🧵 Determination of the number of wales and courses per centimetre and the number of stitches per square centimetre in weft- and warp-knitted fabrics — preliminary test deciding the method, method A with a counting glass with an aperture of at least 20 mm (from 10 wales/cm), method B with a ruler over a length Lb giving more than 30 stitches (below 10 wales/cm), counting with a dissecting needle to the nearest half stitch in at least five places, means and product of means, PN-EN 14971

Materials and NDT PN-EN 14971

Overview

WHAT THE STANDARD COVERS. We read the text of the standard in the iTeh sample of SIST EN 14971:2006 (text of EN 14971:2006, English): in full — from the title page through the contents, foreword and Clauses 1–10 to Annex A (counting examples) on page 7 inclusive. Outside the sample remains only the bibliography.

ACCORDING TO THE TEXT OF EN 14971:2006. The standard was prepared by CEN/TC 248 “Textiles and textile products” (secretariat BSI); CEN approved it on 09.12.2005. Scope (1): the test method determines the number of wales and courses per centimetre in most knitted fabrics. Normative reference (2): EN ISO 139 (standard atmospheres for conditioning and testing). Terms (3): weft-knitted fabrics — the stitches made by each weft thread are formed substantially across the width of the fabric, the thread being fed at right angles to the direction of production; warp-knitted fabrics — the stitches made from each warp thread are formed substantially along the length of the fabric, the thread being fed more or less in line with the direction of production; course — row of stitches across the width of a weft- or warp-knitted fabric; wale — column of stitches along the length of the fabric; technical face — consisting wholly of face stitches; technical back — consisting wholly of reverse stitches; the technical back is sometimes used as the effect side of the garment. Principle (4): wales and courses in a representative sample are counted with suitable magnifying and counting devices and related to length. Apparatus (5): counting glass with an aperture of at least 20 mm in each direction (other suitable devices permitted), calibrated ruler graduated in 1 mm, dissecting needles, scissors or blade, optical device with magnification. Conditioning (6): standard atmosphere according to EN ISO 139. Test specimen (7): large enough to count wales and courses at five different places representing the fabric as fully as possible, excluding the edges. Procedure (8): the specimen is laid horizontally, untensioned, in the standard atmosphere for at least 16 h to reach a relaxed state; in the preliminary test the counting glass is laid with two edges strictly parallel to the wales and the wales are counted with the dissecting needle to the nearest half stitch — at 10 or more wales per centimetre method A is used, at fewer than 10 method B, and the length Lb is set so that more than 30 wales are counted; the same is repeated for courses. Method A (8.3): the aperture width La is noted, the counting glass is laid with its edges parallel to the wales (for counting wales) or to the courses (for counting courses) and counting is done with the needle to the nearest half stitch, in at least five places; in complex structures the wales and courses recognised visually may consist of two or more structures — then the number of stitches per area is measured. Method B (8.4): the ruler is laid parallel to the courses (counting wales) or to the wales (counting courses) and counting is done with the needle to the nearest half stitch over the length Lb from the preliminary test, in at least five places; note on complex structures as for method A. Calculation (9): individual numbers of wales and courses per centimetre, arithmetic mean in each direction, number of stitches per square centimetre as the product of the means. Report (10): reference to EN 14971, sample identification, method A or B, measurement face, individual results, means, stitches per cm², deviations. Annex A (informative): counting examples on loop drawings — rib 1×1 (5 wales, 4 courses), interlock (4 wales), half cardigan rib (5 wales, 3 courses), warp-knit satin (4 wales, 4 courses).

STATUS (as of 03.10.2026). The PKN search (term “PN-EN 14971”, 03.10.2026) shows PN-EN 14971:2007 (Polish version, “Introduces: EN 14971:2006 [IDT]”) without a withdrawal note and PN-EN 14971:2006 (English version) withdrawn and replaced by PN-EN 14971:2007; the other results for this term are PN-EN ISO 14971 standards on risk management for medical devices — a different document with a similar number. In the iTeh catalogue (read on 03.10.2026) EN 14971:2006 has the status “Published”, stage 90.20 (“Review Enquiry”) since 15.07.2026. The number of threads in woven fabrics is described in a separate entry on PN-EN ISO 7211-2.

HOW MANY LABORATORIES AND IN WHAT FORM (copy of the accreditation scope database, load up to 17.09.2026, read on 03.10.2026). The number 14971 appears in 6 records at 5 laboratories: AB 154, AB 164 (2), AB 198, AB 225, AB 1417. In the current PCA documents (read on 03.10.2026, issues from 29.12.2025 to 08.07.2026) the number appears in 6 rows of the same laboratories (AB 164 — 2, at two locations, the others 1 each); in none of the five documents are page numbers repeated. Everywhere the form “PN-EN 14971:2007”; at AB 154 the same row also contains PN-EN 1049-2:2000 and PN-EN ISO 7211-2:2025-03 (number of threads in woven fabrics). None of these items is suspended. The “Laboratories” tab (term “PN-EN 14971”) shows all 5 laboratories — checked with a tab query on the production server labcoda.pl on 03.10.2026.

WHAT THE LABORATORIES TEST (items in PCA). Knitted fabrics (AB 198, AB 225), knitted fabrics and knitted products (AB 164), knitted fabrics and hosiery (AB 1417), flat textile products (AB 154). Characteristics: number of courses and wales per unit length or per 1 cm (all), number of stitches per 1 cm² “calculated” (AB 164, AB 1417) or per unit area (AB 225). No scope indicates method A or B.

WHERE A SEEMINGLY CORRECT RESULT IS EASY TO GET. With preparation: the fabric must reach a relaxed state — at least 16 h untensioned in the EN ISO 139 atmosphere (8.1). With the choice of method: threshold of 10 wales per centimetre from the preliminary test (8.2). With method B: the length Lb must cover more than 30 counted stitches (8.2). With alignment: edges of the glass or the ruler strictly parallel to the correct direction (8.3, 8.4). With counting: to the nearest half stitch, in at least five places, without edges (7, 8). With complex structures: the visible wales and courses may combine several structures — then stitches per area are counted (8.3.2, 8.4.2). With the result: stitches per cm² is the product of the means, and the report must state the measurement face and method (9, 10). With searching: not to be confused with PN-EN ISO 14971 (medical devices).

WHAT WE DO NOT GIVE. The standard gives no precision of the method in the text we read. We do not reproduce the loop drawings of Annex A.

Method principle

Wales and courses of the untensioned, conditioned knitted fabric are counted with a dissecting needle to the nearest half stitch: in the aperture of a counting glass (method A, from 10 wales per centimetre) or along a ruler over a length giving more than 30 stitches (method B), in at least five places. From the results wales and courses per centimetre and their means are calculated, and the number of stitches per cm² as the product of the means.

Applications

• Most weft- and warp-knitted fabrics (1, 3)
• Complex structure — number of stitches per unit area (8.3.2, 8.4.2)
• Knitted fabrics, knitted products and hosiery, flat textile products — items in the accreditation scopes of 5 laboratories in PCA

Key parameters

Standard

Standard number

PN-EN 14971:2007

Title (PL)

Tekstylia — Dzianiny — Wyznaczanie liczby oczek na jednostkę długości i jednostkę powierzchni

Title (EN)

Textiles — Knitted fabrics — Determination of number of stitches per unit length and unit area

Step-by-step procedure

1. Conditioning

   Specimen horizontal, untensioned, at least 16 h in the EN ISO 139 atmosphere (8.1). PN-EN 14971:2007 without a withdrawal note (03.10.2026).

2. Preliminary test

   Number of wales per cm in the glass aperture: ≥ 10 — method A, < 10 — method B with a length Lb giving more than 30 stitches; the same for courses (8.2).

3. Counting by method A

   Glass edges parallel to the wales (or courses), counting with the needle to the nearest half stitch, at least 5 places (8.3).

4. Counting by method B

   Ruler parallel to the courses (or wales), counting over the length Lb to the nearest half stitch, at least 5 places (8.4).

5. Calculation and report

   Wales and courses per cm, means, stitches per cm² as product of means; in the report method and measurement face (9, 10).

Required equipment and apparatus

Health and safety (OHS)

• Dissecting needles and blade — risk of puncture and cuts

Frequently asked questions