Comparing Auto Digitizing to Manual Digitizing (Pros & Cons Explained)

Are you ready to learn how to digitize your own designs? In this episode of Embroidery Hub, Willy will both auto and manually digitize the same design and embroider it onto two identical polo shirts to then compare the results side by side. He’ll also discuss the pros and cons of auto digitizing vs manual digitizing so you’ll know what designs you can embroider with little to no knowledge of digitizing or graphic design experience. So be sure to watch from start to finish!

So far on Embroidery Hub, we’ve shown you how to manually digitize patches, 3D puff designs and more; but in this episode, we'll show you just how easy it is to use the auto digitizing tool available on Chroma.

There are pros and cons to Chroma’s auto digitizing feature. To show you the main differences between auto and manual digitizing, we’ll go through both digitizing processes from start to finish, and then embroider our designs for a true, side by side comparison.

Here’s what you’ll need:
Chroma Digitizing software
USB
Mighty hoops
Cutaway stabilizer
Polo shirts
Ricoma MT-1501 embroidery machine

Auto digitizing is available on all Chroma tiers, including Inspire, Plus and Luxe. However, the types of available stitches, such as satin, complex fill and run stitches, vary based on the level of software you have.

To use auto-digitizing, simply import your design into Chroma, click on the prompt that appears on your screen and watch as the software automatically converts your file into a series of stitches that you can save as a DST file in seconds.

Auto-digitizing is a great option for beginners as it does not require you to have any graphic design experience. It's a quick, easy and efficient tool to use for simple designs that do not require a lot of precision. With that in mind, it shouldn’t be solely relied upon to create intricate designs.

For example, we noticed some key differences when comparing the auto-digitized design to the manually digitized design. The former showed signs of puckering and open gaps between the stitches, whereas the latter did not.

In this case, the puckering was caused by the angle of the stitches, stitch density and pull compensation that was automatically chosen by the software. When manually digitizing a file, you can adjust these settings to avoid puckering.

Auto-digitizing also doesn’t overlap stitches, which is the reason why there were gaps between the letters of the design, the front of the football helmet and the border.

In addition to the lack of overlapping stitches, the auto digitized design doesn’t look as professional compared to the one done manually. This is because it doesn’t have a clean border around the perimeter. To do this, you would have to manually create a satin-stitch appliqué effect around the design, which cannot be done automatically.

But don’t just take our word for it. Test it out yourself and be sure to comment down below and let us know which of the two designs you like best. And remember, while auto digitizing is a huge time saver, we recommend using it for simple designs or as a starter template to work off of. We highly suggest that you learn the basics of digitizing so you can make tweaks as necessary and offer your customers the best products possible.

[cablekingtv]

Each design is different and Auto Digitizing can be useful to get you started. Sometimes it comes out perfect. I generally auto digitize first and tear apart what isn’t right, and manually digitize those areas. Using both methods is the best, especially if you have a tricky or large design.

[tcm-apparel]

Difference between a cheap digitizer and an expensive one right here. We use Chroma Luxe at my company and never use auto digitize unless it's a very basic design, and even then we still clean it up after.

[leviteapparel]

Awesome can't wait to get my machine this is amazing I can't wait to get my machine and get started in this July 23

[valeriegordon]

I never thought the designs would look so different. It's great to have the auto-digitizing feature but now i know it's limitations. Thanks!

[VanityFerret]

Manual digitizing is obviously the way to go, but learning Chroma Luxe is a huge undertaking. This video was fairly helpful, but leaves me looking for more info on how to actually do manual digitizing.

[kalvinabro]

I love watching this guy channel please make more😍

[lorenacruz]

Hola
Porque las gorras no te rebotan al bordar ? Si tengo misma bordadora y bastidor? Y a mi si

[angelt]

No matter how many times we click the wand and specific spot on the design, we never get the same result as you. It always makes a box over the whole design instead of the actual piece. Like yours highlights the helmet and changes it. Ours doesn't highlight until after the fact and just makes a box the length of the design.

Is there a step, we're missing?

[arturomunoz]

Can you pre-set the auto-digitizing? in that way you won't have different kind of stitching to edit, can it be more accurate?

[kristinwelch]

Any suggestions for a good digitizer company to use… we’re new to it and still subbing out our digitizing… I just feel like the one we’ve been using there’s been some good work but some of it just isn’t quite right and I feel could be better and have cleaner nicer lines…. It’s just been hit or miss with them

[GladysSibiya-bw]

Thank you for this video
I like the auto digitising
One do you do auto Videos separate

[irbensaldeno]

Goodnight friend. I made a purchase of an embroidery machine with you, but the chroma inspire does not have all the tools that you explain. what should I do.?

[matiasalvarez]

Hello, I have Chroma Lux but the Magic Wand tool is turned off without being able to use it, HELP MEEE :D

[justintietz]

Why does your realistic view look so much nicer then mine? I have chroma lux

[SaboorWarsi]

Is this software is easy from wilcom E.2 for comparison of trims? because we need to do it manually in wilcom and I saw you that you're doing it by just doing some one or two clicks. Please explain it.

[dannyb]

How do you import your image I am struggling trying to find that out.

[johnsposato]

Very New to Chroma but have experience with other types of Software. I found this a little difficult to follow trying to see what icons your choosing since you pointer is so small and moves too fast. I find myself replaying over and over trying to pick out details. But that's just me. Overall the content is good.

[IoanDura]

Is not possible to have the font of the RICOMA text the same as in the original design?

[_STNML]

Can you just import paths straight from Adobe Illustrator?

[leetoohio]

Does demo digitize so I can see quality before downloading?