Embroidery Machine Sales and Service - Tajima Embroidery, Versa Laser, & Kornit printing machines, accessories, & digitising software

OverviewIndustry SupportNew FeaturesSoftware Support

Support of the Industry

Wilcom ES supports all major embroidery machine formats including Barudan, Tajima, ZSK, Happy, SWF and more. Our industry leadership has allowed Wilcom throughout our 25 year history to integrate seamlessly into the embroidery industry and offer full support for all major embroidery machines.

Helpful hints and tips on connection Wilcom to your embroidery machine can be found in the members area of the Wilcom Support Center website.

Supported Machine Types

The table shows the machine types currently supported by Wilcom ES. Make sure you first check the recommended connection settings for your particular machine. If you don’t have a record of the connection settings required to set up your embroidery machine, a list can be found at the Wilcom Support Center. This provides connection information for all the machines listed in this table.

If not already a member of the WSC, you will need to register as a licensed user of Wilcom software. See www.wilcom.com.au/support for details.


Machine Format	Description
Tajima	This format is used for main types of Tajima machines.
Tajima TMCE-100	This format is used for Chenille-enabled Tajima machines.
Tajima TMCE-600	This format is used for Chenille-enabled Tajima machines.
Barudan	This format is used for many Barudan machines. It supports up to 9 needles. The Barudan format is suitable for paper tape, FMC disks, and the DSB file format.
Barudan FDR-II Lockstitch	This format is currently used for BED* series lockstitch machines and is the standard for all new Barudan lockstitch machine models. It supports up to 15 needles and optional sequin attachments.
Barudan FDR-II Chenille Combination	This format is used for newer models of Barudan Chenille machines supporting 6 chenille colors such as the BEDYH and BEDSH. Using this format, you can digitize pure Chenille or even a combination of Chenille and Lockstitch in the one design.
Barudan Chenille	This format is used only for the older BELM - A3C series of Barudan Chenille Machines with 5 Chenille colors. Newer models use Barudan FDR-II Chenille Combination.
Barudan Z Series	This format is used for Barudan Z series machines with 10 or more needles.
SWF	This format is used for main types of SWF machines.
Melco	This format is used for main types of Melco machines.
Melco Chenille	This format is used for Melco-enabled Chenille machines.
Pfaff	This format is used for main types of Pfaff machines.
Toyota	This format is used for main types of Toyota machines.
Zangs	This is the format for Zangs and Marco brand machines and pre-1988 ZSK machines without trimmers.
ZSK 1	This format is for ZSK machines that have 7 or fewer needles generally those older than 1991.
ZSK 2	This format is for ZSK machines that have more than 7 needles and those characterized by a single top thread trimmer.
ZSK TC	This format is for ZSK machines that accepts Transport Code Disks (DOS format disks).
Inbro	This format is used for main types of Inbro machines.
Schiffli	This format is used for Schiffli machines.

New InterfaceNew ToolbarsNew PalettesPatterns & FillsReshapingLettering

New Interface

The ES Designer interface (GUI) has been significantly updated to bring it into line with Windows XP developments.

It contains:

new-look icons
new-look ‘modeless’ dialogs
new rulers and guides
new toolbars for improved digitizing efficiency
new ‘toolbar park’ for temporary docking of toolbars and modeless dialogs.

	Toolbar Parking
	The new toolbar parking feature allows you to make better use of available screen ‘real estate’. By default, the Toolbar Park area is situated just above the design window. Simply drag and drop any toolbar into the Park to move it out of the way. Click the tab and drag it back out when you need it. You can also dock the Color-Object List and Object Properties dialogs. The Toolbar Park itself can be docked at the bottom of the screen.

	‘Modeless’ Object Properties
	The new Object Properties dialog is now ‘modeless’ meaning that it stays on the design window as long as you need it, just like the Color-Object List. This considerably improves editing efficiency by eliminating the need to open the dialog separately for each and every object. Together with a General Properties toolbar, the Object Properties dialog provides a versatile alternative to the old dialog. Most of the settings and controls have the same behaviors as those of the original dialog, with the exception of the new popup slider control. At the bottom of the dialog is a toolbar containing the control buttons. The FX button invokes a separate set of tabs which were associated with the old Effects dialog.

	Improved access to General Properties
	The Status and Prompt bars now include a General Properties panel for continuous display and routine modification of general object properties. The Zoom Factor field has been removed from the Status Bar and moved to a new Zoom toolbar.

	New rulers and guides feature
	The new Show Rulers and Guides feature improves usability by allowing you to accurately position stitches and align objects in the design. Rulers are located to the top and side of the design window. Guides appear as dotted vertical and horizontal lines. Guides are displayed ‘on top’ of the grid, if present, but ‘beneath’ all images, drawing objects and embroidery objects. Each design has its own set of guides and its own ruler zero point. When saved, these are saved as well. When saving a template, the state of the rulers and guides are included. In the factory-shipped Normal template, rulers are on by default.

	Improved Snap to Grid/Guides
	Use the improved Snap to Grid and/or Snap to Guides feature to align objects in your design with the nearest grid or guide lines. Reference points, control points or leading edges of objects snap to grid and/or guides during digitizing, sizing, reshaping, or positioning operations. When any of these operations is taking place, grid or guide lines change color temporarily to indicate that ‘snap to’ is active.

	Improved Undo/Redo command list
	ES Designer now supports up to 256 undo and redo command actions. Undo or redo actions one-by-one in the normal way by clicking the icons, or select a range of actions at once using the new dropdown lists. These are accessed by clicking the arrow next to Undo/Redo icons on the Standard toolbar.

New Toolbars

ES Designer contains a number of new and revised toolbars. All can be activated via the Toolbars dialog. Most can be docked at the top or bottom of the screen or left to ‘float’ as convenient.

With the new toolbar parking, they can be tucked away when not in use, freeing up screen real estate.

Some new and improved toolbars:

Arrange
Transform
Zoom
Sequin
Clipart
Color Palette
Toolbar Park

	Zoom Toolbar
	The new Zoom toolbar offers a set of buttons to trigger functions of the same name otherwise found in the View menu. The tools are available at all times. Note: Because the current zoom factor is displayed in this modifiable field, it has been removed from the Status Bar.

	Arrange toolbar
	The new Arrange toolbar offers a set of buttons to trigger functions of the same name otherwise found in the Arrange menu.

	Transform toolbar
	The new Transform toolbar offers functions available in the General tab of the original Object Properties dialog together with some new rotation options. All buttons on the toolbar are enabled when one or more objects are selected.

	Reshape toolbar
	The Reshape Object tool now invokes a dedicted toolbar which allows much greater control over reshaping operations. It allows you to selectively view Reshape Nodes, Stitch Angles, and Start/End Points.

	Sequin toolbar
	For some time the European market in particular has seen sales of machines with new sequin capabilities. In previous releases, digitizers created their sequin designs using manual stitches. With the popularity of sequin designs increasing, ES Designer now provides a dedicated set of Sequin tools which allow you to digitize sequin designs for compatible machines. A new Sequin toolbar replaces the limited functionality of the Sequin Mode tool which used to be located on the Generate toolbar..

	Clipart toolbar
	The new Embroidery Clipart feature is a powerful productivity tool which makes whole designs and design elements easily available while you work on new designs. The new Clipart toolbar offers a set of buttons to trigger functions of the same name found in the new Clipart menu. The tools are available at all times.

	Revised toolbars
	The Standard, Generate, Shaping, Color, and Vertical toolbars have all been substantially revised. The Color Palette and Shaping toolbars are described elsewhere in the New Features section.
Standard
Generate
Shaping
Color

New Palettes

ES Designer brings major improvements in color control with much more accessible tools.

The revised Color toolbar now contains all the tools you need to set up palettes, colorways, and backgrounds quickly and easily.
It includes a colorway control with a dropdown list to toggle between colorways, a BKG button to allow you to easily change the background color or fabric, as well as Add Color, Compact Palette, and Split Palette Color buttons.
There is also a new Color Palette Editor which gives you easy access to thread charts.

	Improved color palette
	When you create a new design, the design contains a single colorway called ‘Colorway 1’ with 12 default colors, unassigned to any thread chart. The Color Palette Editor displays the same colors. Use the Active Thread Charts dialog to select a suitable thread chart. All color definitions are transferred to the Color Palette Editor. Add extra color slots as required—up to 100. Enter precise thread codes in the Find Code field or match them automatically to colors imported from bitmaps.

	Improved colorways
	Creating, editing and deleting colorways is now much easier with a combination of the revised Color Palette, Color Palette Editor and the new Multi-Colorway Box. It is often difficult to imagine your designs stitched out on different fabric colors and textures, using different combinations of thread colors. ES Designer now makes this process easier by providing better colorway management. You can define an unlimited number of colorways for each design.

	Split color blocks
	A color block or ‘element’ corresponds to a color stop in the design. It may be comprised of a single item—e.g. ‘ropes’—or more—e.g. ‘ropes and birds’. In one colorway you may want to assign the same thread color to both items, while in another you may want to assign different colors to each. The Split Palette Color tool makes this easy – simply create a new color slot with the same thread specification as the selected slot. This is added to the palettes of all colorways. Selected objects are assigned to the new palette position.

	Improved design element naming
	You can now quickly assign names to color blocks, also known as ‘elements’. Element names appear on the production worksheet. The Usage field in the Color Palette Editor shows a list of selected color blocks. By default, the number in the stop sequence is displayed. Each color block can be given a descriptive name for easy identification. Click the Locate button to quickly identify selected color blocks.

Reshaping

ES Designer now provides more precise selection of object outlines and fill stitches.

The new Quick Clone feature lets you quickly duplicate selected objects.

The Reshape Object tool now allows much greater control over reshaping operations.

	Point & click selection
	The simplest way to select objects is by pointing and clicking with the Select Object tool – the default. Clicking an object outline now selects the object regardless of whether another object is on top. Closed unfilled objects, such as drawing objects with no fill color, can only be selected by clicking outlines. Where you have a mixture of closed-curve objects, you can select object outlines or fill stitches. Clicking within an object’s extent box but outside its outline no longer selects it. With low-density stitching and/or at high zooms, it is actually possible to click between stitches and not select the object.

	Easy object cloning
	The new Quick Clone feature lets you quickly duplicate selected objects by right-clicking, dragging and releasing at a new position. For more precise positioning, hold down the Ctrl key while dragging-movement is thereby constrained to X or Y axes. Clone objects to another window by the same method. To temporarily deactive automatic scrolling, hold down the Shift key while dragging. An identical copy of the selection is created at the same coordinates as the first window, no matter where the mouse is released.

	Reshaping improvements
	Reshape Object is an important tool in ES Designer. It now invokes its own toolbar which allows you to selectively view reshape nodes, stitch angles, and entry/exit points. Use the Reshape Object tool whenever you want to change object shapes by adding, deleting, or moving reshape nodes on the object outline. Edit stitch angles as well as entry and exit points in Reshape mode.

	Select next and previous objects
	When editing an object in Reshape mode, pressing the Tab key saves all changes and selects the next object. Pressing Shift and Tab does the same for the previous object.

	Select a range of reshape nodes
	ES Designer now lets you select a range of reshape nodes in open and closed objects, making reshaping operations quicker and simpler. Select a node. Holding down the Shift key, click a second reshape node. All nodes in between are simultaneously selected. With closed objects, right-clicking causes all nodes in the reverse direction to be selected.

	Stitch angle tooltip and mouse pointer
	The new stitch angle tooltip helps you precisely set or adjust stitch angles in turning fills. The tooltip is displayed whenever you move an existing stitch angle point in Reshape mode – the stitch angle tooltip updates dynamically. The tooltip also appears whenever you enter stitch angle points in Stitch Angles mode. Notice that the mouse pointer changes to a stitch angle icon.

	New reshaping options
	Depending on your computer specification, stitch generation during reshaping operations can slow down your system. The new Reshape options let you choose whether stitches are generated immediately or only after Enter is pressed.

Lettering

Wilcom ES provides major improvements in lettering operations including the all-new:

user-refined alphabets
automatic letter kerning
Team Names Matrix

There are also improvements to lettering selection and reshaping operations. Adding borders to designs is now much easier too.

	User-refined alphabets
	Sometimes you find that you want to reshape a letter to improve its appearance, perhaps to suit a particular lettering height. ES Designer now lets you save the letter as an alternative version. In fact you can save multiple versions of the same letter within the same alphabet. Each version can have a unique height range. When using the letter in a design, the height setting will automatically determine which version is used. Thereby you can permanently record fixes to particular lettering problems and automatically apply them.

	Automatic letter kerning
	The automatic kerning feature improves lettering appearance and legibility by fine-tuning spacings between character pairs. Typically spacing between certain pairs looks uneven due to the optical illusion formed by mixing straight lines with curves. Automatic kerning optimizes spacing between lettering pairs according to preset values. While it works very well without customization, advanced users can customize these values as they wish. Kerning tables can even be copied from similar Windows fonts.

	Team Names Matrix
	The new Team Names Matrix automatically creates a matrix of names together with a corresponding design. You can minimize the number of color changes created by the matrix operation for efficient stitchout. The operation also minimizes the number of jumps. A Team Name object must be present in the design to activate the feature.

	Multi-selection of letters
	In order to adjust spacing between multiple letters, you previously had to select them – by first holding down Ctrl or Shift keys – and then drag them along the baseline. Now you simply right-click the diamond control point of the first letter and drag. All letters to the end of the line move as one.

	Improved letter reshaping
	The new Reshape toolbar provides greater control over individual letter reshaping. You can select a range of reshape nodes using a bounding box, or holding down Shift and Ctrl keys and clicking to select.

	Convert TrueType fonts to embroidery
	Convert any TrueType font installed on your system to an embroidery alphabet. Convert individual letters and words ‘on the fly’, or entire fonts for later use. Note: Convert TTF is now included as standard in all ES product levels.

	Add borders to designs
	It’s now easy to apply borders such as rectangles, ovals, and shields to designs using the new Borders option. When you add a border, it is automatically sized to fit. Adjust border thickness and size as with any Input C object.