Once upon a time there was (and always will be) . . . The Single-Head Embroidery Machine

There once was a small embroidery shop. It started out with just one single-head embroidery machine. Over time, the little shop grew and grew, adding more employees and big, multi-head, production machines. Living in the shadow of its 24-head mega-machine successors, the little single-head machine just kept on stitching and stitching, maintaining its rightful place on the production floor.” And so on. . . .

Our little machine was tucked away behind the cigars and meerschaum pipes in what was, at the time, a tobacco retailer. Thread soon edged out the imported tobacco, though, and the pursuit of embroidery came to be the business’s complete focus. But, although we have now grown to well over 100 embroidery heads, that little single-head remains an indispensable piece of equipment in our plant.

Once upon a time there was (and always will be) . . . The Single-Head Embroidery Machine

There once was a small embroidery shop. It started out with just one single-head embroidery machine. Over time, the little shop grew and grew, adding more employees and big, multi-head, production machines. Living in the shadow of its 24-head mega-machine successors, the little single-head machine just kept on stitching and stitching, maintaining its rightful place on the production floor.” And so on. . . .

Our little machine was tucked away behind the cigars and meerschaum pipes in what was, at the time, a tobacco retailer. Thread soon edged out the imported tobacco, though, and the pursuit of embroidery came to be the business’s complete focus. But, although we have now grown to well over 100 embroidery heads, that little single-head remains an indispensable piece of equipment in our plant.

Commercial multi-head embroidery machines can be a pretty impressive sight to those whose only image of embroidery might be of a grandmotherly type with a needle in one hand slowly forming stitches in a hooped linen towel in the other. Today’s grandma is far more likely to be creating her designs perched in front of a machine with a stitching speed of 1,200 spm!

When we give a tour of our facility, the 24-head, 15-needle machines cranking out piles of embroidered garments draw the most attention. At the end of the tour, however, I always include a stop at our trusty single-head. After the order is taken and the design is digitized, I explain, this is where the production starts.

Singles serving multis

Single-head embroidery machines are perhaps the most versatile, most universal piece of equipment you will find in any size embroidery business. In larger establishments, where there aren’t many onesie/twosie orders to fulfill, such a unit functions mainly as a gate-keeper for the larger multi-heads, making certain that designs are trouble-free before mass-production begins. Running one sample on a 20-head machine is obviously a waste of resources; having a smaller machine or two around keeps production at maximum efficiency. The single-head is also a good place to try out new techniques— such as hoopless embroidery—or to fix a mistake or two from a larger run.

If your digitizing is performed in house, your samples will naturally be run in house as well. If your digitizing is contracted out and your digitizer runs a sample, I still recommend proving the designs on your own equipment to take into account the many variables that affect embroidery quality.

In any case, you will want to set up your single-head to mirror your production equipment. This means using the same needles and thread, the same backing, and stitching on the same type of fabric as the actual order. We keep bins of piqué, interlock, sweater knit, and a variety of woven fabrics by the machine for samples. If you are fortunate to not have many garments leftover from mistakes, you can purchase appropriate yardage from a local fabric store.

Strategic considerations

Our plant is set up for large production runs. But there are those times when a CEO wants the corporate logo—that we embroidered last month on 1,000 baseball caps—stitched on a bib for her grandson . . . or on a seat cover for his new boat. Enter the single-head machine. There are also situations where the single-head might be better for partial orders with high stitch counts. Take, for example, a large full-back design on a heavyweight jacket. This is a time-consuming job because the item is tricky to hoop, it requires a large sewing area and it takes a long time to run. It may make production- sense to keep the multi-head humming along at full capability stitching a large order for cap fronts, leaving the run of 12 jacket backs—long by virtue of stitch count rather than number of pieces— to the single-head. If the machines are set up within close proximity to each other and to a central workspace, an experienced operator will be able to cover both machines at the same time.

For small-business owners and entrepreneurs just entering the industry, a singlehead is the first, and sometimes only, piece of embroidery sewing equipment needed. There are machines on the market to fit most any space and production requirement. Before you buy, review the size and weight specifications—many industrial single-heads weigh from 300 to 500 pounds. If you plan to frequently transport your machine to shows and other events, check out lighter-weight models, some of which tip the scales at less than 100 pounds. Machine dimensions also vary greatly. Make sure you have plenty of space all around the machine, to change threads behind the machine and for a work table in front.

Logistical considerations

Generally, single-head equipment costs more head-for-head than a multi-head. When it came time for us to purchase a new machine for running samples, we opted to spend a bit more for a two-head machine. We were typically running two samples for every job anyway—one to send out to the customer, and one to keep on file for reference. The ability to run both samples at once on the two-head has saved us considerable time and money.

If buying the single-head is already a stretch for your budget, but you want to plan for future growth, some suppliers offer machines with modular capabilities. When the time comes to purchase a second machine, it can be configured to run with your existing equipment to simulate two-head performance, giving you the option to program one design and operate your single-heads simultaneously, as you would a multi-head. At the same time, you retain the ability to run them individually, when necessary. Single-head machines are the natural starting place for new owners as well as new operators and digitizers. Beginning operators can learn the basics on the less intimidating single or two-head before they move up to six-head and larger machines.

And I strongly encourage all digitizers (especially beginners) to spend as much time as possible watching their designs stitch. Most digitizers will first see their finished design on the computer monitor, send it for verification, and finally review the stitched sample. But they often don’t see what happens on the machine while the design stitches. For example, the finished embroidery may exhibit unexplained looping. This could be dismissed as improper tension on the machine but, if the design was being watched closely while it was stitching, the digitizer might have seen that the looping was in fact caused by a long underlay stitch which, when covered by a thin satin, poked out the sides. Similarly, without watching the design sew, you’ll never have the opportunity to observe the outline stitch that looked cleaner as a single ply, before the second ply stitched over it. Or worse, you might not see a letter that lacked sufficient lock stitches, a problem that would go unnoticed until said letter eventually began to ravel after a few launderings.

Solid, in a solid industry

I must mention that my own experience with a single-head embroidery machine goes back just a little farther than I indicated at the beginning. In my earliest days of digitizing, nearly two decades ago, our monster-sized single-head wasn’t just for stitching, or “proving” designs after they were punched. Before PCs were equipped with software for embroidery, we digitized on a giant board called a DigiTrack, and the single-head actually served the purpose of today’s computer monitor. I programmed the stitch information, which fed directly into the embroidery machine. So, as I digitized, the singlehead stitched—good or bad, mistakes and all: mistakes that sometimes sent the needle stitching straight into the hoop. Thankfully, computerized digitizing soon replaced this rather time-consuming, and occasionally nail-biting, process. I could now preview and edit design files on screen, before stitching them on my single-head.

In all cases, whether your trusty singlehead is a small fish in a big shop, or the centerpiece of a home-based business, this versatile little workhorse has earned its place solidly, in a solid industry.

Reprinted from Printwear Magazine - April 2007 ©2007 National Business Media, Inc. all rights reserved