singer xl 580 lcd panel troubleshooting manufacturer

There are now several versions of the software for SINGER® Futura™ and AutoPunch available on the market. The most current is version 1.0.0.2. To determine what version of either software you have, you will find this information around the inside rim of the CD at approximately 4 o"clock. Before loading AutoPunch into your computer, check the version and then follow the steps below.

I purchased my Singer Futura XL-550 in September 2014, but only after doing a great deal of research by reading 100’s of pro’s and con’s on the XL-400 and XL-550. The biggest complaint about the Futura was thread problems & breaking needles which I figured was operator error, that they made a mistake and blamed it on the machine. But I started having these problems right away; in the first 10 minutes I had 5 or 6 bird’s nests and that happened while I was just trying out the Futura as a sewing machine. And while trying to embroider something I broke my first needle within 2 minutes and 5 more needles in the first hour. I also had problems with the large hoop. It just would not hold the fabric in place and I was not able to embroider a simple pattern that came with the machine. Also, I would get this error message “wrong size hoop installed” about a minute after I started an embroidery project. After all the research I did, to say I was pissed is putting it mildly. I was ready to take an ax to this “machine” (I won’t write down what I really said about this machine). It turns out that my first assumption about it being operator error was wrong, and I want to APOLOGIZE to everyone that post their problems; the ones that I did not believe. I was feeling like an idiot for buying this piece of junk and that old saying of “if it’s too good to be true” is right, this Singer Futura is a real problem.

Singer at one time stood for QUALITY, but lately Singer’s quality SUCKS. By making their machines oversea in places like Vietnam and others, the new owners of Singer Company appear not care about their quality control because it is not there. And YES, there is a learning curve to all new equipment, but it’s hard to learn how to use the machine when it has so many problems that are clearly out of the operator’s control. The Futura XL-550 sewing abilities are okay, but the embroidery part has problems, and I bought this machine to do embroidery. If the manufacture had tighter quality controls, people would not be having these problems. After trying to get my Futura to work, I found a number of problems with it. And in time I came up with some modifications that I used to repair my Futura. I took each problem one at a time and broke it down, and I was able to find the reason for each problem and then I worked out a solution for each problem.

I found that my Futura was having 5 major problems that had to be worked out if I was ever going to be able to embroider anything. Here are the 5 problems I was having: 1. Birds nest in the bobbin case, 2. Breaking needles, 3. Large hoop problem, 4. Wrong size hoop, and 5. Machine would stop over and over on a new project. These are the problems I was having with my Singer Futura XL-550, now for the modification.

The modification I made to my Singer Futura XL-550 has improved its abilities by eliminating the birds nest in the bobbin holder area and stopped the needles from breaking. And what I had to do to fix the problem with the large hoop. I had to deal with these problems and here is the list of problems and the modifications I made to fix them:

Within 1 hour of using the Futura XL-550 embroidery part I broke 6 needles, the first needle was in the first two minutes. What I found was the needle was hitting the edge of the bobbin cover plate. The needle was hitting the edge about 1/32 to 1/16 of an inch above and below the needle slot.

The large hoop was not holding the material while I was running an embroidery design. And believe me I tried everything to get the hoop to hold the material, I even hand stitched the material in the hoop to help the hoop hold the material, but it didn’t work. I used the Futura customer help website to get some help with the large hoop. After waiting on hold for over and hour the person in Customer support gave me the "RUN AROUND" about “are you making sure that the hoop is tight and the material makes a drum sound. Is the notch & grove lined up“ and stuff like that. I told them the hoop was to thin and to flexible to hold the material and that I wanted it replaced. And that only happened after I sent them a picture of the hoop with the material hand stitched into the hoop. They also told me that the hoop replacement they will be sending me is the same as the one that came with my Futura XL-550. Well, after three weeks of waiting the replacement hoop finally showed up. This replacement hoop was not the same, so they lied to me about the replacement hoop. That replacement hoop was about a half an inch longer on the long side and overall was about 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch thicker then the one that came with the machine. But even with these differences in size the replacement hoop still did not hold the material tight enough; it would slip out just enough to mess up the design.

Solution: Before you try to embroider that project you just modified, you have to save it (use a new name for that modified project). After you have saved it turn off the Futura XL-550 and close down the software. After you do that, restart the Futura machine and the software, you have to do this to clear out any software problems. You can re-open your saved project and send it to the machine. I know it’s a problem to do that every time you make a modification to a design, but it’s the only way I have found to get around this problem.

The Futura XL-550 “OUT OF THE BOX” gets an overall rating of 1 stars, that"s only because Amazon will not let you give a zero star rating. The sewing machine part is okay and gets 3 stars, but the sewing machine is not why I bought this machine in the first place; I bought this Futura for its embroidering abilities and that part gets a minus 1 stars. I know that many of you are having problems with your Futura and YES “OUT OF THE BOX” it should work without any problems. Don’t give up, most of these machine can be fixed with a little work (and YES, Singer should pay for all the shipping to get it fixed), but they won’t do that. But, after I made the modification to my XL-550 I have enjoyed embroidering custom patches for my Karate Studio and making gifts for friends and family. So, after ALL the modifications to my Futura “My Modified Singer Futura XL-550” gets an overall 4 stars, I reduced the score by a half stars because it is a very noisy machine and another half star because you have to watch the Futura throughout the embroidery project. I came up with these fixes to solve the problems I was having, and I hope this helps you.

UPDATE: I found a service manual for my XL-550 online, and believe me you need this service manual. I use my Futura a great deal, so every 3 or 4 months I clean and lubricate it and adjust the X-Y axis points on the embroidery arm and also reset the needle depth point. If you use your machine like I do, you really need to do this servicing. I am not going to waste my time and money to ship my Futura to someone that might fix it. If their quality control is not there (AND IT‘S NOT), can you really trust them to service your machine? I hope the modification I came up with helps you.

I have been using my XL-550 for more then 3.5 years now and I have made many custom patches for the students at the Karate studio and for friends and family. I even embroider the student’s karate belts with their name and belt number along with the studio name. I searched the internet for a belt hoop for my Futura XL-550 but no luck, so I fabricated a belt hoop for my Futura and it works great.

I have one thing to say to the people that own the Singer Company now. If you want people to keep buying your products you need to upgrade your quality control from nothing (which is what you have right now), and make "QUALITY" the companies most important thing you can offer. Bring back the “SINGER QUALITY“, stand by your product; and if a customer that just bought your product is having problems with it "FIX IT FOR FREE". Pay for the shipping (both ways to a repair center) because your company sold that customer a defective product, and STOP giving your customers the old "RUN AROUND".

One last thing for anyone that is thinking about buying a Futura XL-550, you must understand what I"m saying. I use my machine a great deal but there are some things you just can not do with THIS MACHINE. You can not walk away from your machine; "YOU MUST STAY WITH YOUR MACHINE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROJECT". This machine must be watched at all times, you just can"t set up your project start up the machine and come back an hour or two and find a finished project. You have to sit with your machine throughout your project from the every beginning to end. So, if you are looking for a machine that you can set up and then just walk away, "DON"T GET THIS MACHINE".

Instruction hints and tips for the Singer Futura by Jenny’s Sewing Studio is here!I have gathered my best observations and sage wisdom on the Singer Futura embroidery machine and placed it here for you to refer to. I will update the page from time to time as I learn a new technique…yes I am always learning! I hope it helps you have a successful sewing and embroidery experience with the machine. I have enjoyed hours of fun and achieved many embroidery projects and my best advise when having a problem is to stop, look and listen to the machine. It will tell you what is wrong if you are there to listen.

If the program included with the Futura is on a CD then it must be installed via the CD. You will have to purchase a CD reader if you do not have the drive. Compucon says you cannot move the program to a USB stick. You also must use the Futura that was intended for the software. If you install a more recent software on you computer and plug in an older futura you will loose a lot of the software and option features not intended for the machine you are using. ( some newer Futura now come with the program on a USB.. XL580, XL420)

If you want to switch from the small hoop to the large hoop….SINGER® FUTURA™ machines report the hoop attached to the computer only one time, when the SINGER® Futura™ program is started. If there is no hoop attached the program will assume that the large hoop is mounted. So, if a user decides to use a different hoop than the one the machine has detected, it is necessary to change the program’s setting before embroidering. However, there is a correct procedure/sequence to set up the SINGER® Futura™ machines for embroidery. Preparing to embroider out of sequence will cause the computer to display an Error Message if the small hoop is used: The proper way to set up for embroidery on the SINGER® Futura™ machines is as follows:

4. If the Large Hoop is on the SINGER® Futura™ machine, but it is desired to change to the Small Hoop, remove the Large Hoop and replace with Small Hoop. However, before selecting a design, it is necessary to go to the Main Menu and select Tools>Select Hoop, then choose Small Hoop. (The same is true for moving from Small Hoop to Large Hoop, once the program has been opened).

* Options for the CE150, 250, 350, SES 2000 will not work in the XL400, SEQS600 or other newer Futura models. 4. The new Quintet has it’s own software package to work with the endless hoop. The endless hoop is not available on any other model at this time.

The Singer has been making solid sewing machines since the 1850’s. Their sewing machines were known for being so reliable that they were passed down for generations.

Singer ran into some problems in the 1960s and 70s. The quality went downhill. Eventually, the company ended up in the hands of a major corporation that also owns the Pfaff and Husqvarna companies.

You might think the more expensive the machine, generally speaking, the better it will run. That’s not true. Brother and Singer produce very good inexpensive sewing machines for those on a low budget.

I will say that if you have a very low budget, go with the Brother XM2701 or the XL2600i. They have more features than the Singers low budget sewing machines.

In Singer versus Brother sewing machines battle, it came down to personal preference and brand preference. (Yes, I do still own my Harley Dyna Low Rider. I need to get out driving again soon, but I’m having too much fun sewing.)

Both Singer and Brother have a specialized line of heavy duty sewing machines. They have a sturdier metal frame than a regular sewing machine. This allows them to sew through thick layers without burning out the motor.

The difference between the Singer sewing machines is the number of built-in stitches available. They’re all great for beginners and people who do a lot of sewing items that use mostly straight stitches.

So, I hear you asking, doesn’t Brother have a heavy duty machine? Yes, they have. Just like the Singer, these are mechanical machines with no computerized anything.

For me, Singer wins the battle hands down when it comes to heavy-duty machines. Singer heavy duty machines have been around longer, more popular than Brother heavy duty machines and are sturdier.

SE600 has color and bigger LCD as compared to the black and white smaller LCD of 9960 (for better display, Singer has a 9985 model which would cost you more).

Singer 9960 wins if you need more sewing speed and stitches, but SE600 is better for embroidery and has a more prominent and colorful display. Ultimately, It comes down to your sewing and embroidery needs.

Singer provides downloadable software for you to use to create designs. Singer also has a universal power supply so you can take the machine internationally. And Singer has a free online owner’s class that you can take.

The Singer has 215 built-in stitches and 250 embroidery designs. It has a small LCD. People find it to be a good sewing machine, but some people had difficulties getting the embroidery to go smoothly.

One very cool quality of the Singer is that it includes a knee lifter attachment. You can use it to raise and lower the presser foot with your knee to allow you to keep your hands on what you’re sewing.

The Singer comes with 10" X 6", 4" X 4" and 6.75" X 4" endless hoop. The Brother has 5"x 12" and 5" x 7" hoops. Bother have the multi-hooping capability.

So while the Brother SE1800 could be good for beginners, the Singer 580 isn’t. Unless you’re a super patient beginner, who doesn’t mind making lots of mistakes while trying to figure something out. I’m not that sort of person.

Although the Singer has 40 more stitch options, the Brother is a more versatile machine. The Brother has more different types of stitches as compared to the Singer which has most of its lead in decorative stitches.

If you want to do decorative stitching on clothing or linens, then you’ll want the Singer because it has 76 built-in decorative stitches compared to only 20 on the Brother.

The Singer One Plus has 221 stitches built-in. You can use the interface to elongate and mirror stitches. Plus there’s built-in memory to save and edit the stitches later. There are threading system and an automatic needle threader.

Both are the amazing machines. So honestly, neither wins. If you need more stitch options, then pick the Singer One plus otherwise go with the Brother XR9550.

This machine is on the top rack of the Singer XL sewing & embroidery machine series. It has the most features among the 3 Singer XL machines. What these features are, and how different the XL-580 is from the XL-400 and XL-550 will be discussed in the Singer XL-580 review. Happy reading.

Endless hoop? Ever heard about it? I personally haven’t until I came across the Singer XL-580 Futura. It is a dual purpose computerized machine that promises to sew and embroider and produce great results for both tasks. And yeah, a number of exclusive Singer features. The machine runs on 120V. Obviously, Singer made this machine (and all other Singers) with just the US and Canadian market primarily in mind. I wonder if they even considered expanding their market, making euro compatible machines will be a great start… Anyway, before I totally drift off-topic, let us start with the differentiator.

3 things make the XL-580 different from its ascendants. First is the number of built-in/ pre-loaded embroidery designs it features. It comes with 250 designs as opposed to the 125 that the XL400 and XK550 have. 50 out of the 250 are “Endless Designs” that is ideal to use on borders/ fabric edges. Which brings us to the second thing, the XL-580 comes with an endless embroidery hoop along with the standard small and large hoops. Lastly, an XL-580 purchase already includes the handsfree pressure feet lifter and an assortment of Singer design software.

Aside from the above-mentioned upgrades, Singer has retained their exclusive Singer-innovated features as well as the standard sewing machine features.

SwiftSmart™ Threading System – This allows the user to thread the machine with his eyes closed. Ok, you got me there. That was a bit of an exaggeration. But seriously though, this Singer developed threading system saves you from the tedious process of threading a needle.

Direct Drive Technology – As opposed to other machines that use a drive to run the needle (which has a tendency to get misaligned), the Singer 8770 has the needle bar geared directly to the motor. This avoids the risk of misaligned drive and makes each thrust of the needle more powerful.

One common issue with Singer XL-580 Futura is its prone to thread breakage and the auto-tension malfunction. However, this can possibly be solved with following recommendations. What do I mean? I’m talking about the use of thread netting that tends to be disregarded. It does make a lot of difference when it comes to keeping the right thread tension and avoiding thread breakage due to it.

Also, it would be nice if Singer can level up the design software that comes with the package. Though it doesn’t run on DOS or Lotus hahaha, a newer UI would be great.