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Getting Started With Your Meistergram Embroidery System (the quick guide) Thank you for choosing Pantograms for your embroidery system provider. We encourage you to read the following instructions for setting up the embroidery machine and sewing your first test designs. Service and Support: The talented and knowledgeable people in our Service and Support department are ready to assist you should questions or problems arise. We strive to give the best support in the embroidery industry by offering website and telephone support. For Website Support visit www.pantograms.com and click on Support. There you will find a variety of topics related to your machine and software. For Telephone Support call 1-800-872-1555 ext. 226 Monday Thursday, 8:00am 6:00pm (EST) Friday, 8:00am 5:00pm (EST) Leave a message with your name, phone number and message stating the nature of your call and one of our technicians will call you back. Monday Thursday all calls received by 5:30pm EST, and Friday by 4:30pm will be returned the same day. Pantograms website Visit our website at www.pantograms.com for more information about our products, machine support and embroidery support. EmbSupplies website To order embroidery supplies visit our embroidery supplies website at www.embsupplies.com 2
Unpacking Your Meistergram Embroidery Machine Contents of box containing the workstation: Workstation Cap option Tubular hoop holder Tool kit Sample test design Starter kit Hardware for mounting the embroidery machine Owners manual Hoops per your sales order Blank cap Other accessories you ordered Contents of Crate containing the embroidery machine: Embroidery machine Thread stand Tabletop Power supply box containing power supply and power supply cable Tools needed to unpack: One 10mm wrench or ratchet (recommended) Please note: Do not use a crowbar or hammer to open the crate. Save the crate for future shipping should service be required. 3
Unpacking the Box Containing the Workstation Lift up the cardboard box covering the workstation, it is stapled and taped to the crate Remove the boxes from inside the workstation The workstation is upside down at this point, turn it right side up. 4
Unpacking the Crate Containing the Meistergram Embroidery Machine Remove the six 10mm screws from the base of the crate (3 on one side and 3 on the other) using an electric screwdriver or a socket and ratchet 5
Two people should be able to lift the crate off to access the machine. In the front and back of the machine base remove two 10mm screws that will allow you to remove the machine from the bottom of the crate. 6
Two people can now lift up the machine at its base and place it on the workstation or working area. Note: there is an L shaped bracket on the workstation, this should be the front of the stand. Mount the embroidery machine with the provided bolts to the workstation (which is recommended because it makes the machine more stable and reduces vibration), by carefully lifting one side of the machine at its base and removing the legs. Repeat this process on the other side. There is a bag of bolts inside the box that came with the workstation. Locate the matching holes on the workstation: this is where the bolts will be placed to secure the machine. Begin by inserting the bolt under the shelf up through the hole and into the hole in the machine where you removed the legs. Tighten with a wrench. Once the machine is in place, lower the 4 levelers next to the wheels of the machine stand for added stability. 7
Installing the Cap Gauge Install the cap gauge on the L shaped bracket. Use the black wheel to Open: fit the bracket into the gauge and CLOSE with the wheel in the opposite direction. 8
Setting up the Power Supply Box Connect the embroidery machine power cable from power supply box to embroidery machine (although the ends look different it doesn t matter which end goes into the machine and which goes into the power supply box) Connect the power cable to the power supply then plug into standard wall socket Push button up to turn the power supply on Push button down to turn the power supply off. 9
Your machine is already threaded check to be sure the thread hasn t slipped during shipping. Check the thread stand to make sure all the spools of thread are sitting straight and no thread has slipped off the spool and gotten wrapped around anything. Check to be sure all needles are threaded. Please refer to the diagram of the Control panel to familiarize yourself with the various buttons and functions Meistergram Control Panel 10
1. Disk Operation key: Load your design from either a USB or USB floppy drive. 2. Design Operation key: Select design / delete design 3. Assist Function key: Sets language, restores factory defaults (not recommended unless instructed by the factory technician. 4. Parameter Operation Key: Color change, design direction and rotation angle. 5. Clear Data / errors 6. Manual / Home Operation Key: Design trace, and return to start point or design origin. 7. Embroidery Status Key: Switches between being active (lit) to perform embroidery to unlit to prepare job for embroidery (selecting colors, position, etc.) 8. Switch Working Method: Embroidery, Slow Float and Fast Float 9. Auto to Manual Color Change: 10. Trim Key 11. Cycle key: Used to cycle the shaft back to correct 100 degree position when the light next to #15 is off. Also used for rotating the rotary hook after oiling. 12. Used for loading special operations such as design name data. 13. Escape key: to exit a function 14. Enter key: used to confirm selections 15. Must be lit to sew, indicates the shaft and rotary hook are in the correct position to sew. 16. Double arrows in the center switch the speed of the frame movement from slow to fast red light on indicates frame speed is fast, red light off for slow fine tuning of hoop movement. Left and right arrows are used for switching between menus / paging up or down and also for moving the frame left and right. Up and Down arrows are for moving the frame forward and backward. 17. Speed controls: 18. Number pad used for selecting colors and functions. 11
The Control Panel Display The Top Row: #01 Indicates the number of the active design N1 Indicates the active needle, in this case it is needle #1 STI Indicates the number of stitches that have been sewn since the last time the memory was cleared. 800RPM Indicates the speed of the machine in this case it is 800 stitches per minute. The Left Side: These indicators will change depending on buttons selected on the Control panel. Indicates whether the machine is in the embroidery mode or the preparation mode. In this example it shows it is in the embroidery mode, it will change to when the Embroidery/Prep key is selected. Indicates the color change status: changed by the Auto/Manual key. In this example it shows that the machine will automatically change colors and continue sewing with out interruption. Indicates auto color change and the operator manually starts the design after the color change Indicates the operator will manually change the color and manually start the machine again 12
Indicates the working method of the machine changed by the Switch working method key Indicates will do a Low- Speed Float through the design for advancing or backing up short distances. Indicates a High-Speed Float for advancing or backing up through large sections of the design. Indicates the orientation of the design and whether it is rotated. In this example it is not rotated. Indicates special operations or causes for the machine stopping during embroidery. In this example it shows embroidery comes to an End indicates return to start indicates a thread break indicates the stop button was pressed and the operator is backing through the design. indicates there was a thread bread, the machine stopped on its own and the operator is backing forward or backward through the design. Indicates the communication status between machine and computer. This function is not currently available. The Bottom Row: Indicates the X and Y motor position of the design and the percentage of design completion. 13
Test Sew the Cap The technician has left the cap on your machine that was sewn out during the testing. Remove the sewn cap from the machine. Press the two levers located on either side of the cap and one underneath the cap to release the cap frame. Grasp the cap frame on either side and pull towards you just a little to release the frame from the cap driver. Rotate the bill of the cap 90 degrees to clear the Presser feet and slide the cap and cap frame off. 14
Take the blank cap that is attached to a cap frame located in your supply box and put it on the machine. To load the cap frame, rotate the bill again 90 degrees to clear the presser feet and needles then rotate it upwards (bill of the hat facing up), line up the cut out notch on the frame to the notch of the cap driver. Snap the frame in place. Make sure it snaps in place all around the cylinder. Power on the embroidery machine. 15
Selecting the Active Needle Press the number 1 key to make needle 1 the active needle. The head of the machine will move to position the active needle over the hole in the stitch plate. This is the needle you will look at to position the cap and center the design. You will also look at this needle when the machine traces. Center the active needle, which is now needle 1, over the center seam on the cap. To center the active needle use the position keys the frame. which will move Place the machine in Embroidery Mode using the Embroidery Status key Embroidery Mode is indicated by a red light on the Embroidery Status key. If the light is on already, no action is needed for this step. If the light is off push the Embroidery Status key to turn it on. Set the speed of the machine to 800 stitches per minute. The speed is indicated in the upper right corner of the control panel as rpms. Use the curved arrows just below the position keys to either set the speed faster or slower. Since the last design sewn (by us) was for the cap and it is the active design, it is not necessary to choose a different design at this time. We will now proceed to tracing the design to make sure the cap is centered and the design will fit. Trace The Design To perform a trace, push the Home/Manual Operation key Scroll down to Frame Range using the down arrow on the Position key 16
Press the Enter key Design Range info window opens displaying the size range of the design according to the x and y frame coordinates.!pull bar to start means press the start button *note the machine does not start to sew at this point. The cap will rotate and the design will be traced. Focus your eye on the active #1 needle you selected earlier while it is performing the trace function to be sure the design is going to fit in the area and most importantly the active needle is not going to hit the frame. Once the trace is complete and you are sure it fits press the Start button. The machine will begin to sew the test design already installed in the memory. It will test all 15 needles. When complete remove the cap as you did earlier and compare it to the stitched out design (inside and out) to the original hat shipped with the machine. If your sample does not look like the sample shipped, call 1-800-872-1555 ext. 226 to speak to a service coordinator. 17
Remove the Cap Driver. Turn off the machine Take the cap driver off the machine by loosening the two silver screws on either end of the driver with the 3mm allen wrench from the tool kit. *Note when removing the cap driver hold it by the cylinder not the back part that was attached to the machine. Place it on the bottom shelf of the work stand. 18
Prepare the machine and fabric to sew the flat test pattern The next sample will be to test all 15 needles and tension in the flat mode. Follow the directions below and then compare your completed design with the sample the technician has sewn on your machine during the final preparation process. Attach the Tubular Hoop Holder Attach the tubular hoop holder to the joint plate by loosening the screws and sliding the screws into the notches in the joint plate. There are 8 notches on the joint plate. Counting from the left to right (facing machine), attach the left holder to notches 3 and 4, and the right holder to notches 5 and 6. Tighten the screws. Hoop Material on Tubular Hoop Take the 18cm hoop (included in the starter kit) and separate the two rings, placing the bottom ring on a flat surface with the tension screw towards you. Place a piece of fabric and a piece of heavy cut-away backing on top of the bottom ring, make sure the material extends beyond the hoop and evenly all around. Take the tubular hoop top ring and put it on top of the material. The double notches on both sides of the arms are towards you. With some force, press down into the bottom hoop. If the bottom ring is too tight, loosen the tension adjustment screw with your fingers on the bottom hoop ring until you are able to push the hoops together. There should be some force applied. The backing material inside the hoop should be smooth and taut. Take the hooped material to the embroidery machine and slide the tubular hoop arms into the hoop holder. It will snap in place at the snap points. 19
Test Sew the Design to Check Tensions In Flat Mode Press the Embroidery Status key off) to quit embroidery mode (the light will go Press the Design Operation key There will be a pointing finger next to Select Design 20
Press Enter choose design screen opens Press Enter Memory Design screen opens Using the position arrows scroll down to find the design named Flat test Press Enter to confirm the selection (MC) Parameter Screen opens 21
Setting The Colors Scroll down to Work Order using the Position arrows Press Enter There will be a blinking line under the first number. Begin choosing colors by entering 1 then 2 then 3 etc until you get to 10. The double digit numbers will be entered as follows: 10 = 10+0 (Press the 10 then 0) this shows in the sequence as A 11 = 10+1 Will show as B 12 = 10+2 Will show as C 13 = 10+3 Will show as D 14 = 10+4 Will show as E 15 = 10+5 Will show as F When all 15 colors are entered press Enter Circulate the setting screen opens with no highlighted 22
press Enter This completes choosing the design, and selecting the correct colors by entering in the needle numbers You are now back to the main menu Press 1 to make needle 1 the active needle as in the previous step from the hat design. The embroidery head will move so needle # 1 is over the hole in the stitch plate. (you won t see the hole if you have a hoop on the machine) Use the position arrows to move the hoop so that needle #1 is in the center of the hoop Press the Manual Operation button Scroll down to Frame Range 23
Press Enter Press Start to begin the trace function (watch needle # 1 as it traces) If you need to see it trace again repeat the steps from Press the Manual Operation button. * ALWAYS TRACE YOUR DESIGN PRIOR TO EMBROIDERING!!! Tracing Round Designs in a Round Hoop The MEISTERGRAM embroidery machine trace key traces the farthest points of all four corners of a design. For example, if the design is round the trace feature will trace the design in a square (see diagram below). Although the active needle will appear to be hitting the hoop when traced, it will fit because the design is round. Making sure the design is centered in the hoop will eliminate the risk of hitting the hoop. 24
Once you are sure the design will fit in the hoop: Press the Embroidery Status key, this will return the machine to embroidery mode and the red light will once again be lit. Press Start to begin embroidery. Congratulations, you have sewn your first designs on your new Meistergram embroidery machine. You can now continue to Installing the Forte Embroidery Suite Software. If at any time during this exercise you are uncertain what to do PLEASE CALL. We are happy to help you. 25