Brother PE-DESIGN 7 User Manual

Personal Embroidery Design Software System

Quick Reference Guide

Ver.7

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: REGULATIONS

Federal Communications Commissions (FCC) Declaration of Conformity

(For USA Only)

Responsible Party: Brother International Corporation

100 Somerset Corporate Boulevard Bridgewater, NJ 08807-0911 USA

declares that the product

Product Name: Brother USB Writer Model Number: PE-DESIGN

complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

– Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. – Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver. – Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help. – Changes or modiﬁ cations not expressly approved by the manufacturer or local sales dis-

tributor could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

Canadian Department of Communications Compliance Statement

(For Canada Only)

This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emission from a digital apparatus as set out in the interference-causing equipment standard entitled “Digital Apparatus”, ICES-003 of the Department of Communications.

Radio Interference

(Other than USA and Canada)

This machine complies with EN55022 (CISPR Publication 22) /Class B.

Congratulations on choosing our product!

Thank you very much for purchasing our product. To obtain the best performance from this unit and to ensure safe and correct operation, please read this Quick Reference Guide carefully, and then keep it in a safe place together with your warranty.

Please read before using this product

For designing beautiful embroidery patterns

• This system allows you to create a wide variety of embroidery patterns and supports a wider range of sewing attribute settings (thread density, sewing pitch, etc.). However, the ﬁ nal result will depend on your particular sewing machine model. We recommend that you make a trial sewing sample with your sewing data before sewing on the ﬁ nal material.

For safe operation

• Avoid dropping a needle, a piece of wire or other metallic objects into the unit or into the card slot.

• Do not store anything on the unit.

For a longer service life

• When storing the unit, avoid direct sunlight and high humidity locations. Do not store the unit close to a heater, iron or other hot objects.

• Do not spill water or other liquids on the unit or cards.

• Do not drop or hit the unit.

For repairs or adjustments

• In the event that a malfunction occurs or adjustment is required, please consult your nearest service center.

Notice

Neither this Quick Reference Guide nor the Instruction Manual explains how to use your computer under Windows®. Please refer to the Windows® manuals.

Windows® is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Other product names mentioned in the Instruction Manual and Quick Reference Guide may be trademarks of registered trademarks of their respective companies and are hereby acknowledged.

Important

Using this unit for unauthorized copying of material from embroidery cards, newspapers and magazines for commercial purpose is an infringement of copyrights which is punishable by law.

Caution

The software included with this product is protected by copyright laws. This software can be used or copied only in accordance with the copyright laws.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS

This product is intended for household use.

For additional product information and updates, visit our web site at: http://www.brother.com/ or http://solutions.brother.com/

Table of Contents

Quick Reference Guide

Before Use ....................................................................................4

Features .............................................................................................4

Basic Operation Map .........................................................................9

Introduction ..................................................................................... 10

Installation (Please read before Installing!) ...................................... 12

Using this Quick Reference Guide ...................................................23

Using the Instruction Manual ..........................................................23

Sew Types ........................................................................................28

Getting Started ...........................................................................30

Starting Up/Exiting Applications ......................................................30

Understanding Windows and Using Tools ........................................31

Automatically Converting an Image to an Embroidery Design (Auto

Punch Function) ...............................................................................36

Troubleshooting .........................................................................46

Table of Contents

Instruction Manual (viewed from computer)

After the software has been installed, the Instruction Manual can be viewed from the software application window. The Instruction Manual provides operating procedures and descriptions for the various functions of the software. Click on Help in the tool bar and then click on Instruction Manual.

Basic Operation

Starting up/Exiting Applications

Understanding Windows and Using Tools

Automatically Converting an Image to an Embroidery Design (Auto Punch Function)

Automatically Converting an Image to an Embroidery Design (Cross Stitch Function)

Automatically Converting a Photo to an Embroidery Design

Manually Creating Embroidery Patterns From Images

Arranging Embroidery Patterns

Managing Embroidery designs

Entering Monograms

Creating Appliqués

Advanced Operation

Automatically Converting an Image to an Embroidery Design (Layout & Editing/Image to Stitch Wizard)

Arranging Embroidery Designs (Layout & Editing)

Manually Creating Embroidery Patterns From Images (Design Center)

Creating Custom Fonts (Font Creator)

Creating Custom Stitch Patterns (Programmable Stitch Creator)

Listing/Managing Embroidery Design Files (Design Database)

Menus/Tools

Index

Before Use

Features

What You Can Do With This Software

This software provides digitizing and editing capabilities, allowing you the creative freedom to design original embroidery. Easily turn illustrations, photos and lettering into custom embroidery designs.

Automatically Create an Embroidery Pattern From an Image

Refer to “Automatically Converting an Image to an Embroidery Design (Auto Punch Function)” in the Instruction Manual.

Automatically Create an Embroidery Pattern From a Photo

Refer to “Automatically Converting a Photo to an Embroidery Design (Photo Stitch Function)” in the Instruction Manual.

Features

Easily Create Custom Fonts

Custom fonts can be created using Font Creator. These fonts can be recalled to be used in Layout & Editing.

Refer to “Manually Creating Custom Fonts (Font Creator)” in the Instruction Manual.

Have Fun Creating Embroidery Patterns Manually

You can combine embroidery patterns or apply stitching to drawings and text. In addition, you can design a wider variety of embroidery patterns by using the many sew types available.

“Arranging Embroidery Patterns (Layout & Editing)” in the Instruction Manual.

New Features of Version 7

■ Stitch generation features

• Added Line Sewing Type: Triple Stitch

• Added Region Sewing Type: Random Walking Stitch (stippling-style stitch)

• Variations of under sewing

- Added new under sewing type to the Region Sewing Attributes

- Under sewing can be set for zigzag stitching, manual punching, and text

• Motif stitch can be set to manual punching

• Piping Stitch can be set to regions

• New zigzag stitch corners have been added to the Line Sewing Attributes

- (2 styles of Sharp Corners)

• Expanded motif sizing and spacing

- The motif can be spaced vertically and horizontally

- The motif can be sized up to 100 x 100 mm (3.94 x 3.94 inches)

■ Editing Functions and user interface

• Auto repeat using arrow keys

• Can save Personal Sewing Attribute settings

Layout & Editing:

• Newly created custom Fonts can be used in Layout & Editing. (From Font Creator)

• New small Fonts (Minimum Font size 3.0mm (0.12 inch))

• Embroidery letters of 2-byte characters for True Type Font can be entered. (Japanese, Chinese, Korean, etc.)

• Monogramming function includes more decorative frames. All built in fonts, True Type Font, and custom created fonts from Font Creator can now be used with the Monogram function

• Transforming text can be done by dragging. Kerning, Sizing, Rotating, vertical offset can be done by dragging the individual letters

• Can generate a curved outline in the Auto Punch function

• Improved editing functions for curved outlines

• Shape tool has been added to the left tool bar with 24 built in shapes

• Six additional stitch formats can be imported and exported: All formats include: .pec, .pes, .dst, .exp, .pcs, .hus, .vip, .shv, .jef, .sew, .csd, .xxx and .phc (.pec and .phc are import only.)

• Additional fading levels in Image display

• Enables the ability to drag & drop clip art, pes ﬁ les, and stitch format ﬁ les into Layout & Editing

• Improved Photo Stitch function:

- Easier process to create an embroidery ﬁ le from a Photo

- Improved processing speed and color selection

Design Center:

• “Detect Outlines” function to select the outline of an image in “Cut out to Line Image” dialog

• “Figure Handle Stage” has the ability to connect/split a line

• Enables the color of a portion of the outline to be changed in the Sewing Setting Stage

• New button to easily export a design from Sew Setting Stage to Layout & Editing

• Allows up to 20 Undo/Redo operations

• Enables to display template image on Figure Handle Stage and enable to display original image on Sew Setting Stage in the Reference Window

Design Data Base

• Can drag and drop a design from the Design Data Base into Layout & Editing

• Can write to an Original card from Design Data Base

• Property box when outputting CSV ﬁ les and printing, enables to output the thread codes

Features

■ General

• New Font Creator program to create custom fonts

• Automatically checks and updates the newest version

• Additional sample ﬁ les for images and embroidery patterns

Applications of the Software

This package consists of ﬁ ve applications.

■ Layout & Editing

Layout & Editing is used to automatically create embroidery patterns from images, and to combine images and text to create embroidery patterns that can be written to an original card. The images may come from scanning a printed image or can be created with an application like Paint®.

After assembling the different parts of your embroidery pattern, you can use the layout functions to adjust their relative position, orientation and scale.

When an embroidery design is complete, you can save it and write it to an original card. The original card can then be inserted into your embroidery machine for the embroidery design

to be sewn.

■ Design Center

Design Center is used to manually create embroidery patterns from images using a four-stage procedure. The images may come from scanning a printed image or can be created with an application like Paint with broken lines that can be edited and assigned sewing attributes.

• The four stages of Design Center

Original Image Stage:

Open an image ﬁ le and select one or more colors that the application will use to trace the outlines.

Line Image Stage:

The original color image is replaced with a black-and-white image (the colors selected in the Original Image Stage become black, and all other colors become white).

This image can be edited using pens of different thicknesses. (You can also start with this step to draw a black-and-white image by hand.)

When the image is ready, start the automatic tracing process.

Figure Handle Stage:

The black-and-white image is replaced with a set of outlines made of editable broken lines. You can edit the broken lines by moving, inserting or deleting editing points.

Sew Setting Stage:

In this ﬁ nal step, apply sewing attributes (thread color and sew type) to the outlines and the inside regions.

At any stage, you can save your work to retrieve it later. Saving your work as you move through the stages will be helpful if you make changes, then

later decide to use the original pattern. When your image has reached the Sew Setting Stage, you can import it into Layout & Editing,

where the image can be moved and scaled as a single pattern.

. Design Center automatically detects outlines in the image and replaces them

■ Programmable Stitch Creator

Programmable Stitch Creator allows you to create, edit and save ﬁ ll/stamp and motif stitch patterns that can be applied as a programmable ﬁ ll stitch or motif stitch, or as a stamp to the enclosed regions of embroidery patterns both in Design Center and Layout & Editing.

■ Font Creator

Font Creator allows you to create, edit and save custom font characters, which can be used in Layout & Editing.

■ Design Database

Design Database allows you to easily preview the embroidery design ﬁ les on your computer so that you can ﬁ nd the desired design, which can be opened with or imported into Layout & Editing. From Design Database, you can also convert the ﬁ les to other formats (.dst, .exp, .pcs, .hus, .vip, .shv, .jef, .sew, .csd, and .xxx), or print or output as an HTML ﬁ le images of the embroidery designs in a selected folder. In addition, the sewing information for the embroidery designs in a selected folder can be outputted as a CSV ﬁ le for use in other database applications.

In addition, the embroidery designs can be written to original cards.

Basic Operation Map

Design Center

Manually create embroidery patterns from image

•file name: .pel, .pem

Layout & Editing

Combine different patterns into an embroidery design

•file name: .pes

Digitizes

Custom Designs

Font Creator

Create custom font patterns

•file name: .pef

Custom

Lettering

Automatically

Converts Image

to Embroidery

Designs

Programmable Stitch Creator

Create custom stitch patterns

•file name: .pas, .pmf

Design Database

Manage design files

Embroidery Machine

Introduction

Package Contents

Check that the following items are included. If anything is missing or damaged, contact your authorized dealer or Brother Customer Service.

Version 7 (full version):

USB card writer module

CD-ROM Original card Quick Reference Guide Template

Contains the software, Instruction Manual (HTML format) and Instruction Manual (PDF format).

Version 7 upgrade for version 5 or 6:

CD-ROM Template

Contains the software, Instruction Manual (HTML format) and Instruction Manual (PDF format).

Quick Reference Guide

Note:

• The USB card writer module and the original card are not included in the kit provided for upgrading from version 5 or 6.

Optional Supplies

Original card

Note:

• The only original cards that can be used with this USB card writer module are those like the one enclosed or optional original cards of the same type.

Memo:

• Additional blank original cards can be purchased through an authorized dealer.

Principal Parts

Introduction

LED indicator

This indicator lights up when the unit is turned on, and ﬂ ashes when the USB card writer module is communicating with the computer.

Note:

•Never remove an original card or unplug the

USB cable while this indicator is ﬂ ashing.

Card slot

Insert an original card/embroidery card here.

USB connector

Connect to the computer.

Memo:

• Since power is supplied to the USB card writer module through the USB connection to the computer, there is no power supply cable or power switch.

• Be sure to keep original cards away from high humidity, direct sunlight, static electricity and strong shocks. Furthermore, do not bend the cards.

Installation (Please read before Installing!)

Please Read Before Installation

• Before beginning the installation, check that the computer meets the system requirements.

• In order to install the software, you must log on to the computer using an account with administrator privileges. For details on logging on to the computer using an account with administrator privileges, refer to the Windows manual.

• The installation procedure is described for Windows® XP. The procedure and dialog boxes for other operating systems may be slightly different.

• If the installation is canceled before it is completed or if the procedure is not performed as described, the software will not be installed correctly.

• Do not remove the CD-ROM from the CD-ROM drive of the computer while the installation is being performed. Remove the CD-ROM after the installation is completed.

• Before turning on the computer, be sure to disconnect the USB card writer module.

• In order to upgrade the USB card writer module, you must be able to connect to the Internet. If you cannot connect to the Internet, contact your authorized dealer or Brother Customer Service.

• When upgrading from version 5.02 or later, skip STEP 2 and continue with STEP 3. If the USB card writer module is not upgraded, it can only be used the limited number of times that the soft-

• ware can be used. In order to upgrade the USB card writer module, be sure to perform STEP 3 on page 19.

Installation Procedure

The installation procedure is different depending on whether the full version or an upgrade of the software is being installed. Be sure to perform the installation procedures listed below.

■ Installing version 7.0 (full version)

[STEP 1] Installing the software ................................................................................ ☞ page 13

[STEP 2] Installing the driver for the card writer module ......................................... ☞ page 16

■ Upgrading from version 5.0 or 5.01

[STEP 1] Installing the software ................................................................................ ☞ page 13

[STEP 2] Installing the driver for the card writer module ......................................... ☞ page 16

[STEP 3] Upgrading the USB card writer module .....................................................

■ Upgrading from version 5.02 or later

[STEP 1] Installing the software ................................................................................ ☞ page 13

Memo:

• When upgrading from version 5.02 or later, STEP 2 is not performed.

☞ page 19

[STEP 3] Upgrading the USB card writer module ..................................................... ☞ page 19

Installation

System Requirements

Before installing the software on your computer, make sure that the computer meets the following minimum PC requirements.

Computer IBM-PC or compatible computer

Operating system Windows® 2000, XP

Processor Pentium III 800 MHz or higher

Memory 128 MB (512 MB or more is recommended.)

Hard disk free space 200 MB

Monitor SVGA (800 x 600), 16-bit color or higher

Port 1 available USB

Printer

CD-ROM drive Required for installation

Note:

• Power is supplied to the USB card writer module through the USB connection. Connect the USB card writer module to a USB connector on the computer or to a self-powered USB hub that can supply enough power to the card writer module. If the card writer module is not connected in this way, it may not operate correctly.

• This product may not operate correctly with some computers and USB expansion cards.

A graphic printer that is supported by your system (if you wish to print your images)

Step 1: Installing the Software

This section describes how to install the application software.

Insert the enclosed CD-ROM into the computer’s CD-ROM drive.

Note:

• If the installation is interrupted or

not performed as described, the software will not be installed correctly.

• Before turning on the computer,

be sure to DISCONNECT the USB card writer module.

• In order to install the software, you

must log on to the computer using an account with administrator privileges.

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