur; on the contrary, excessive pressure will make the socks too hard and too tight, resulting in discomfort, and may also cause wrinkles on the surface of the socks, damage elasticity, etc.
Consider the material characteristics of socks: Socks of different materials have different adaptability to pressure. For example, cotton socks are softer and have good elasticity. When shaping, the pressure needs to be appropriately reduced to avoid damage to the cotton fibers due to excessive pressure, loss of elasticity or deformation. Nylon socks are relatively tough and wear-resistant, and can withstand slightly higher pressure, but they should not be too high to prevent the socks from being too hard and affecting the wearing experience.
Pay attention to the design of sock styles: complex socks, such as socks with carvings, flocking or special decorations, are more fragile during shaping, and pressure needs to be reduced to avoid damaging the decoration or deforming the socks. For sports socks, considering that they need to have good elasticity and support, the pressure should be moderate and evenly distributed to ensure that the socks can maintain their shape during exercise and provide a comfortable wearing experience.

Preparation for pressure adjustment before shaping
Equipment inspection and calibration: Before shaping, the pressure system of the shaping equipment needs to be carefully checked to see whether the pressure sensor is accurate and whether the pressure regulating device is sensitive. The pressure sensor can be calibrated with a standard weight to ensure that the set pressure value is consistent with the actual applied pressure, so as to avoid inaccurate pressure due to equipment errors and affect the shaping quality.
Sock pretreatment: Pre-treat the socks, such as washing and drying, to remove impurities such as dust and oil on the surface of the socks, so that the socks can better withstand the force during the shaping process. At the same time, pretreatment can also make the humidity of the socks reach an appropriate range, which is conducive to the subsequent shaping operation, because too high or too low humidity of the socks will affect their adaptability to pressure and shaping effect.

Tips for adjusting pressure during shaping
Initial pressure setting: Determine a suitable initial pressure value based on the material, style and other factors of the socks. Generally speaking, for common cotton socks or ordinary nylon socks, the initial pressure can be set between 0.2-0.5mpa. For some special socks, such as thick cotton socks or socks with special decorations, the initial pressure needs to be adjusted accordingly, usually around 0.1-0.3mpa, to prevent damage to the socks.
Gradual pressure adjustment: During the shaping process, it is not advisable to apply too much pressure at the beginning, but the pressure should be gradually increased to allow the socks to gradually adapt to the pressure changes. You can first apply a lower pressure, such as 0.1-0.2 MPa, to make the socks initially fit the shaping mold, and then gradually increase the pressure by 0.05-0.1 MPa each time according to the actual situation of the socks until the predetermined pressure value is reached. This can avoid problems such as wrinkles and deformation of the socks caused by sudden changes in pressure.
Uniform distribution of pressure: It is key to ensure that the pressure is evenly distributed in all parts of the socks. On the shaping equipment, this can be achieved by adjusting the pressure regulating device or using a pressure equalizing device. For example, in a heat setting machine, a pressure equalizing plate or a pressure equalizing roller can be used to make the pressure evenly act on the surface of the socks to prevent the socks from being subjected to excessive or insufficient local force due to uneven pressure, which affects the shaping quality.
Key adjustment of key parts: For key parts such as the heel, toe, and sock opening of the socks, key pressure adjustment is required. These parts are subjected to greater force during wearing and are prone to deformation or wear. During shaping, the pressure of these parts can be appropriately increased, but attention should be paid to the coordination with the pressure of other parts. Generally, the pressure of the heel and toe parts can be about 0.05-0.1mpa higher than that of the sock body to enhance the shaping effect and wear resistance of these parts.

Pressure adjustment in special cases
Pressure adjustment of thick socks: For thicker socks, such as wool socks, thick cotton socks, etc., due to their thicker materials and greater elasticity, greater pressure needs to be applied during shaping, usually between 0.5-0.8mpa. At the same time, considering that the air permeability of thick socks is relatively poor, the pressure holding time can be appropriately extended during the shaping process to ensure that the moisture and heat inside the socks can be fully dissipated and improve the shaping effect.
Pressure adjustment of thin socks: Thin socks such as silk stockings are delicate and easily damaged. The pressure should be controlled at a lower level during shaping, generally between 0.1-0.2mpa. In addition, thin socks are more sensitive to temperature. During the shaping process, it is also necessary to pay attention to temperature control to avoid melting or deformation of socks due to excessive temperature.
Pressure adjustment of socks with elastic elements: Some socks will add elastic elements, such as elastic silk, rubber bands, etc. to enhance elasticity and functionality. When shaping such socks, the characteristics of the elastic elements should be fully considered, and the pressure should not be too large to avoid damaging the elastic elements and reducing the elasticity and service life of the socks. Usually, the pressure can be set between 0.2-0.4mpa and fine-tuned according to the specific situation of the elastic element.

Effect detection and feedback after pressure adjustment
Dimensional stability detection: By measuring the size change of socks before and after shaping, the effect of pressure adjustment on the dimensional stability of socks is evaluated. The length, width, circumference and other dimensions of the socks can be measured with a measuring tool to calculate the size change rate. Under normal circumstances, the size change rate of qualified shaped socks should be controlled within ±3%.
Appearance quality inspection: Check the appearance of the socks to observe whether there are quality problems such as wrinkles, deformation, and pilling. At the same time, check whether the surface of the socks is flat and smooth, and whether the pattern and color are clear and uniform. If any appearance quality problems are found, the cause should be analyzed in time to determine whether it is related to improper pressure adjustment, and take corresponding measures to improve it.
Elasticity test: Use equipment such as a tensile tester to test the elasticity of the socks and measure the force and deformation of the socks during stretching and recovery. The socks after shaping should have good elasticity, and their stretching force and recovery force should meet relevant standards and requirements. If the elasticity of the socks is insufficient or uneven, it may be related to improper pressure adjustment during the shaping process, and the pressure needs to be readjusted and reshaped.
Customer feedback collection and analysis: Regularly collect customer feedback information to understand their evaluation of the shaping quality and wearing comfort of the socks. According to customer feedback, analyze whether the pressure adjustment process needs to be further optimized to improve the product quality and customer satisfaction of the socks.

The following is a simplified version of the key points of pressure adjustment only, which is suitable for readers with weak foundation:
Pressure adjustment is crucial during the shaping process of socks. Socks made of different materials are suitable for different pressures. Cotton socks should be gentler, while nylon socks can be slightly higher. Before shaping, the equipment should be checked and the socks should be pre-treated. When shaping, set the appropriate initial pressure first, and gradually increase the pressure to ensure that the pressure is evenly distributed, focusing on the heel, toe, sock opening and other parts. For special socks such as thick socks, thin socks, and socks with elastic elements, the pressure should be adjusted more carefully. Finally, optimization and adjustment are carried out through testing and customer feedback to ensure the shaping quality of socks. In short, mastering the pressure adjustment skills can improve the quality of socks and meet the needs of international wholesale buyers.