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We’re here to fill you in on the facts so you can find out if an industrial machine is suitable for you! In recent years we have seen a huge increase in the number of people upgrading from a domestic to an industrial machine, and in those looking to turn a hobby into a business. We talk about industrial machines a lot, but what is an industrial sewing machine, and what do they do?

What is an industrial sewing machine?

Put simply, an industrial sewing machine is a sewing machine which is designed to stitch efficiently and consistently for long periods of time. They are built with a powerful motor and hardwearing components to keep up with heavy usage. They can handle much tougher materials than domestic machines, are incredibly durable, and make producing large quantities of work much quicker and easier.

It seems like an obvious question, but the answer is a bit more complex than just “sew material together”. Industrial machines can work very quickly, and their speed is set by either the servo motor or direct-drive motor control panel and then can be controlled using the treadle. Very much like a car, the more you put your foot down, the faster it will go!

This is mainly so operators can work at their own pace, using the machine at a speed that 1) suits their ability and 2) to maximise seam quality and productivity on certain skilled parts of the garment.

 Machines can vary in terms of stitches per minute with some able to support as many as 8,500 sti/min! Industrial machines are incredibly versatile and able to work with many different kinds of materials. Using the right machine, and when set up correctly the type of material able to be sewn ranges anywhere from voiles and silks to PVC, leather, canvas and even multiple layers of bulletproof material – https://www.instagram.com/p/B8bXGsjHVxI/, super impressive!

What do they look like?

This depends on the type of machine! Upon hearing the word “industrial” you might assume that these machines are huge, ugly, and suited only for factories. As you can see, the appearance isn’t too dissimilar to a domestic machine, except that it is larger and sturdier, and is typically supplied (by us, anyway) with a table, unit stand (with wheels), drawer and motor!

If you’re used to operating a domestic sewing machine, you likely already have the skills required to operate an industrial one! It may take some getting used to the increased speed and power, but they are no more difficult to operate. In fact, many people find them easier to use as the machine does more of the work for you!  Many industrial machines have additional functions such as automatic thread trimmers, backtack, automatic Footlift and cloth cutting knives to make the process quicker and simple. All of our machines arrive built, fully set up and ready to use, so you can get started straight away!

An industrial machine is an investment, but they aren’t as expensive as you might think! The components are designed to be long-wearing and they require much more powerful motors, which does increase the cost. However, they perform quickly and reliably over a long time period and are therefore excellent value in the long run if you are looking to manufacture goods for a business of any size or want to take your hobby sewing further. Our most popular entry-level lockstitch machines, the Juki 8100E (£479.00 + VAT) and Juki 7000A (£675.00+VAT) are priced comparably with high-end domestic machines. They do range in price though, as the more special and automated you go, the price can increase more than £150,000!

Which brands do you recommend?

We offer entry-level machines from a variety of reputable brands including Juki, Brother, Siruba and Global. We only work with brands which we know are reliable and provide high-quality machines, so we can make sure that you are getting the best value for your money!

What are the different types of industrial machines?

There are so many different machine models that it is easy to get lost in the terminology! We’ve run through the most popular types of industrial sewing machine to try to simplify things:

When most people think of a generic sewing machine, they picture a lockstitch. These are the most commonly used machines for general sewing of lightweight to heavy fabrics. The “lockstitch” (stitch class 301) are formed when the needle thread and bobbin thread interlock or twist together as they pass through the hole in the fabric created by the needle. The stitch produced looks the same on each side of the fabric.

These machines, sometimes known as “sergers” produce “overlock stitches”. There are various different stitch classes, 503, 504 and 512 which are creating by using different amounts of threads in the stitch (3, 4 and 5 are the most common variances). The stitch, which resemble a series of loops, and are used for hemming and seaming. They usually cut the edges of the fabric as it is being stitched to prevent frayed or uneven edges. Overlock stitches are very common and often seen on the side seams of t-shirts and other jersey items.

Both flatbed and cylinder bed coverstitch machines are incredibly popular and widely used in apparel production. When using a coverstitch machine, you get a 406 stitch class – on the top of the fabric, parallel rows of straight stitches are produced, and on the reverse loopers produce overlock or “serge” stitches. These types of stitches are found on many different items of clothing, particularly around hems.

A variant type of lockstitch machine designed to create zig zag stitches rather than straight ones. These machines consistently stitch two or more pieces of fabric together with minimal fraying at the seams and are very useful for edging fabrics and sewing with stretchy materials.

Chainstitch machines are frequently used for making jeans. With a chain stitch, two threads are bound together, interlooping and interlacing to create a “chain”. The stitches produced resemble lockstitches on the top side and double chains on the underside. The great advantage of chainstitch is there is no bobbin, so bobbin changes are almost completely reduced (you still have to change cones of thread).

These machines are used simply for attaching buttons and can be set up to work with various materials and sizes of buttons.

These are used for making the buttonholes on garments such as shirts.

These machines are usually used to reinforce a seam with a neat durable stitch, for example for belt loops and the bottoms of pockets. 

There are many different types of industrial sewing machine, and we will be covering each of these in more detail over the coming weeks!

Next week’s blog will be looking at the main differences between domestic and industrial machines.

For more information about industrial sewing machines please just contact our team who will be happy to answer your questions and recommend machines which might suit your requirements!

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