Description of Multi Head Embroidery Machine

by Engr. Kh. Mashiur Rahman | Mar 8, 2014 | Embroidery

Multi Head Embroidery Machine

A lot of machine manufacturer like janome, pfaff, barudan, tajima developed embroidery system. Different types of embroidery machine is sold now al over the world. A multi head embroidery machine has more than one head. Generally it contains 2, 4, 6 or more head. It is more expensive than single head machine. It also takes large space to install. It can output many  embroidery stitches on garments in a short period of time. Multi head embroidery machines are made for production able to run non-stop through long time and deliver consistently high quality embroidery stitches.

Function of  Different Types of Embroidery Machine:

Functions of different types of embroidery machine is stated below –

• Multi head computerized embroidery machine  is designed for embroidering of fashion clothes, bed covers, curtains, toys, ornaments and crafts.
• Bar Coding System permits user for input  embroidery stitches quickly into the computer by scanning a bar code
• Embroidery digitizing
• Provide free embroidery stiches
• Flat embroidery, rope embroidery, winding embroidery, sequin embroidery, webbing, embroidery all are the Multi head embroidery machine used for embroider in clothing
• Multi head computerized embroidery machine  is more faster than single head embroidery machine

Specifications of Tajima Multi Head Computerized Embroidery Machine :

Feature of Multi Head Embroidery Machine for  Embroidery Stitches: 

• Janome, pfaff, barudan and tajimaEasy to operate to make stitches
• Janome, pfaff, barudan and tajima stores up to 100 memory locations
• Solenoid driven thread clamps that reduce pullouts and thread breaks
• Requires fewer trimmer adjustments
• More than 10 million  embroidery stitches capacity
• Janome, pfaff, barudan and tajima machines are high quality and affordable
• Automatic oiling system require to low machine maintenance and more production time for embroidery stitches
• Should have USB memory stick for loading designs or add devices such as a bar code scanner
• Janome, pfaff, barudan and tajima machines support different types of embroidery embroidery software
• Selected  embroidery stitches can be enlarged or reduced
• One  embroidery stitches should be repeated again
• Radius cylinder arm which provides highest embroidery stitch quality on caps
• Requires less power to operate the machine and require fewer parts for cleaning and maintenance.
• Janome, pfaff, barudan and tajima machines support COM port for direct software connections
• Embroidery stitches with soft twisted thread
• Should ensure patented arm driving unit which is separate from the needle bar movement
• Outline Perimeter which trace improves productivity
• Require larger bobbins which decrease downtime for  embroidery digitizing
• The  embroidery stitches may be rotated from 0° to 357° in 1° increments horizontally or vertically
• Janome, pfaff, barudan and tajima machines have color LCD control panel
• Tajima machines support have touch Screen

Multi Head Embroidery Machine Needle Replacement Policy:

All needles or parts of damaged/broken needles must be controlled effectively and accounted for during the production process and throughout the whole manufacturing unit.

This means that when a new needle is issued it is cross referenced with stock levels of the particular needle and size to ensure full traceability at all times.

This includes sewing needles (machine and hand sewing), knitting needles and any ticketing or kimbal/tag gun needles and the policy should cover all areas of manufacturing e.g. the sample room, embroidery and appliqué machines, machines that are positioned out of the main flow of manufacture and operations that are performed outside the supplier’s premises.

The sample room should keep a separate needle record, rather than having the record amalgamated with the production area.

1. Control of needle supplies

• A person should be nominated to hold a restricted supply of a pre-determined number of needles (this can be a line supervisor, the accessory store room supervisor, the warehouse supervisor, a specifically nominated employee etc) in a permanently locked & clearly marked facility. This facility should only be accessed by the nominated person responsible for managing the total process.
• Replacement should only be issued if the nominated person returns the equivalent number of used needles to the relevant manager/section (e.g. store).
• The stock of needles needs to be controlled by a designated member of the management (e.g. production manager, warehouse manager etc.)
• Spare needles must be stored in a secure and locked position away from the production floor.
• There should be a recorded needle inventory, so that the amount of needles coming into the factory is accounted for with the records kept for needle distribution and broken needle records.

2. Control of sewing needles in use

• Workers are not allowed to have any spare needles in their possession.
• A nominated person e.g. responsible for health & safety and/or internal auditing must check compliance to this policy on a regular basis.
• New needles must be distributed by a supervisor or authorised/nominated person.
• The nominated person to exchange needles, must ensure that they receive all parts of the old needle before issuing a new one. A new needle can only be issued if all parts of the old one have been returned.
• New needles must be kept in a secure, locked, clearly marked and safe environment with restricted access. The key to the storage place must be held by the authorised person at all times and should not be available to machine operators.
• The needle record must be kept for all types of needles and should include the bend or broken needle fragments taped to the record.

• To identify trends of breakage the broken needle record must be reviewed on a daily basis which will lead the factory to be proactive in preventing excessive
• needle breakage. Worn out, out of alignment machine parts or operator handling may cause breakage.

3. Change of a needle during production

• To avoid needle breakage, damage or worn points, needles should be changed twice daily in machines that are being used constantly, following an established and approved procedure.
• This procedure must stipulate life spans for each needle/machine type to ensure that needles are changed as and when required. A record must be kept of these needle changes.
• For knitted products, check each machine every hour and record the results for later inspection.
• Whenever the nature of the fabric, the operation or type of needle changes, needles should be changed according to needle size and point required.
• Machines including their needles should be checked on a daily basis in the morning prior to work commencing by the mechanic or worker. Any damage to the needles and changes must be recorded.
• If any inline or final QC inspectors find any needle damage, the relevant machine must be checked immediately and needles changed.
• All broken or bent needles must be securely attached to the needle replacement form with a clear adhesive tape and all parts need to be accounted for. An appointed person should be responsible for the record keeping (again this can be done by line supervisors, accessory or warehouse managers).
• Any old/blunt needles should be collected by the mechanic/s, recorded, kept in a sealed container in a separate area from the sewing floor and sent externally for recycling.
• Broken needle/calibration records should be kept for a minimum of 6 years from shipment date for auditing purposes and disposed off safely thereafter.
  • At no times should records be stored near the factory floor as this could cause possible contamination.
• A broken or damaged needle must always be replace with a brand new needle and all parts of the old one MUST be accounted for. So the exchange is on a one for one basis.
• Mechanics should ensure that no needles are left behind on the machines after any maintenance work carried out.
• Unused/spare machines should have the needles removed.

5. Hand sewing & Hand sewing needle control policy

• Hand sewing should only be used where an automated solution is not possible, it should not be used on childrenswear and any use must be agreed with the relevant Buyer technologist prior to making samples and bulk.
• Hand sewing repairs are not acceptable.
• Buyer must be made aware of the extent of hand sewing to be used on an order.
• All needles must be accounted for in each factory: this means when a new needle is issued it cross references with stock levels of the particular needle and size to ensure full traceability at all times.
• Handsewing needles, which can also include latch needles (used in the production of knitwear) must be held by the nominated person in a locked cupboard, which is only accessible by the person responsible to issue new needles.
• One in, one out’ distribution system – All hand sewing needles must be handed out to the workers by a nominated person at the beginning of each shift and must be collected at the end of each shift.
• This distribution system must be recorded (s. attached daily in/out log), detailing workers names and numbers of tool issued/returned and records must be kept for a minimum of 3 years from shipment date in case of a legal claim.
• The number of workers with access to hand sewing needles should be limited.
• All latch needles should be kept on cord secured to the workstation table with the employee’s scissors/clippers.
• Non-latch needles must be kept in a pin cushion or a small piece of foam, in a small plastic container and have the lid secured, when the needles are not being used.
• Each employee’s container should have their name on it for traceability to the supervisor’s issue log.
• The containers may also be colour coded or numbered to indicate the number of needles contained, against a reference list for quick checks whilst monitoring the process, e.g. a brief walk through of the production area.
• Random checks should be conducted by management to check the number of employee’s names on the issue log against the number of actual people working, to cross check including a check on the number of needles per box as issued at the start of the day by the nominated person/supervisor as written on the issue log.
• The procedure as well as record keeping for any broken/bend/lost hand sewing needles is the same as described above for machine sewing needles.
• Logs must be fully completed each time before a new needle is issued and records must be kept for 3 years as proof of due diligence in case they are required for any legal claims.

• An area away from machinery and on the main production floor should be designated as a quarantined hand sewing area and there must not be any hand sewing needles anywhere else within the factory other than in this designated area.
• It is essential that no purses or bags are allowed into the hand stitch production areas and that all work areas are kept clear at all times. Employees should be provided with lockers to keep their personal belongings secure (such as handbags and purses) and to help keep the work areas clear.
• Any hand sewing must be completed prior to the final metal detection check.

6. Kimbal/Tag gun needle control policy

• All needles must be accounted for in each factory: this means when a new needle is issued it cross references with stock levels of the particular needle and size to ensure full traceability at all times.
• Kimbal/tag gun needles must be held by the nominated person in a locked cupboard, which is only accessible by the person responsible to issue new needles.
• One in, one out’ distribution system – All kimbal/tag guns must be handed out to the workers by a nominated person at the beginning of each shift and must be collected at the end of each shift.
• This distribution system must be recorded (s. attached daily in/out log), detailing workers names and numbers of kimbal/tag guns issued/returned and records must be kept for a minimum of 3 years from shipment date in case of a legal claim.
• The number of workers with access to kimbal/tag guns should be limited.
• All kimbal/tag guns should be kept on cord secured to the workstation table.
• The procedure as well as record keeping for any broken/bend/lost kimbal/tag gun needles is the same as described above for machine sewing needles.
• Kimbal/ Tag gun logs as well as kimbal/tag gun needle control logs must be fully completed each time before a new needle is issued and records must be kept for 3 years as proof of due diligence in case they are required for any legal claims.
• Product must not be kimballed in the metal free zone, after passing through the tunnel conveyor belt detector.

7. Practical tips to ensure compliance with this policy

• ement should carry out random checks to ensure that the supervisor/s in charge, are following the procedures properly.
• The responsible person for the process should carry out audits and random checks by walking through the production lines to check for spare or broken needles. Lift the machine head to see if there are any used or broken needles in the oil pan.
• Select a few operators at random and ask them what they do when a needle breaks. If answers are not satisfactory, alert the factory management and discuss corrective actions.

• Search the floor for used and/or broken needles and parts. Share findings with factory management.
• Check the broken needle log. Make sure that bent and ALL pieces of broken needles are taped on the log. Further investigation will be needed if any part of the broken needle is missing on the log.
• Workers tend to use their drawers under the machines to store components, needles etc. It helps to remove these drawers to avoid any temptation.
• Workers should be provided with lockers to keep their personal belongings secure (such as handbags and purses) and to help keep the work areas clear.
• Thread stands are often being used to store needles/components as well. By turning them upside down and removing the foam, needles/components cannot be kept on them.
• Button-sew and buttonhole machines frequently have needle breakages and workers tend to store needles or spare buttonhole knifes in the front section of those machines. This needs to be checked regularly by a nominated person.
• Bear in mind that the further away needles are being stored, the more difficult it is for workers to follow a procedure and keep up with the production output.
• To reduce the risk of the system failing the number of people must be minimised as much as possible.
• The needle policy must be translated into the local language, displayed where applicable and the management must ensure that workers fully understand the policy.
• The policy should be part of your induction programme for new workers.
• Posters such as the below should be displayed where applicable:
• A good practice would be to attach a sticker to each machine that informs the worker about the key details of the needle replacement policy as a constant reminder.

Hardware Description of Multi Head Computerized Embroidery Machine:

Accessories: platen support and chassis, computer manual, atlas of spare parts, toolbox, automatic coil winding machine

Electronic Control: Adopt 5-inch display screen, USB pattern input, and real-time pattern tracking display and install Dahao 328 computers.

Embroidery Quality: The machine of adopts international advanced new square yarn trapper, imported Zuowen or Hirose rotating shuttles and imported bobbin cases and other advanced technologies. To a large extent, these technologies improve the embroidery quality, strengthen the stereoscopic effects and enliven the patterns.

Body Frame: The body frame of multi head computerized embroidery machine is designed with brand new structure, with 1.75m foot width, 400*400*12MM crossbeam and 200*300MM bottom beam.Increase the structural stability of the body frame and make the whole machine and its appearance more beautiful

Linear Drive: The main motor and drive motor are both Dahao servo motors, called full servo motor. The machine adopts servo motor as the XY drive motor. The characteristics of high precision, strong power, low noise and fast response make servo motor the ideal choice for multi head computerized embroidery machine

[1] Anupam Tiwari,   B.Sc in Textile Engineer, Government Central Textile Institute (GCTI), Kanpur, Email: anupamtiwari09@yahoo.com