DesignShop 11 and 12 Design Checker: When a Warning Does Not Automatically Mean Bad Digitizing

What Design Checker Actually Does

Melco describes Design Checker as a feature in DesignShop 11 and 12 that scans wireframe designs and flags common design problems before production. It is intended to help newer users recognize problems and to help experienced digitizers catch oversights before a file reaches the embroidery machine.

That makes Design Checker valuable. Naan Designs uses the same basic principle when reviewing a file: a notification should be investigated. The notification itself, however, does not explain the complete reason an element was constructed a certain way.

Verify with Melco: Design Checker Feature in DesignShop 11 and 12

Design Checker Is Looking for Defined Conditions

Melco's current Design Checker panel shows checks covering tie stitches, stitch length, satin or column width, density, fill stitch length, underlay, thread layers and concentrated needle penetrations.

• No tie in stitches
• No tie off stitches
• Too many tie in stitches
• Too many tie off stitches
• Walk stitch length under 15 points
• Any stitch over 127 points long
• Column stitches under 10 points wide
• Column stitches wider than 100 points
• Column stitches tighter than 3 point density
• Fill stitch density tighter than 3 points
• Fill stitch length less than 25 points
• No underlay
• More than 2 layers of thread
• Needle penetration density in an area

Melco Also Recognizes That Embroidery Sometimes Requires Exceptions

Melco's own Digitizing Overview explains that the visual requirements of a design can sometimes require aspects that could otherwise be considered an error. Melco recommends balancing the appearance of the design with how it will sew.

That distinction is important when reviewing Design Checker. A good digitizer should not dismiss a warning, but the goal is also not to change every element until the Design Checker panel is empty. The goal is to understand the construction and make the correct production decision.

Verify with Melco: Digitizing Overview

The Clearest Example: 3D Puff Can Intentionally Trigger Design Checker

3D puff is a strong example because Melco publishes special digitizing settings for foam that are different from ordinary flat embroidery. Those specialty settings can fall directly into conditions monitored by Design Checker.

Verify with Melco: 3D Foam Puff Digitizing and Embroidering Overview

No Underlay Needs Context

Underlay is normally an important part of embroidery construction, but it is not a rule that every satin or fill element must always use automatic underlay. The application, fabric, design effect and surrounding stitch construction matter.

Melco's puff instructions provide one clear example where the top satin is supported with manually created walk underlay instead of relying on Object Properties underlay. Melco also advises keeping underlay to a minimum when embroidering leather because additional needle penetrations can work against that material.

For that reason, a No Underlay notification should lead to a question: Why does this element have no automatic underlay? It should not automatically lead to: Add underlay until the warning disappears.

Verify with Melco: Embroidering on Leather Overview

Primer and Separate Support Elements Can Also Affect What You See

Melco's DesignShop Talk archive includes specific discussions about Design Checker notifications involving a border on a primer underlay, as well as an earlier discussion titled No Underlay Message in Design Checker. Melco has continued discussing these situations because the relationship between an element and the supporting stitches around it can matter.

This is another reason to review the complete wireframe construction instead of judging one highlighted element by itself.

Verify with Melco: DesignShop Talk Episodes and Topics

Wireframe Designs Matter

Melco states that Design Checker is intended for wireframe designs. Melco's DesignShop Talk training has also specifically covered the point that Design Checker is for wireframe designs rather than expanded designs.

This matters when reviewing native OFM files because wireframe objects contain editable construction information. A DST or EXP file is an expanded stitch file and does not carry the same object based information used by Design Checker.

A Better Way to Read Design Checker Results

Naan Designs recommends treating a Design Checker notification as one of three situations.

Why Clearing Every Notification Can Create a Different Design

Changing an element only to remove a Design Checker notification can change the embroidery. Adding automatic underlay, reducing puff density, narrowing a puff column or changing layered construction can affect coverage, appearance, foam cutting, stitch count and how the design was intended to sew.

The correct question is not simply, "How do I make the warning disappear?" The better question is, "What is Design Checker identifying, and is that condition correct for this particular embroidery application?"

Design Checker Is Still an Important Tool

None of this means Design Checker should be turned off or ignored. Melco specifically explains that experienced digitizers can use it to catch omissions and problems before production, while newer users can use it as a learning tool.

The value of Design Checker is that it calls attention to something worth reviewing. Professional judgment is what determines the next step.