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Bernina E16#

Overview#

The Bernina E16 is a large, fast, and powerful embroidery machine designed for professional use. It is capable of stitching designs up to 15 x 16 inches, using 16 pre-loaded colors, at up to 2100 stitches per minute! It is also capable of embroidering different mediums, like hats.

The color choices on the E16 are not changeable. If you need more custom colors, consider the Bernina 590 instead.

Prepare files for the E16 using Bernina Designer 9, more information can be found by clicking "Embroidery Software" below.

Prerequisites for Use#

Note

The machine in the SHED is technically a Bernina E16 PRO. The only difference between the E16 and E16 Pro is the touchscreen interface.

Reference content for the normal E16 is still otherwise relevant, and is used on this page.

Bernina E16 Pro User Manual

Embroidery Software

Safety Warnings#

Please read all of the following before continuing;

Machine moves quickly, keep clear at all times.

Never put hand near machine's moving parts when powered.

Needle can move quickly, keep hands clear of needle at all times.

Do not place hand in needle area when powered.

Needle automatically moves, do not service needle without powering down machine

Machine moves quickly and can grab loose material or hair.

Wear short sleeves or roll up long sleeves.

Secure loose clothing.

Tie up and tuck in long hair.

Remove lanyards, jewelry, gloves, etc.

Machine Overview#

  1. Thread Tree
  2. Thread Feed Rollers
  3. Touchscreen Control Panel (Pro Only)
  4. Start/Pause Button
  5. Emergency Stop
  6. Needle Case
  7. Hoop Arms
  8. Lower Arm
  9. Bobbin Case

Usage Information#

Screen Functions#

Below are the 20 most important functions on the screen, and where to find them;

Click on a section to expand it.

Right Side of Screen

  1. Color Sequence - Edit what color is used in what section of your design.

  2. Hoop Selection - Change to match the actual hoop used.

  3. Speed Adjustment - Start slow and ramp up when stable

  4. Transform - Used to move, scale, and position your design

  5. Open File from Thumb Drive

Bottom of Screen

  1. Seek Back - Used rewind embroidery if a thread break resulted in missed stiches

  2. Move to Stitch - Move to a specific point in the project

  3. Move to Trim - Move to a specific trim point in the project

  4. Move to Color - Move to the start of a specific color thread's section

  5. Seek Forward - Fast forward through stitches

  6. Hoop Forward/Back - Move the hoop to the unloading position

  7. Trim Immediate - Trim the thread where it currently is

  8. Change to Needle (Thread) - Select which needle the machine should currently have selected

  9. Laser Guide On/Off for positioning

  10. Grabber In/Out to hold on to excess thread from needles

Left Side of Screen

  1. Maintenance Menu, Staff Only.

  2. Help, context-aware help options related to current screen

  3. Presser Foot Adjustment, Staff Only.

  4. Settings, Staff Only.

  5. Actifeed Material Thickness - Adjust how much thread is released to compensate for material thickness

Actifeed is one of the most important settings when embroidering on the E16, see Actifeed below for more information.

Actifeed#

Actifeed is one of the most important settings on the E16, and the cause of more project issues than all other settings combined. Understanding actifeed is critical to good embroidery on the E16.

For more information on actifeed, read this reference document from Melco;

Melco Actifeed

Bobbin Threading#

The E16 uses consumable bobbins, found in a box underneath the machine. A fresh bobbin will last for approximately 30 minutes of embroidering at max speed.

Follow this video guide on how to install a new bobbin.

Keep in mind that you may run out of bobbin thread mid-embroidery. If that happens;

  • Trim the top thread with the auto cutter
  • Remove your hoop from the machine
  • Replace the bobbin
  • Re-install the hoop
  • You may need to skip back a few threads to get anything that was missed

Top Threading#

The top thread on the E16 is kept on very large cones that will generally last for a year of use, so it is rare to have to replace them. However, many issues result in the top thread partially unthreading itself.

If this happens, follow the video on the right on how to thread the top thread.

As a reminder, the colors on the E16 CANNOT be changed, and must stay as-loaded.

Hooping Flat Medium#

When working with flat medium, interfacing material is extremely important. Interfacing gives your material rigidity, and ensures the proper formation of embroidery stitches. The SHED stocks heat-transfer (iron-on) interfacing, as well as tear-away that is attached with adhesive spray. Cut the interfacing to be larger than both your design and the hoop you intend to use.

The hoop is the tool used to secure your workpiece in the embroidery machine. It is removable from the machine and indexes, meaning it is safe to remove and re-install the hoop mid-job without losing position. The E16 uses 2 different styles of hoops; magnetic and screw-lock.

Magnetic hoops are generally square and are made of distinct white and blue plastic. These are comprised of two parts that secure together with extremely strong magnets. Simply separate the two parts, pull your material taught between them, and the let the magnets re-attach. The upper hoop, the one with the metal arms, should be on top.

The magnets are keyed, and will only go together one way. We recommend closing one side of the magnets first, then pulling the material as you let the other 3 connect.

Danger

The magnets on these hoops are EXTREMELY STRONG and snap back together with violent force! Keep fingers clear as you close them, and use only designated manipulation dogs on the hoop to grab by.

Screw-Lock hoops are generally used on smaller designs. They are comprised of a bottom ring with a screw on it, and a top hoop with a matching ring shape. To use a screw-lock hoop;

  1. Choose a hoop that is larger than your design but smaller than your interfacing and material
  2. Place the outer ring underneath your material, with the screw loosened
  3. Place the top hoop over your material, so it lines up with the bottom ring
  4. Press down on the hoop so it goes into the bottom right, and tighten the screw to secure the material.

Note

If your material is secured properly, it should be taught like a drum

You are now set to load your hoop into the machine. The process for this is the same for both hoop styles.

  1. Position the hoop fingers (exposed metal) in the hoop arms, under the tabs on both sides.
    • Push back until you hear a click of the tab locking.
    • Make sure only the material you want to embroider is between the hoop and the bobbin case. Anything else should be below the bobbin case.
    • To remove, lift both tabs and pull straight out.

Preparing the Machine for Embroidery#

Once you have hooped and loaded your material, and loaded your embroidery file (see Embroidery Software), it is time to prepare the machine for embroidery.

  1. Use the Hoop Selection to choose the hoop you are using.
  2. Set the Actifeed Material Preset
  3. Assign the proper colors to your design
    • In the Color Sequence (right of screen) menu, select each color from your design file along the bottom
    • Select the corresponding color from the thread tree you would like
    • Repeat until all colors assigned
    • If not assigned manually, the machine will try to choose the closest color.

If all this is set, you are ready to embroider! The E16 will embroider your design as-shown on the screen, in the center of the hoop. IF you do not want this, see Aligning and Tracing below.

Aligning and Transforming#

By default, the E16 will embroider your design in the center of the hoop, facing towards you standing in front of the machine. In many cases, this is not what we want.

We can adjust the position and rotation of the design in the Transform menu, found on the left of the screen.

Note

Unlike the 590, the E16 cannot scale or resize embroidery designs. If you need to change the size of your design, it must be done in software and re-exported!

You can verify the position of your design on your material using the Trace tool, found in the top corner of the Transform menu. The outline of the design can then be traced, or you can move the laser to arbitrary positions in the design.

For more information on using the Trace tool, see "18. Trace Design" on page 108 of the E16 Pro User Manual.

Embroidering Hats#

The E16 can embroider hats using the hat attachment (or hattachment, for short). Reference the videos below on how to set up the hatacchment and hoop a hat.

Tips for Embroidering Hats:

  • Keep your designs small, hats do not have much space to embroider
  • Hat material thick and does not resolve fine detail well, stick to simple objects
  • Be mindful of where the seams of the hat are, they will be hard to embroider over.
  • Thick hats do not usually need interface material.

Common Machine Issues#

Below are common issues we have with the E16, and steps to fix them.

Click on an object to expand it.

Constant bottom thread break

Usually caused by improperly-set actifeed. Try increasing actifeed minimums.

Possibly caused by improperly-threaded bobbin. Re-load bottom bobbin.

Top thread unthreading after every cut

Cuts are too close together, increase minimum distance between cuts in embroidery software.

Machine fails to complete power-on

Likely damage to the cutting mechanism and/or a jam stopping it from actuating.

Top thread fraying or breaking

Usually caused by improperly-set actifeed. Try increasing actifeed minimums.

Embroidery stitch may be too dense for loaded thread and material.

Wavy or shifting design

Ensure hoop is taught and properly secured in arms

Embroidery stitch may be too dense for loaded thread and material.

In-Person Competency Check#

To demonstrate competency on the E16, makers will have to go through the process of embroidering a design using the machine. This includes;

  • File preparation
  • Loading a bobbin
  • Hooping flat material
  • Aligning and positioning embroidery design
  • Assigning colors
  • Setting actifeed

Makers can do this as part of their own project, or staff can provide a sample piece to complete.