Place a spool of thread on the spool pin, and secure it with the spool pin cap. Pull the thread out from the spool and place it through thread guides as shown in the illustration.
2
Put the end of the thread through the hole in the bobbin as shown. Place the bobbin onto the bobbin winder spindle as far as it can go.
3
Holding onto the end of the thread, push the bobbin winder latch against the bobbin until it clicks and the bobbin starts to rotate.
4
The bobbin will disengage automatically and the winding mechanism will stop when the bobbin is full. Remove the wound bobbin and cut the thread tail.
Threading the Bobbin Thread
1
Raise the needle to its highest position by rotating the handwheel counterclockwise (toward you).
2
Remove the bobbin cover plate by pushing the release button to the right. Bobbin cover will pop up sufficiently to allow you to remove the cover.
3
Insert the bobbin making sure the bobbin rotates counter-clockwise when you pull the thread.
Note: This is a very important step. The bobbin must rotate counterclockwise when the thread is pulled.
4
Pull thread through the slot (A) and then to the left.
5
With a finger held gently on top of the bobbin, pull the thread until it stops in the slot (B). Then pull the thread along the groove on the needle plate until it is snipped with cutter on the top left.
Note: Sewing can be started without having to pull up the bobbin thread.
6
Replace the clear bobbin cover plate onto the needle plate.
Threading the Top Thread
1
Raise the presser foot lifter. Always be sure to raise the presser foot lifter before threading the top thread. (If the presser foot lifter is not raised, correct thread tension cannot be obtained.)
2
Turn the hand wheel counterclockwise (toward you) until the needle is in its highest position.
3
Thread the machine with your left hand while firmly gripping the thread with your right hand in the following order as illustrated.
Guide the thread through thread guides (1 & 2), and then pull it down along the groove (3).
Guide the thread into the thread guide (4).
Pass the thread through the eye of the needle (5) from front to back.
Important
To verify that the machine is threaded properly in the tension discs, do this simple check:
With the presser foot raised, pull the thread towards the back of the machine. You should detect only slight resistance and little or no deflection of the needle.
Now lower the presser foot and again pull the thread towards the back of the machine. This time you should detect a considerable amount of resistance and much more deflection of the needle. If you do not detect the resistance you have miss-threaded the machine and need to re-thread it.
Loosen hoop adjusting screw and place fabric between inner and outer frame. Pull fabric edges to remove slack.
Slightly tighten the hoop, adjust the screw and pull fabric edges to remove slack. Fit the two frames together by pressing down on the inner frame.
Tighten the hoop’s screw then remove the slack from the stabilizer.
Continue tightening the hoop adjusting screw while removing the slack until the fabric is properly secured within the embroidery hoop.
Once the fabric is taut, tighten the adjustment screw once the stabilizer is secured.
Source: Pg. 64 of Singer Futura XL-400 Manual:
Preparing the Machine Before Installing the Hoop
Turn the handwheel counterclockwise (toward you) until the needle comes to its highest position.
Source: Pg. 70 of Singer Futura XL-400 Manual
Attaching and Removing Embroidery Hoop
Raise presser foot and needle, and push up lever (A) of embroidery foot with your finger and pass embroidery hoop under it.
To remove, pull the hoop forward to slide it out from underneath the embroidery foot.
Slide the hoop onto the embroidery unit from front to back until it clicks into place.
To remove, press the release lever and slide the hoop towards you.
Note: Before attaching the small hoop, turn on the power switch to move the carriage to embroidering standby position.
Source: Pg. 70 of Singer Futura XL-400 Manual
Material Selection
It is important to select the correct stabilizer(s), thread, and needle for the material being used. Singer has provided an excellent starting point (see below).
Stabilizer and Fabric Hooped Together
Cut 1 piece of non-woven fabric stabilizer (tear-away, self-adhesive, or cut-away) that is 1.5 to 2 inches bigger on all sides than the embroidery hoop.
Loosen hoop adjusting screw and place fabric between inner and outer frame. Pull fabric edges to remove slack.
Slightly tighten the hoop and adjust the screw and pull fabric edges to remove slack. Fit the two frames together by pressing down on the inner frame.
Tighten the hoop’s screw then remove the slack from the stabilizer.
Continue tightening the hoop adjusting screw while removing the slack until the fabric is properly secured within the embroidery hoop. The stabilizer should be pulled taut but not too much as it might tear.
Tighten the adjustment screw once the stabilizer is secured.
Hooped Stabilizer with Fabric Secured on Top (with or without Spray Stabilizer)
Some materials may be damaged when secured within the embroidery hoop (e.i. vinyl, leather, plastic, etc.). Those materials will need to be secured on top of the stabilizer which is secured within the hoop.
Example of why not to hoop these fabrics:
Cut 1 piece of non-woven fabric stabilizer (tear-away, self-adhesive, or cut-away) that is 1.5 to 2 inches bigger on all side than the embroidery hoop.
Clear vinyl with blue rectangular ornate frame embroidery taken out of the hoop. Crease and puckering mark where the embroidery hoop was placed.
Cut 1 piece of non-woven fabric stabilizer (tear-away, self-adhesive, or cut-away) that is 1.5 to 2 inches bigger on all sides than the embroidery hoop.
Loosen hoop adjusting screw and place fabric between inner and outer frame. Pull fabric edges to remove slack.
Slightly tighten the hoop and adjust the screw and pull fabric edges to remove slack. Fit the two frames together by pressing down on the inner frame.
Tighten the hoop’s screw then remove the slack from the stabilizer.
Continue tightening the hoop adjusting screw while removing the slack until the fabric is properly secured within the embroidery hoop. The stabilizer should be pulled taut but not too much as it might tear.
Tighten the adjustment screw once the stabilizer is secured.
Spray the wrong (back) side of the fabric to be embroidered with a spray adhesive.
Place material on the hooped stabilizer and smooth flat.
Slide the embroidery hoop into the machine and begin stitching.
Before designing your own images, we recommend that you first learn the setup by stitching one of the many designs that come pre-loaded with the Singer Futura Embroidery Machine.
Once comfortable with both preparing the fabric for stitching and operating the machine, you can move on to designing and stitching your own images. Since ITP’s version of the Singer Futura software does NOT come equipped with the ability to digitize images for stitching, you will need to do so using Ink/Stitch. Please refer to the following tutorials to get started with Ink/Stitch.
When a model has an overhang or bridge without being supported from below, you will more than likely need support.
Not all overhangs need support, overhangs built on an angle of LESS than 45 degrees can usually print without support.
When in doubt load your model into Cura and see if it will generate supports, if Cura does not place supports, then you should be able to print without support.
Cut lines should be no closer than half the thickness of the material i.e. if your material is 0.25 inches thick, then your cut lines should be no closer than 0.125 inches
Do not cut on the edge of the material, leave a 0.125 inch border
Download and open the “Helix Mini Template”. This template is set up for the Helix mini.
Artboard is set to the extent of the cutting bed.
Color space is set to RGB.
The color palette has laser-compatible color swatches.
Either copy and paste your artwork onto the template or create your artwork directly in the template.
Place all artwork starting at the upper left corner of the artboard, this is the origin position for the laser cutter.
Save your document as a unique descriptive name.
2
Check the following attributes for each object on the artboard.
A. Color-should be an RGB swatch included on the template.
B. Stoke Weight-should be 0.01 pt
C. Variable Width Profile-should be Uniform
D. Brush Definition-should be Basic
E. Opacity-should be 100%
To check the attributes select all objects on the artboard and check the corresponding field at the top of the document.
3
Once all objects have been checked proceed to the print dialogue.
Navigate to the print dialogue box clicking File>Print.
4
Once the print dialogue box appears click “Setup” in the lower left of the box.
5
Inside the Setup dialogue Box click preferences located on the right side of the box.
6
In the Printing Preferences dialogue box, check the box to the left of “Auto Focus”.
7
Check the radio button to the left of “Combined”.
8
In the “Piece Size (inches) box set “Horizontal” to 24 and “Vertical” to 12.
9
In the “Raster Settings” box adjust “Speed” and “Power” and make sure “Engrave Direction” is set to “Bottom-Up”.
Note: Please use the settings listed on the material list. The list can be found on the wall next to the laser cutter as well as on the shop website under resources.
10
In the “Vector Settings” box adjust “Speed”, “Power”, and “Freq”.
Make sure “Vector Sorting” is checked and the drop-down menu next to it says “Optimize”.
11
Click “OK” at the bottom of the Printing Preferences dialogue box to save your changes.
12
Click “Print” in the Setup dialogue box.
13
Click “Done” in the Print dialogue box.
Note: Step 13 is a very important step, clicking “Done” will save all of the printing preferences to illustrator.
14
Once all objects have been checked, proceed to the print dialogue.
Navigate to the print dialogue box clicking File>Print.
15
Once the print dialogue box appears check that the “Document” and “Media” dimensions have changed to “24 in x 12 in”, then click “Print” in the lower right of the box.
The next steps will be on the laser cutter.
16
Place your material in the upper left-hand corner of the laser cutter bed.
Turn on the laser cutter.
Turn on the air compressor to the right of the laser cutter.
Turn on the BOFA filter under the laser cutter.
Close laser cutter lid.
17
Make sure your file name is displayed on the screen.
If your file name does not appear in the window using the up and down arrow keys to navigate to your file.
18
Press the green start button to begin your job.
Never leave the laser while a job is being run.
Wait one minute after the job finishes to allow fumes to dissipate.
Shut off the machine power, air compressor, and BOFA filter when finished.