Open-type circular knitting machine for the open and width-variable web production

A method for producing a knitted fabric comprising the steps of:

• arranging an open-type circular knitting machine for the open and width-variable web production, comprising at least:
• a base;
• a knitting head mounted onto the base and comprising:
• at least a needle-holding element having at least a plurality of needles arranged around a central axis;
• a first active needle and a last active needle of the plurality delimiting between them a dead zone of the needle-holding element without needles and/or without active needles, and an operating zone shaped as an arc of circle and provided with active needles;
• control means operatively connected at least to the active needles so as to selectively actuate the active needles in order to produce an open knitted fabric, the open knitted fabric extending longitudinally in a continuous manner between two side edges making up two selvedges of the knitted fabric;
• at least one cutting device arranged downstream from the needle-holding element and configured for progressively cutting and/or trimming the produced fabric;
• wherein the needle-holding element rotates around the central axis, during the formation of the knitted fabric, and wherein the machine comprises devices for varying the number of actives needles in the operating zone so as to adjust the height of the knitted fabric;
• producing at least a portion of an open knitted fabric, the open knitted fabric extending longitudinally in a continuous manner between two side edges making up two selvedges of the knitted fabric;
• progressively cutting and/or trimming, by means of the at least one cutting device, the produced fabric.