The invention discloses a flat knitting machine belonging to the technical field of the structural improvement of a flat knitting machine. The flat knitting machine comprises a rack of the flat knitting machine, a needle bed, a cam soleplate, a machine head and an automatic needle increasing and decreasing mechanism, wherein the needle bed is installed on the rack of the flat knitting machine, and the cam soleplate is installed on the needle bed by the machine head. The flat knitting machine is provided with a plurality of needle running passages, and added auxiliary mechanical devices required for finishing the operation of weaving are less; moreover, the structure of the entire machine is compact, mechanical components are reduced, and electric parts are increased; in such way, the stability and the reliability of the machine are ensured; and by changing cams, components used originally, such as an arm of a transmission raking hand of a precise screw rod, a raking hand and the like, are omitted, so that the cost of the entire machine is lowered by 35 percent, mechanical movement components are reduced, the noise is lowered, and the repair is convenient.