To be able to create an evenly knitted fabric without holes, there should be some constant tension on the yarns. How much tension is required depends on the type of yarn, weight of yarn, and type of knitting. There are some rules of thumb, which will be explained below, but these guidelines always need some finetuning.
We recommend writing down the settings of the machine, the yarn used, and the knitting program once you find which settings work for your current project. That way you can easily reproduce this item, or troubleshoot when another is giving you some trouble.
Be aware to adjust the knot sensor so it doesn't clamp your yarn, the knot sensor should not be adding to the tension on the yarn.
Brake discs
The brake discs regulate how fast yarn is unwound and make sure it is unwinding at a steady pace. The yarn should run through with a bit of resistance, but without being blocked or shooting out. Thin yarn needs higher pressure between the discs, as does slippery yarn. Coarser yarn needs less pressure.
Adjust the pressure between the discs by turning the wheel clockwise to increase pressure or counterclockwise to decrease.
Each yarn is different, so always check the tension when you change yarns.
Tension arms
Top yarn control unit
The tension arm on the top yarn control unit works together with the tension arm on the lateral yarn control unit. When the tension lowers, the arm pulls up to balance the tension on the yarn.
When the tension in the yarn drops too much, the arm jumps up, the sensor is triggered and the machine stops. A tension drop like this usually refers to a broken yarn, having run out of yarn or incorrect machine settings for the used yarn.
Adjust the tension by turning the tension wheel clockwise for more tension, counterclockwise for less tension. Make sure the tension arm would jump up a few centimeters in resting position.
Lateral yarn control unit
When the carriage knits from right to left, the knitting yarn would sag, with the risk of being caught in the needles or by the carriage. When the yarn starts sagging, the lateral tension arm moves out and balances the tension on the yarn so it remains in a straight line across the needle bed.
Adjust the resistance of the lateral tension arms by moving the sliders down to increase, and up to decrease the pull. Each tension arm can be adjusted individually. When the stitches on the right edge are dropping, try a bit more pull on the yarn that's dropping.