How do I use EXP formats with my BERNINA embroidery machine?

The 830, 780, 750, and 580 BERNINA machines need the EXP format for designs. The BERNINA 630 and 640 also read the EXP format.

There are two EXP formats

Melco EXP
BERNINA USB EXP

• Melco EXP is the commercial EXP format with NO thread colors - it pulls whatever default thread colors for the software you are using (possibly making your blue a green, red or yellow).

•BERNINA USB EXP is the non-commercial (HOME machine) format that DOES have the thread colors that matches the color chart.

Most of OESD’s design collections offer the Melco .EXP format, and many of our newer collections contain the BERNINA USB EXP format.

A BERNINA USB EXP is actually THREE files for each design

1. EXP - the design itself
2. INF - the thread colors
3. BMP - the picture that shows in the 830 machine

If using a collection which offers the BERNINA USB EXP format, copy all three files (EXP, INF, and BMP) to your BERNINA Personal Design USB stick.

If you need the BERNINA USB EXP format and it is not available, open the ART format in your BERNINA software, and then save it to a BERNINA USB EXP file. Once you have saved your ART format design to a BERNINA USB EXP format, make sure you include the BMP and the INF with the EXP file when copying those designs from the hard drive to USB or a CD.

Saving a design to Melco EXP will save ONLY the EXP format, the commercial format, which will NOT include thread colors.