Obertshausen – Warp knitting machine builder Karl Mayer has introduced the RS 2 Net, a new Raschel net machine for shade-net production that the company says reaches up to 1,200 stitches per minute.
The machine is aimed at knitting mills and processors producing shade, insect, bird and wind-protection nets, as well as fence panels.
The RS 2 Net is positioned as the fastest net machine currently available, depending on pattern and raw material. At standard lappings, a mesh density of 3.5 meshes/cm and 80% efficiency, Karl Mayer says output can reach about 165 m/h.
The machine processes polyethylene tapes and can be fed efficiently by a Karl Mayer FTL aggregat. It is built on the company’s established high-performance net machine design, with the new model tailored specifically to this application.
Technical specifications include two stitch-forming guide bars, gauge E6 with full threading options – 1-in-1-out threading or 1-in-2-out threading – and a working width of 264 ins. A double take-up arrangement with folding device is also included.
As part of the launch, Karl Mayer is highlighting reliability, low maintenance and accuracy as key production benefits. For net manufacturers, that combination points to higher uptime, more consistent fabric quality and lower operating intervention on the production floor.
The wider pattern and stitch-density range means the machine is not limited to shade nets. It can also be used for protective nets against insects, birds and wind, which broadens the commercial base for producers serving agriculture, construction and perimeter fencing markets.
The launch also reinforces the continuing role of Raschel technology in technical net production. For machinery builders and mills, the emphasis is now on throughput, stable processing of tape yarns and flexibility across end uses rather than simple fabric output alone.
Karl Mayer has also placed the RS 2 Net in its Textile Innovation Center, which opened in April 2026. The company says customers, fibre manufacturers and other partners can use the machine for trials, development work and process optimisation.
In that setting, the RS 2 Net becomes both a production machine and a development platform, allowing partners to test constructions and refine applications before commercial rollout. That may be particularly relevant for producers seeking to balance productivity with specification control and shorter development cycles.
