Monday 10 December 2012

Embroidery Digitizing Explained For the Newbie

While the ins and outs of the embroidery digitizing industry work more or less like any other service industry, there are a few terms and concepts that can seem very typical to first timers. The following is a guide for those who are trying out embroidery digitizing services for the first time, so that they are better acquainted with the terminology and understand exactly what they should expect.

Embroidery Digitizing – Simply put embroidery digitizing sums up the entire process that is involved in the conversion of designs/artwork into digitized files. These digitized files are created by embroidery digitizers using industry specific software in order to help you get designs onto fabric with the help of embroidery machines.

Digitizers – This is the terminology used to address professionals in the field of digitizing embroidery who are quintessential to the entire digitization process. Using specialized software, digitizers convert your logo/design/artwork into digitized files. It is the responsibility of the digitizer to ensure that the final digitized file has been checked for quality before it is handed over so that it runs as smoothly as possible.

Digitized Files – These are the files that you are left with at the end of the entire digitizing embroidery process. Digitized files contain the code responsible for instructing embroidery machines to execute your designs on fabric. DST by Tajima happens to be the most popular format in which digitized files are delivered, since it is recognized by a majority of the embroidery machines in the industry today.

Stitchability
– A fairly recent term created by those in the industry, it relates to the feasibility of recreating your artwork to the tee on fabric. A design considered to be “stitchable” or “embroidery-friendly” can be digitized without any manipulations; however, those considered “unstitchable” have to be tweaked by the digitizer or the embroidery digitizing service provider, so that they can embroidered onto the fabric of your choice.