TEMPERATURE & HUMIDITY? Many   years   a   go   I   received   a   desperate   call   from   a   customer here in Melbourne.  My customer said : “My   12   head   machine   was   running   perfectly   all   day   yesterday on towels, right up until 5 o’clock when we finished. When     we     came     in     this     morning     it     just     breaks     threads continuously across all of the heads”. Nothing at all had changed.     Same machine / Same design / Same thread / Same speed. I wondered if anyone had perhaps oiled the sewing hooks with the wrong type of oil (too thick)?   No I wondered if by some fluke chance the top and bottom shafts timing had slipped just as the machine was coming to a stop.    No - everything was fine.    I could not find a single thing wrong with the machine - so I left feeling a little guilty - my pride had taken a hit. I called my customer later that day to ask some additional question about the problem and he said “It’s all fine now. It gradually improved as the morning progressed and now it’s back to full productivity again” So, what’s going on?     Workroom temperature was the problem.  You see overnight the room temperature had dropped (it was winter).  That temperature drop did two things. *   It made oil slightly more viscous, which created a slight increase in drag on the sewing hook base *   More important - it made the rayon embroidery thread more brittle (less flexible) and that caused many more thread breaks. At 8am the heating turned on but of course it took quite some time to bring the machine and the threads up to temperature - hence the gradual improvement. Another potential problem Although it is quite rare here in Australia, cold dry weather can result in low humidity and high levels of static electricity. Static can lead to problems with thread entanglement and the potential for damage to electronic boards in your machine.    Very high levels of humidity can affect electronic circuitry and potentially create short circuits that can result in serious damage  

THREAD TENSIONS ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED We   spoke   in   a   previous   help   page   about   how   stitches   are formed    under    tension    and    that    the    combined    effect    of hundreds   or   thousands   of   stitches   can   distort   the   fabric……so it   is   very   important   to   start   with   correctly   adjust   upper   and lower thread tensions. The    quickest    and    easiest    way    to    do    that    and    to    maintain accurate    thread    tension    adjustment    is    with    the    help    of    a bobbin thread tension gauge. What is the correct method for adjusting tension First    -   adjust   the   bobbin   case   tension   to   the   right   tension for   the   type   and   thickness   of   embroidery   thread   that   you choose    to    use.                If    you    have    a    multi-head    embroidery machine   then   the   tension   gauge   is   perfect   for   making   sure that   all   of   the   bobbin   thread   tensions   are   set   exactly   the same.               A   good   starting   point   for   bobbin   thread   tension   is 30 to 35 grams of tension Second    -   Run   a   design   that   has   a   series   of   Capital   O’s   of about    10    to    15mm    high    -    One    letter    for    each    of    the needles.         We   are   looking   for   a   column   that   is   about   1.5   to 2mm wide.   Why   the   letter   O?            Because   it   is   made   up   of   stitches   that run at all angles from 0 to 360 degrees. Why    1,5    to    2mm    wide    stem?    Because    a    well    adjusted tension   for   a   narrow   column   will   be   fine   on   wider   column but not always the other way around.    Tensions   adjusted   for   a   wide   column   might   not   be   quite accurate   enough   fro   a   narrow   column   and   you   might   for example see under thread showing on the top surface. OK   -   now   check   the   back   of   each   letter   O   and   then   adjust the   individual   needle   thread   tension   accordingly.            A   well adjusted   tension   should   show   top   thread   /   bottom   thread   / top thread in equal widths 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 Third    -   Once   you   are   happy   with   the   tension   on   narrow columns   it   is   always   a   good   idea   to   run   a   second   test   on small   blocks   of   fill   /   tatami   stitches.         This   is   because   fill stitches   are   more   likely   to   show   up   the   odd,   loose   stitch here and there. You   might   need   to   increase   top   thread   tension   just   a   little to achieve that nice, flat fill stitch. Pointers: Loose    tensions     -    will    result    in    loose    and    possibly    loopy stitches on the either the top or the bottom surface. Tight   tensions    -   might   pull   bobbin   thread   up   to   the   top      of the   fabric   and   will   also   increase   fabric   puckering   and   thread breaks                        See a bobbin thread tension gauge

IS THE EMBROIDERY DESIGN WELL-MADE There   was   a   time   when   the   finished   quality   of   an   embroidered logo   was   purely   the   result   of   the   skill   of   the   machinist   who manually   moved   the   hoop   and   controlled   the   width   of   the stitch.   Not any more! Now    we    use    electronically    controlled    machines    that    simply reproduce   the   stitches   that   are   programmed   into   the   design.     Of   course   the   quality   of   the   machine   is   important   but   without a    high    quality    design    that    has    been    digitised    by    a    skilled embroidery   designer   you   will   never   be   able   to   produce   high quality   embroidery.         There   are   many   variables   that   must   be taken   into   consideration   when   making   every   new   embroidery design. DOESN’T    MODERN    EMBROIDERY    SOFTWARE    OVERCOME THOSE PROBLEMS? Wilcom    embroidery    software    is    without    doubt    a    world leader Modern     embroidery     design     software     like     Wilcom     has     a multitude    of    very    advanced    tools    and    features    that    have automated   many   of   the   labour   intensive   and   time   consuming tasks that used to take up so much time.  There    are    tools    that    will    convert    images    into    embroidery automatically,       and       they       are       improving       day-by-day ………BUT……..   There   is   nothing   yet   that   can   match   the   quality of   an   embroidery   design   that   has   been   digitised   by   someone who   truly   understands   the   nature   of   threads,   fabrics,   backing and embroidery machine. In   my   opinion,   the   best   embroidery   design   digitisers   have used   an   embroidery   machine   over   an   extended   period   of time. You    see    there    is    no    better    way    to    really    understand    how embroidery   stitches   affect   fabrics   than   to   watch   hundreds   of different design being run on fabric. Can   you   imagine   learning   to   drive   a   car   from   a   text   book   or even   from   a   video.         Yes   there   are   some   things   that   you   can learn   but   there   are   many   more   that   you   can   learn   only   be experience, by sight, by touch and by feel.  • How fast is too fast for this corner?  • Is the road wet or dry?   • Is the surface bitumen or dirt? My   advice   is   to   always   start   with   an   embroidery   designer   who has   a   reputation   for   quality   -   even   if   you   have   to   pay   more because   when   you   start   off   with   low   quality   then   you   might never     know     how     poor     your     quality     is     and     how     many customers you might be losing because of it.  Need some recommendations   

HOOPING THE RIGHT WAY FOR QUALITY In   the   previous   help   page   we   spoke   about   the   importance   of holding   the   fabric   securely   in   place   with   a   good   quality   non- stretch,   non-tear   backing.               That   works   well,   but   only   if   both the backing fabric and the garment are hooped correctly. There   should   be   no   free   movement   in   the   hoop   itself.         Try   to move   the   hoop   gently   from   side-to-side   and   from   back-to- front.      If   you   detect   any   loose   movement   then   this   will   have   an effect upon the finished embroidery quality.   SO    HOW    DO    I    KNOW    IF    I    HAVE    HOOPED    A    PRODUCT CORRECTLY It    should    be    as    tight    as    possible    but    without    excessive stretching Woven    fabrics    tend    to    be    quite    stable    in    both    V    an    H directions.         They   can   be   pulled   tight   in   the   hoop   without stretching   or   distortion   and   that   is   really   good   for   achieving high   quality   embroidery.            Some   thicker   woven   fabrics   can even   be   embroidered   with   a   backing   fabric,   or   using   a   tear- away backing. Knitted   fabrics   have   much   more   stretch   and   so   more   care must be taken when hooping. This is my guide for getting the fabric tension just right. • Make   sure   that   the   backing   is   cut   to   a   size   that   is   lager   than the   hoop   and   then   make   sure   that   the   backing   is   caught   in the hoop all around the edges. • Adjust   the   hoop   tension   so   that   it   is   tight   enough   to   hold the   fabric   securely   but   not   so   tight   that   you   can’t   adjust   the fabric tension where necessary. • Apply    tension    to    the    knitted    fabric    mostly    from    top-to- bottom   as   there   is   the   least   amount   of   stretchiness   in   this direction.  Apply only a slight tension side-to-side. The test for fabric tension Take the hooped fabric or garment and lay it on a flat surface. Now   press   down   gently   with   your   finger   tip   and   slide   from   one side of the hoop to the other. If   a   bubble   of   loose   fabric   forms   in   front   of   your   finger   tip   then the   fabric   is   still   too   loose   and   you   should   carefully   stretch   the fabric at that area of the hoop. Now   as   I   have   already   mentioned   above   -   if   the   hoop   tension screw   is   adjusted   correctly   then   you   will   be   able   to   pull   the fabric   to   increase   the   tension   where   needed.         If   the   hoop tension screw is too tight then : 1 . It    will    be    harder    to    press    the    inner    and    outer    hoops together 2 . The fabric will be more likely to be marked by the hoop 3 . You won’t be able to apply more tension to the fabric How can I tell if I am hooping with too little tension The    most    obvious    sign    is    -    the    fabric    will    move    during embroidery resulting in reduced design quality. • Borders won’t match up with fills • Thin columns will appear jagged and uneven • You   might   also   get   increased   thread   breaks   because   the fabric will flag (move up and down with the needle). How can I tell if I am not hooping the fabric too tightly • The   most   obvious   sign   is   that   when   you   release   the   fabric from   the   hoop,   it   will   shrink   back   around   the   edges   of   the logo and the fabric will pucker. There   are   a   number   unique   hooping   solutions   for   problematic products   and   fabrics.      Mighty   Hoops   are   just   one   of   the   most popular solution that offer many advantages. To   find   out   more   about   mighty   hoops   visit   the   Embroidery Source website  .   

CHOOSE THE RIGHT BACKING  FABRIC FOR THE JOB Backing   fabric   is   the   foundation   to   your   embroidery.      Using the   wrong   backing   will   result   in   quality   problems   either   during embroidery   or   in   some   cases   after   the   garments   have   been worn or laundered. EMBROIDERY   BACKING   FABRIC   PERFORMS   TWO   DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS Prevents the fabric from moving during embroidery It   serves   as   a   non-stretch   foundation   to   which   the   fabric   is attached   at   the   start   of   a   new   embroidery   design.            Underlay stitches   act   like   basting   stitches……they   fasten   the   fabric   to   the backing   and   because   the   backing   is   secured   in   the   hoop   (or should   be)   and   does   not   stretch   or   tear   then   the   fabric   is   also held securely in position during embroidery.    When   the   fabric   is   held   securely   in   place   then   the   run   stitch and   sating   stitch   borders   will   match   up   more   accurately   and will   require   less,   or   even   no   editing   before   production   can begin. Minimises puckering of fabric Embroidery    stitches    are    formed    under    tension    and    the combined   effect   of   hundreds   or   even   thousand   of   stitches   all pulling   the   sides   of   columns   inwards   and   pushing   outwards   at the ends of columns can cause puckering of the fabric. This   is   most   noticeable   on   wide   satin   stitch   columns   and   large areas   of   fill   /   tatami   stitch.         Skilled   selection   of   stitch   type, stitch   length   and   stitch   density   can   help   to   minimize   puckering but the use of a suitable backing fabric will help greatly. It’s a trade-off Thin,    stretchy    fabrics    are    more    prone    to    movement    and puckering   and   therefore   require   better   quality,   non-stretch, non-tear   backing   but   the   down-side   is   that   the   better   quality backings   also   contribute   to   making   the   finished   embroidery more stiff on the garment. There   are   many   different   types   of   backing   available   that   are suited    to    different    types    of    fabric.        Speak    to    your    local embroidery     backings     supplier     for     advice     or     visit     the Embroidery Source website  for backings.   

THREAD BREAKS - WHY DO THE HAPPEN? There    are    many    reasons    why    you    might    experience thread   breakage   on   your   embroidery   machine.   Here   are the most common reasons and what you can do: First    -    you    need    to    think    about    exactly    what    is happening : • Has   it   been   happening   for   some   time   or   has   it   just started happening? If   it   has   just   started   happening   -   what   has   changed? design,    threads,    garments,machine    problem    like broken needle/s, bird nest, lubrication (or lack of) • Is it one head only, some heads or all heads? If   it   is   only   one   head   then   it   can’t   be   the   design   or the   fabric   -   it   must   be   something   that   is   specific   to just   that   head   like   a   damaged   needle,   faulty   cone   of thread, hook timing, damaged needle plate Etc. If    it    is    all    heads    then    it    is    more    likely    to    be    the design,     a     change     of     thread     make     or     colour, lubrication   or   something   else   that   would   affect   the whole machine and not just one head. • Is it just one needle, some needles or all needles? Just    one    needle    -    Check    threading,    thread    cone, needle, thread tension All   needles   -   check   hook   timing,   roughness   on   the hook,  lubrication of the hook, Needle bar height The thread * Weak thread * Knots in the thread * Old thread which has dried and become brittle *   Thread   that   has   poor   lubrication   -   a   waxy   finish   that makes it stick in the tensions. Try: A   new   cone   of   thread   is   a   good   starting   point.         A   high quality     polyester     such     as     Fujix     King     Star,     provides excellent   sheen,   bright   colours,   improved   strength   and excellent   dye-fastness   than   as   compared   to   Rayon.      If   you are    in    the    work-wear    embroidery    business    then    dye fastness is ultra-important for your customers Believe    it    or    not    -    some    manufacturers    of    low    priced Rayon   threads   will   openly   admit   to   having   4   to   5   knots   in each   5,000   mtr   cone   of   thread!   Imagine   what   that   will   do to your thread breakage rates. Try: Aerosol   Silicone   thread   lubricant.         Spray   the   outside   of the   cone   and   allow   the   silicone   to   soak   in   then   try   the machine   again   allowing   for   the   dry   thread   between   the cone and the needle to be used up first. The thread tension * Too tight or even too loose Where to start: You   should   always   start   by   adjusting   the   bobbin   thread tensions    with    a    tension    gauge.        Once    all    the    bobbin tensions   have   been   adjusted   to   the   same   value,   you   then adjust   each   of   the   needle   thread   tensions   to   suit   the bobbin   tension.         Check   on   the   back   of   each   embroidery for    1/3    needle    thread,    1/3    bobbin    thread,    1/3    needle thread. Excessively   tight   tensions   will   increase   thread   breaks   and puckering.            Loose   thread   tensions   can   cause   looping underneath the fabric that can result in breaks The needle * Bent or blunt * Not inserted fully into the hole in the needle bar *   Not   inserted   straight   with   long   groove   to   the   front   and the scarfe to the back *   Needle   size   either   too   big   or   too   small   for   the   thread   & fabric * Wrong type of needle Try: A new needle The needle plate hole *   Scratches   in   the   metal   caused   by   needle   strikes   can fray the thread. Try: Cleaning    the    inside    edge    of    the    needle    hole    with Mitchel's   fine,   round   emery   cord   or   replace   the   needle plate The presser foot * Scratches on inside edge caused by needle strikes * Presser foot bent by crashes with hoop Try: Cleaning   the   inside   edge   of   the   presser   foot   hole   with Mitchel's fine, round emery cord Check   that   the   needle   comes   down   in   the   centre   of   the hole   in   the   presser   foot.   If   not   you   may   have   to   carefully bend    the    presser    foot    back    into    the    right    position    or replace the presser foot. The sewing hook * Scratches caused by needle strikes * Incorrect hook-point to needle distance * Incorrect hook-point to needle timing Try: Cleaning   any   rough   surfaces   on   the   edge   of   the   sewing hook with fine emery paper. Check    the    hook    to    needle    timing    and    hook    point    to needle distance. Please   note:    This   is   a   fine   adjustment.   If   you   have   not been   trained   to   do   this   or   if   you   are   unsure   -   please   call your   local   machine   supplier   for   help.   You   might   end   up causing   serious   damage   if   you   attempt   this   adjustment yourself The design * Stitch density is too high * Too many small stitches in the same place Try: Reducing stitch density Eliminate   unnecessary   small   stitches   using   the   Wilcom   or Barudan small stitch filters.