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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.qdigitizing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/ISS-Atlantic-City.jpg\" "\\"ISS")
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\nFor this months blog \u00a0I want to discuss a topic we use all of the time at Qdigitizing, Pull Comp. \u00a0While Pull Comp is not a very sexy topic it is critically important in quality embroidery. \u00a0If you aren’t a programmer or commercial embroiderer it might not be important to understand all of the technical detail related to Pull Comp but it is really good to have a basic understanding of what Pull Comp is and how it impacts your embroidery projects.<\/p>\n
Before anything else is said about Push Pull Compensation (commonly referred to as Pull Comp) it should be understood that Pull Comp should never be used as a crutch for poor programming technique or a panacea to correct all design problems.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t work that way.\u00a0 Furthermore, it should be understood manually programmed Pull Comp should be used proactively to prevent conditions (like poor design registration) from happening and then Auto Pull Comp Tools should be used to edit for minor design flaws or tweaks to improve overall design appearance.<\/p>\n
With all of that said you might be asking, \u201cWhat is Pull Comp and why is it important?\u201d\u00a0 Pull Comp is the term programmers use to describe techniques used to compensate for the tendencies of fabric to push and pull while being embroidered.\u00a0 Pull Compensation is necessary to offset the tendencies of your fabric to Push Out and\/or Pull In depending on the type of stitches being used, how various design elements interact with each other, the fabric being embroidered and any backing solution used.\u00a0\u00a0 Pull Comp requirements will change if any of these factors (and others) change.<\/p>\n
My point is not to overcomplicate the issue but Pull Comp is complicated and understanding why it is important is in a way almost as important as the proper use of Pull Comp.\u00a0 Looking closely at Image 1 you can see two areas where design registration is off.\u00a0 In the area noted black arrows the fill in the design has PUSHED outside the \u201cline\u201d the designer has programmed.\u00a0 In the area circled the stitches have \u201cpulled in.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0The result is poor design registration and a design rejected by the customer.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The solution for this problem is pretty easy by using a setting in the software to add width to the blue column that traps the white fill, see Image 2.<\/p>\n Image 2<\/strong> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n In this case all that was necessary to correct the registration problem was to add 30% Pull Comp(ensation) to the blue border, see Image 3.\u00a0 This change adds 30% additional width to the column allowing the border to better capture the white fill underneath.\u00a0 When using more sophisticated software it is also possible to tell the software to bias the Pull Comp to one side or the other of center. Other more advanced features are also available for the more seasoned programmer.<\/p>\n Image 3<\/strong> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n In Image 4 you can see how the software has added \u201cwidth\u201d to the blue column.\u00a0 The red arrows point to the width the designer originally programmed but as you can see by the black arrows, the software has added column width to either sides of the colum.\u00a0 This extra width is what helps trap the white fill underneath.<\/p>\n Image 4<\/strong> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n What is really important to understand is this correction may or may not be necessary depending on many factors and it is why (in general) programmers do not use Auto Pull Comp tools until they know there is a problem that needs to be corrected.\u00a0 I understand that might seem to contradict what I wrote earlier in regard to using Pull Comp proactively so let me explain further.<\/p>\n All good programmers understand fabric will shift, compress and expand in the embroidery process.\u00a0 Because of this the programmer will (as a function of their experience level) will manually program Pull Compensation in to their designs.\u00a0 For instance, I have noticed that when a logo is sewing on a shirt it tends to PUSH out on the sides and Pull In at the top and bottom.\u00a0 Because of this when I program a design I will \u201ccheat\u201d in so much as (almost without thought) I will program fills to bias OUT for the left and right edges and bias IN for the top and bottom when a border is meant to capture the fill.<\/p>\n One other area of Pull compensation to consider is a question Programmers often receive, \u201cHow come if I look at the letters you digitized some of the letters are taller or shorter than the letter right next to?\u00a0 How come the letters are not all the same size?\u201d<\/p>\n The answer to this is simple, Pull Compensation. The fix and how much fix to apply is somewhat more complex.\u00a0 Applying the right amount of Pull Comp to get all letters to appear the same size on apparel can be very tricky and is dramatically impacted by the fabric you are embroidering on and the type of backing used.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
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