Sewing machine needle identification:

A sewing machine needle is identified with three parameters and they are:

1. System

2. Point

3. Size

System:

A needle system defines the dimensions of a needle to suit the machine type. Depending on the machine and its stitch type, the needle is designed with variations in length of blade, shank thickness, type of eye etc. It is advisable to check with the machine manufacturer for suitability of needle system to machine.
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Point:

A needle point is classified broadly into two types:

1. Round, set or cloth points

2. Cutting or leather points

Round, set or cloth points:

There are believed to be around twenty different round points available out of these six are in common use.

Round Point Needles - Applications:

Slim Set Point also referred to as acute round point (SPI)

This point is used for dense woven fabrics as it causes less damage, helps set a straighter stitch and minimizes seam pucker.

Commonly used for microfiber and densely woven fabrics, coated materials, topstitching of collars and cuffs in shirts.

Set Cloth Point also referred to as normal round point (R)

This point is used for normal fabrics with standard seams as it pushes the yarn to the side.

Light Ball Point (SES)

This point is used for sewing lightweight knitted fabric. It is sometimes used for fine denim and light, densely woven material to avoid damaging the material.

Medium Ball Point (SUK)

This point is used for sewing medium weight knitted fabric. It is also used for medium to coarse denims, particularly sand-washed and stonewashed grades.

Heavy Ball Point (SKF)

This point is used for coarse knitwear and for sewing dense woven elastic (it won’t push the elastic yarn through).

Special ball point (SKL)

Used for medium to course elastic materials with covered elastomeric threads and very coarse knitwear.

Cutting Point Needles:

Cutting point needles have sharp tips like blades. These tips are available with a wide variety of cross-sectional shapes such as lens, rounded, triangular and square. They can be used while sewing dense, non-fabric based material. They pierce the material more readily than the round point types thereby generating less needle heat. There are a large number of cutting points of which around 11 are in regular use.

Cutting Points Overview:

Needle Size / Thickness

The size of a needle is generally represented in one of two ways (although there are others). One method is by

a number metric (Nm). This represents the diameter of the needle blade in hundredths of a millimeter measured just above the scarf but not at any reinforced part of the blade. For example, a Nm 110 needle is 1.1 millimetre in diameter, while a Nm 50 needle is half a millimetre in diameter.

The thickness of the blade on the right is 1.1mm wide which is shown in Nm as 110.

The alternative standard needle sizing method is the Singer/Asia numbering system sometimes referred to as the American system that uses a number that represents a size.