Quality Embroidery Machines and Professional Digitizing Matters!
What is digitizing & why does it cost what it does?
Digitizing is the process of taking a logo design and preparing it for a commercial embroidery machine to be embroidered. This process include redrawing the image with various stitch points based on the end type of garment being sewn. For flats typically this results in a Left to Right way of stitching and a center out stitch pattern on hats to prevent puckering of material. A good digitized file typically is done in EMB which is the industry top standard and converted out to the machine as a DST file. Basically how the machine works is it is colorblind. The color of cones are assigned to a needle number which correlates to the sequences of stitching the digitizer made. Each color has its own sequence. The good thing about this is color swap outs for light or dark garments can be done with a few changes on the sequence to needle number. IE: White shirts gets dark thread like black and dark or black shirts get lighter thread like white.
Costs Explained:
The cost of digitizing can vary based of off stitch out or the actual end size of the file. Reason being is the digitizer has to draw out more stitch lines. Also the complexity or layers of a graphic can result in a higher cost. Typically this is a one time fee unless need to go from flat to cap or vise versa. Fees range from $20-$120 for more complex designs or high stitch counts.
Today was an interesting day as we surfed the normal Instagram feed. We came across one of our favorite makers Koch Tools and saw some embroidered hats. We automatically were interested as they were 3D puff which we specialize in. The design was a hexagon logo with an inner ring and monogram inside. The entire design was done in puff with red thread.
Initial Critique:
- Hat substrate is thick and stiff being a New Era; this can cause issues for non commercial machines and or inexperienced embroidery companies
- The puff design was crowded
- Density of the puff was possibly not right as the under layer foam is poking out
- Post stitch heat possibly was not applied shrinking the fibers
- Possible non-commercial machine like Avance, Ricoma, Brother, Hi-land or other machine could have been used.
- Design could possibly work better with different color foam instead of orange; needs further testing to find out.
- Suggest using inner puff hexagon in a satin or fill stitch to give dimension and cure crowding
- Overall density of puff check for better locking of the foam
Our Version:
This is what we came up with based off the critique and digitizing and use of Barudan Commercial Industry Cap Machines.
Improvements:
- Did the first with a simplistic design with one hexagon; all puff design
- Did the second with a inner satin stitch hexagon and puff interior letters and outer hexagon
- Increased the density of the puff areas to help encapsulate the foam better and used a High Density (HD) foam 3mm for depth.
- Utilized heat post sew to help shrink the foam and thread around the puff.
Let us know what you think and certainly contact us for your embroidery needs!
