zagadka

How does one digitize...and what IS digitizing?!

Our embroiderer is really leisurely about getting this done in a decent amount of time, so i'd like to know if and how i could go about doing it myself. programs/ equipment that is needed...or even a contact for a reliable digitizer, too.

thaaanks.

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Fluid

Here is a great Digitizer. Fast and good.
Topsail Sportswear
Mitch Lanier

Great guy to work with as well.

Digitizing software is really expensive. Just google search and youll see.
Wilcom is what we use and I believe ti start out around $15k.

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Rodney

Quote: and what IS digitizing?!

Digitizing is bascially taking your design/artwork and converting it into "stitches" so that the embroidery machine can create the design out of thread.

Almost like converting a design from raster into vector, it changes the "dots" and "pixels" into hundreds/thousands of stitches that will make up the design.

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John S

Quote: Originally Posted by zagadka ...if and how i could go about doing it myself. programs/ equipment that is needed...or even a contact for a reliable digitizer, too.

Good digitizing is an art, it takes a long time to get really good at it. It makes Photoshop and Illustrator look easy. Good software is very very expensive.
I make money selling, not digitizing.


Try www.affinityexpress.com

The have great prices and quick turn times.

 

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vctradingcubao

You can help your digitizer speed up his job by providing him/her a good artwork as reference. Some of the new release of digitizing software nowadays are equipped with features that can convert vector files into stitch files. For example, you can have your design "drawn" in corel draw or adobe illustrator, then send the file to your digitizer, then he can just convert the vector segments to stitches, do some adjustments and its done. This way, the digitizer won't have to re-draw the design. Talk first to your digitizer to know his/her preferences, instructions on how you should draw your design. He may have special preferences when it comes to segment layers/overlaps, contour edges, etc.

 

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zagadka

yeah we always send it in jpeg- that's how they want it for some reason. believe me, i'd LOVE to help speed up the process. apparently our embroiderer's digitizer is...hunting. they've had our stuff for over 3 weeks and haven't touched it. it's frustrating.

would it be shady of me to have it digitized elsewhere and have her just embroider it? This is our product for our Effin Effigy website, and we've got people waiting on it. Business is business, but I still don't want to be an as*.

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Solmu

I've been meaning to find out about this stuff too, so I hope you don't mind if I tack a few questions onto the thread

If outsourcing the job to someone else, what should a customer look for in a digitizer?

Is there any way for a layperson to know if they are getting a quality result? Is it obvious, or would only another digitizer really know what they're looking at?

Is there a ballpark price guide, or is it too hard to even give a range? (obviously embroidery varies a lot, just wondering if there is a common job size and corresponding price)

How do embroidery companies feel about you bringing in already processed work (as opposed to getting them to do it)?

 

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Tgraphics

Hi,
I've had digitising work done in the UK, India and China and all have produced excellent work. There is a plethora of web sites that offer fast efficient service. An associated company sent a scanned jpeg off the other day to a UK digitiser a 3.30pm and recieved back an embroidery file at 4.30pm.Now that's what I call service. Price depends ushally on the number of stitches in the design and for really urgent orders a premium is often asked for. Below are links to a number of sites that will give you all the info you need.

http://www.digitizingmart.com/workflow.php
http://www.butlerdigitizing.com/
http://www.davidsharp.co.uk/
http://www.abcembroidery.com.au/

Most embroidery companies won't mind at all if you provide the design on disc.CD, or sent by email as long has it is in a compatable format for their machines. The only way to know if your digitizer has done a good job is to play the design out on an embroidery machine. Many digitisers will sent a played out design along with a worksheet showing how the design plays out, number of colours, cutters etc. Digitising is a specialised business and if you've had to wait three weeks I would suggest you outsource your work to a company that can offer you a faster turnaround, seems to me a company that offers this service should be able to do it more efficiently.
An embroidery digitiser thats any good can take a poorly scanned image and produce a stitching file that will play out well on a garment. I've never ever had to waste time messing around with artwork and in over 15years of embroidery I can count the times I've had to go back to get a design altered, on one hand. With the advancement of digistising software a competent digitising company should take no more than three days.
You want an excellent job go to an established digitiser, it's not rocket science, and for me three weeks is totally unacceptable. Yes for sure many embroiderers would love to do this in house, but unless you have masses of spare time, take Johns advice and outsouce it.


Paul

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John S

Quote: Originally Posted by Solmu If outsourcing the job to someone else, what should a customer look for in a digitizer?

Quick turn around, fair price, files that sew without problems.

Quote: Originally Posted by Solmu Is there any way for a layperson to know if they are getting a quality result? Is it obvious, or would only another digitizer really know what they're looking at?

The proof is in the sewout on the finished product. What sews well on a polo might not sew out on a hat. A good digitizer will create a file that works well on both. You tell them up front what you are using it for. They create the file accordingly.

Quote: Originally Posted by Solmu Is there a ballpark price guide, or is it too hard to even give a range? (obviously embroidery varies a lot, just wondering if there is a common job size and corresponding price)

If you hire a local (US), they will charge about $60 for a left chest logo. If you go through a broker, you might see $40 for a 24 hr. turn, or $25 for a 3 day turn. Your mileage will vary.
Cheap is not always better. It's not worth saving $10 to lose a customer.

Quote: Originally Posted by Solmu How do embroidery companies feel about you bringing in already processed work (as opposed to getting them to do it)?

If you bring them good sewing files, they should be happy.

 

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tonytw

Quote: Originally Posted by zagadka How does one digitize...and what IS digitizing?! Our embroiderer is really leisurely about getting this done in a decent amount of time, so i'd like to know if and how i could go about doing it myself. programs/ equipment that is needed...or even a contact for a reliable digitizer, too. thaaanks.

You need some good software, I have a barudan elite pro machine I use EOS software to me it is very user friendly, you ;can start small and move up on the software, it also does lots of digitizing automatically maybe go to barudan.com and check out there website for more info great stuff for digitizing and just good old embroidery work

 

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guest3300

Quote: Originally Posted by Fluid Here is a great Digitizer. Fast and good. Topsail Sportswear Mitch Lanier Great guy to work with as well. Digitizing software is really expensive. Just google search and youll see. Wilcom is what we use and I believe ti start out around $15k.

The $15K for Wilcom only does letters and numbers. You have to get in the $20K-$30K range to get the good stuff.

I ran across an embroidery machine distributor at the show in Long Beach this year that had pricing that pretty much gave you a single head machine if you bought the software from him.

I also spoke with the US rep. for Wilcom and they indicated the success rate for those that buy the most expensive version of their software was pretty low. They recommended starting at the bottom and learn your way up.

 

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tonytw

I purchased compucon Eos professional 3.0 I gave seems like $1500 with the ability to do some digitiizing, been a while I never thought digitizing was really that hard to learn just take it slow and easy, also compucon will give you free training if you go there and make you a pro

 

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Comin'OutSwingin

Guys, I can only speak from experience, this is what I have learned.

Excellent digitizing is indeed an art. I've tried MANY embroiders and digitizers. Some I found online and some are local.

I am a perfectionist at heart, and the quality of work for my clothing line, simply must be the best that can be found.

I have most definitely found it.

www.1tme.com

The are called Thread Masters Embroidery. They are located in Memphis, TN.

They will accept your digitizing projects or digitize and embroider for you on items from their stock or your supplied items.

When I say they are great, I mean they are GREAT!

They do work for the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA, and all of their stuff must be top notch for resale.

But, they also give the same quality and attention to the little guy. Their prices are also very competitive.

I would urge anyone looking for an excellent digitizer to check them out.

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Fluid

Quote: I also spoke with the US rep. for Wilcom and they indicated the success rate for those that buy the most expensive version of their software was pretty low. They recommended starting at the bottom and learn your way up.

100% true.

I tought myself lettering first then worked my way up from there. I was lucky with my Wilcom as I got it when I purchased my first 4-head from a company going out of business. The software came with the emb machine as well as 3 training cd's.

Quote: Excellent digitizing is indeed an art

again 100% true. It takes people years to get as good as the experts just like anything in this industry.

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vctradingcubao

Quote: Originally Posted by zagadka would it be shady of me to have it digitized elsewhere and have her just embroider it? This is our product for our Effin Effigy website, and we've got people waiting on it. Business is business, but I still don't want to be an as*.

She should'nt have any problem embroidering the design even if it's digitized elsewhere. If your embroiderer is using tajima or barudan machines, I could try & do it for you (no charge) if it's just a simple design/artwork. You can send me the jpeg or corel draw/adobe illustator file thru email (). I can send you the dst file after a day. It's up to you if you want to use it, but at least, it could help speed up your digitizer if she realized you're already desperate.