Save vs. Export in Hatch: Keep Your Master .EMB, Then Create the Right Machine Files (Plus Batch Conversion)

The Non-Negotiable Workflow: Master Files vs. Stitch Files (A 20-Year Veteran’s Guide)

Embroidery is an unforgiving art. In my two decades on the production floor, I have seen thousands of dollars in garments ruined not because of a bad needle or a thread break, but because of a bad file.

If you have ever opened an old design and realized you cannot change the underlay, adjust the pull compensation, or cleanly edit the lettering, you have fallen into the most common trap in our industry: working from a Stitch File instead of a Master File.

In Hatch (and professional embroidery in general), the safest workflow adheres to a strict "Digital Chain of Custody":

1. Save your master as an .EMB working file. This is your "Source Code." It retains object intelligence.
2. Export a machine stitch file (PES/DST/VP3) only when you are physically ready to sew. This is your "Compiled Code."

This guide does not just show you which buttons to click; it explains the "physics" of the file types so you can scale from a hobbyist single-needle setup to a high-production shop without losing your mind—or your designs.

What You Will Master in This Guide

• The "DNA" Difference: Why .EMB allows for infinite resizing and density adjustment, while .PES/.DST degrades every time you resize it.
• The Click-Path: The exact mechanical steps to Save Design As (Storage) vs. Export Design (Production).
• The "Memory" Trap: How Hatch remembers your last export folder and how to stop it from sending your files into digital oblivion.
• Batch Processing: How to convert one design for five different machines in a single pass.
• The Production Link: Why your file choice dictates your stabilizing and hooping strategy.

Phase 1: The Principle of "Object Intelligence" (.EMB)

Saving is not an administrative task; it is your insurance policy against future failure.

Think of an .EMB working file like a Microsoft Word document. You can edit text, change fonts, and adjust margins. Think of a Stitch File (PES/DST) like a PDF or a printed piece of paper. You can draw on top of it, but you cannot easily change the original text structure.

When you save an .EMB, you are saving the mathematics of the design (Pull Compensation: 0.2mm, Density: 0.40mm). When you export a stitch file, you are freezing those math equations into specific X/Y coordinate movements.

Prep: The "Pre-Flight" Checks (Physical & Digital)

Before you even touch the "Save" button, you need to clear the runway. Experienced digitizers and operators treat file prep like a pilot treats a pre-flight check.

Hidden Consumables & Prep Checks:

• Clean USB Media: Ensure your USB drive is formatted (usually FAT32) and free of corrupt files. A corrupted drive can cause a machine to freeze mid-stitch.
• Naming Convention: Decide now. ProjectName_v1_Master is safer than Final_Final_Real.
• Physical Readiness: If this file is going to a machine immediately, check your physical inventory. Do you have the specific thread colors listed? Do you have the correct needles (e.g., 75/11 Ballpoint for knits)?
• Stabilizer Matching: A file with high density (saved in your .EMB) demands a heavy Cutaway stabilizer. If you plan to use Tearaway, you must lower the density in the software now.

Warning (Mechanical Safety): When transferring files to your machine, never leave the USB drive inserted during boot-up unless your manual permits it. Furthermore, keep hands and loose clothing clear of the needle bars and take-up levers when the machine initializes. It will move rapidly to find its "home" position.

Step-by-Step: Saving the Master (.EMB)

In the video, the instructor demonstrates saving a design that has been worked on before. We use "Save As" to create a versioned checkpoint.

Action (The click-path):

1. Open the design in Hatch.
2. Navigate to the Output Design toolbox on the left.
3. Click Save Design As.
4. Type the filename: “Pitter Patter 2” (Always increment your version number).
5. Select Type: Verify the dropdown says Wilcom All-in-One Design (*.EMB).
6. Click Save.

Sensory Check (Visual): Look at the file icon in your folder. It should have the specific Hatch/Wilcom branding, not the generic icon often associated with DST or PES files.

QC Checklist: The Master File

• Extension Verification: The file ends in .EMB.
• Object Selectability: I can click on a specific letter or shape and see its properties (Density, Underlay) rather than just "Stitch Block."
• Color Data: The actual thread brand and color code (e.g., Madeira Polyneon 1800) are preserved.

Phase 2: Exporting for the Iron (PES, DST, etc.)

"Exporting" is the act of translation. You are translating your design from "Human Language" (.EMB) to "Machine Language" (Stitch File).

• PES: Common for home machines (Brother, Babylock). Retains some color information.
• DST: The industrial standard (Tajima, SWF, Barudan). It is dumb but robust. It does not know "Red"; it only knows "Stop command, Trim command, Move X/Y."

Step-by-Step: Generating the Production File

Action (The click-path):

1. Navigate to the Output Design toolbox.
2. Click Export Design.
3. Observe: Hatch often defaults to the last used format. Do not blindly click save.
4. Select Format: Click the Save as type dropdown.
   • For a single-needle home machine, select PES.
   • For a multi-needle commercial machine, scroll to Tajima (*.DST).
5. Verify Location:ensure you are saving to your "Machine Files" folder (or directly to a USB stick), not your "Working Files" folder.
6. Click Save.

The "Ghost Object" Trap (Common Mistake)

A frequent frustration regarding exporting is trying to export part of a design by hiding other layers.

The Symptom: You hide the background layer in Hatch, export to PES, run it on your machine, and the machine tries to stitch the hidden background anyway. The Fix:

1. File > Save As to create a temporary copy (e.g., Design_Hat_Only.EMB).
2. Delete the unwanted objects in the copy.
3. Export the remaining design.
4. Delete the temporary working file.

This "Delete-Export-Delete" cycle ensures 100% safety. It prevents the needle from traveling into an area you thought was safe, saving you from a bird's nest or a broken needle.

Commercial Logic: When File Prep Meets Physics

You have perfected the file export. Now, how do you ensure the physical stitch-out matches the digital perfection?

If you are running a tajima embroidery machine or a similar industrial unit, your file is likely perfect (DST), but your variable is the operator. How consistent is the hooping?

Scenario Trigger: You are running an order of 50 left-chest logos. The file is solid, but you notice "hoop burn" (shiny rings on the fabric) or alignment issues as the operator gets tired. The Judgment Standard: If you spend more than 45 seconds hooping a garment, or if you ruin more than 1% of garments due to hoop marks, your "tooling" is the bottleneck, not your file. The Option (Level Up):

• Level 1: Use "Hoopless" embroidery (sticky stabilizer) to avoid crushing the fabric.
• Level 2: Upgrade to magnetic embroidery hoops. These use magnetic force rather than mechanical friction to hold the fabric. This eliminates hoop burn and drastically speeds up the framing process for production runs.

Warning (Magnet Safety): Industrial magnetic hoops generate powerful clamping force. Pinch Hazard: Keep fingers clear of the clamping zone—it will snap shut instantly. Medical Hazard: Maintain a safe distance (6 inches / 15cm) between strong magnets and pacemakers or insulin pumps.

Phase 3: Batch Conversion (Scaling Up)

When you move from a hobbyist to a business, you often acquire different machines. You might have a brother embroidery machine for samples and a multi-head for production. Converting designs one by one is a waste of profit.

Bulk Processing in Manage Designs

Action (Scale it):

1. Open the Manage Designs toolbox (The Browser View).
2. Select a range of designs (Hold Shift + Click).
3. Click the Convert Selected Designs icon.
4. Checkbox the required formats: VP3 (for the Husqvarna), DST (for the big iron), EXP (for the Bernina).
5. Click Convert.
6. Sensory Check (Auditory/Visual): Listen for the frantic disk-write activity or watch the progress bar. Confirm the message: "The files were generated successfully."

Why This Matters for Profit

If you are researching multi needle embroidery machines for sale to expand your business, you must establish a file pipeline before the machine arrives. A clean "Master (.EMB) -> Batch Convert -> Machine" workflow allows you to switch brands (e.g., buying a used Ricoma or Barudan) without losing your entire back catalog of designs.

Troubleshooting: The "Why is this happening?" Matrix

When things go wrong, do not panic. Follow this diagnostic path (Symptom -> Cause -> Fix).

Marketing Workflow: The "Web Image"

If you are selling your work online or seeking approval from a client, never send a screenshot of the grid interface.

For users of high-end prosumer machines like the brother pr680w, you want to present a polished look.

• Action: Go to File > Capture Design Image.
• Setting: Choose High Resolution (300 DPI).
• Result: A clean PNG with a transparent background that you can overlay onto a photo of a t-shirt or cap in Photoshop.

The Decision Tree: Which File Do I Need?

When you finish a design, pause and ask these questions to determine the correct output.

1. Is the design 100% finished?
   • No / Not Sure: Save as .EMB Only. Do not clutter your USB drive with unfinished tests.
   • Yes: Proceed to Step 2.
2. What is the Destination?
   • Production (My Shop): Export to DST (or machine specific format).
   • Sale (Etsy/Client): Use Batch Convert to generate PES, DST, EXP, JEF, VP3, and XXX Zip file.
   • Approval (Email): Capture JPEG/PNG Design Image.
3. Are you stitching on difficult fabric (e.g., Velvet, Pique)?
   • Yes: Before exporting, Open .EMB -> Increase Pull Comp to 0.4mm -> Change Underlay to Tatami -> Save As "Project_Velvet.EMB" -> Export DST. (Never overwrite your standard master with fabric-specific settings).

Operation Checklist: The "Go-Live" Routine

Print this out and tape it near your computer station.

Setup Phase:

• Master Saved: The design is saved as .EMB with a clear version number.
• Clean Canvas: If exporting a partial design, I have verified no hidden objects are lurking.
• Format Match: I have selected Safe as type based on the target machine (PES for Brother, DST for Tajima, etc.).

Export Phase:

• Path Verification: I am saving to the Machine Files folder, NOT the Working Files folder.
• Visual Check: The resulting file size looks correct (e.g., a complex design is 50kb+, not 1kb).

Physical Phase:

• Media Check: USB drive is inserted and recognized.
• Hoop Upgrade: If doing production, I have switched to my magnetic hooping station or purely a magnetic embroidery frame for consistent tension.
• Test Sew: I will run form 1 (one test) on scrap fabric with similar stretch properties before running the final garment.

By strictly separating your Master Files (The Brains) from your Stitch Files (The Muscle), you eliminate 90% of the friction in embroidery digitization. Treat your .EMB files like gold, and your stitch files like disposable tools.