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What Is the Difference Between an Industrial Sewing Machine and a Normal One

Which type of sewing machine is compatible with your sewing needs? What is the difference between an industrial sewing machine and a normal one? These are the common questions that come to mind when you want to start a small home business or upgrade your sewing machine.

Both domestic and industrial sewing machines have the same working mechanism. But the shape and size of the components are a little bit different.

The main difference is performance. Industrial sewing machine performance, stitching quality, and durability are high as compared to the normal one. But the stitching options are limited.

Anyway, both are good at their end. But the essential thing is your need. Before choosing any sewing machine, first understand the term industrial sewing machine, domestic sewing machine.

After that, we describe some important factors to understand the difference between an industrial and domestic sewing machine. I am confident! You can make the right decision after you read this article thoroughly.

What is an industrial sewing machine and how it works?

Industrial sewing machines design to withstand industrial environments; it may include a high workload, wide temperature ranges, and dusty environments. These attributes are not characteristic of a regular sewing machine. If you have not any experience in the garments industry, then a leather sewing machine is an example of an industrial-grade sewing machine.

Industrial sewing machines offer long-term availability, durability, and a long life cycle. Choosing an industrial sewing machine for commercial use eliminates the risk of discontinued or changed for several years.

The working of industrial sewing machines is different according to their type. Let’s make a quick overview of industrial sewing machine types and their uses.

  1. Single needle lock stitch machine (used to join two or multi-layers of fabrics)
  2. Flatlock sewing machine (for hemming sleeves and bottom of the knits products)
  3. Overlock sewing machine (mostly used in the garments industry)
  4. The feed of the arm machine (for shirts side seams and underarms)
  5. Buttonhole (to make buttonholes on garments)
  6. Button attaching machine (used for only button stitching on garments)
  7. Zigzag sewing machine (for bra and jackets manufacturing)
  8. Bartack machine (Bartack stitching on belts and pockets opening)
  9. Multi-needle chain stitch machine (used for pin-tuck operations)
  10. Double-needle lock stitch machine (for double stitching of garments)

What is a domestic sewing machine, and how does it works?

Domestic sewing machines refer to ordinary sewing machines used in homes to perform different home base sewing objects. Home sewing machines are fully featured, multiple stitching options, easy to operate, and cheap compared to industrial sewing machines.

You can perform multiple tasks with a single sewing machine because these machines are designed to meet the overall home sewing requirements like quilting, Alphabet embroidering, etc.

A sewing machine combines different parts, including some essential components like motor, needle, thread, bobbin, feed dog, and presser foot. All these moving parts are work together to make a stitch.

Using the two separate threads, one insert from the top with the help of a needle and the second make a knot from the downside with the bobbin movement make a stitch this working mechanism of a simple sewing machine to combine the different pieces of fabrics with stitches.

Difference between an industrial and domestic sewing machine

Industrial sewing machines have become a central component of the garments business, why risk downtime with a sewing machine that is not industrial grade?

Industrial sewing machines perform a specific task by enabling you to run powerful and fast stitching, including stitching quality, strength, and customization, all with speed, efficiency, and reliability.

An industrial sewing machine is similar to a domestic sewing machine in terms of the working mechanism. The components are also identical: needle, presser foot, feed dog, power motor, etc.

However, industrial sewing machines differ from domestic sewing machines in terms of ruggedness, reliability, performance, portability, built-in features, price, and long-term availability.

Nowadays wide ranges of sewing machines are available in the market. Before choosing the best one, keep in mind the following factors.

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1- Stability and ruggedness

Domestic sewing machines are designed to work in a home environment. The home environment is clean, moisture and dust-free, light workload, and small jobs. Domestic sewing machines are sensitive to rugged conditions.

Industrial sewing machines are designed to work in harsh, aggressive, and dirty environments. Industrial sewing machines can withstand severe conditions like shock and vibration, dirt and humidity, high temperature, and long time running.

2- Performance and reliability

Domestic sewing machines have versatile sewing options. You can sew, quilt, or embroider from your single ordinary sewing machines, but their performance and reliability are limited.

Industrial sewing machines enable you to sew heavy fabrics, complicated crafts, and specific stitching with maximum reliability and high performance. Typical industrial conditions affect machine equipment reliability and productivity. That’s why proper cleaning and oiling of components are crucial to maintaining your sewing machine.

3- Cost of ownership

There is a vast range of domestic sewing machines, allowing you an extended range of prices, but the starting point is relatively cheap. Good quality domestic sewing machines can start as low as $400 for a full package.

Industrial sewing machines have a fairly wide variety, but they are more limited than domestic. Initially, it would help if you had a more significant investment, but overtime running cost is lower than domestic machines. To get more durable, rugged, better stitching quality, the price can be considerably higher, ranging up to $1000 or more, depending on the brand.

4- Portability

Domestic sewing machines are very portable due to their compact design. They design to carry from one place to another. Mostly domestic sewing machine weight is less than 25 lbs.

Industrial machines are large and fixed on a table. While it’s not easily possible to take an industrial sewing machine from place to place, it’s cumbersome and not the choice for portability—these heavyweight machines design to be used in a fixed location.

5- Built-in features

Domestic sewing machines more versatile, with a lot of built-in features. These machines designed for multipurpose use, like all in one. Because you cannot afford a specific device for a small job, like if you want to quilt 2 or 3 blankets in a season, then you don’t need a typically free motion quilting machine.

Industrial sewing machines are less complicated as compared to domestic ones, designed to perform specific jobs. They have not multiple stitching options. Each of these serves a particular type of stitch.

6- Type of thread

Due to their versatility, domestic sewing machines can use different types of threads according to requirements. For example, if you want to sew denim, you need a heavy thread. The right kind of thread is essential for stitching strength and durability.

Specific types of thread that use on industrial sewing machines due to their single-purpose use. The certain thread use in an industrial sewing machine meets the daily production goal. Most commercial yarns spun polyester, bonded nylon, and monofilament.

7- Set-up

Domestic machines builts to be easy to use, requiring little time to get starting. Take it out of the box, plugin, and press the start button. Within a few minutes, a regular sewing machine is ready to use.

Setting up an industrial sewing machine takes a bit of extra work to hook everything up, start it up, and begin to use it. It also requires more space to set up.

8- Type of needles

Domestic sewing machine design to perform small jobs on light fabrics. Like other components, the needle used on a household device is different from commercial machines. The main difference is in shape; the shank is flat at the back. That’s makes it easy to insert the needle quickly.

The shape of the industrial sewing machine needle is different from a normal one. The body of the shank is round. It isn’t easy to install; you need to be careful when inserting the needle.

9- Power usage

Ordinary sewing machines use less power than commercial. Smaller components mean less power consumption and low running cost. Some mini sewing machines can also be operated through batteries.

Industrial machines use more power than usual. Due to their large components, they need a large motor to run. That’s why their running cost is high as compare to ordinary sewing machines.

Bottom Line

In the end, the final decision depends on your requirement. Simultaneously, the above-described factors may make it look as though regular sewing machines are best for domestic use. If you need portability, compact design, multi stitching options, and additional smart features, then a standard sewing machine is the best option. There are some limitations to consider, but they are not suitable for commercial use.

However, if running a small home business and portability is not necessary, then an industrial-level sewing machine is likely the best choice. Industrial sewing machines are optimal choices for super fast speed, durability, quality stitching. However, they are also perfectly acceptable for professionals who want to upgrade their business.