I know the issues are tension adjustments, thread brands and composition, speed, thread lubrication, and needles. I will only use Schmetz needles on industrial Consew machines at work because the quality is very good. No more needle blinking and thread shredding from a poorly polished eye (Groz Beckert). A machine embroidered I met always used a liquid silicone thread lubricant to avoid fraying.

I Know I typed needle Blunting!

I had a vision of a needle blinking..... :D

True confessions: Just got my Tiara back from the shop after doing everything possible to stop my thread from shredding. Guess what was wrong....the needle was in backwards! seems I carefully put each new needle in exactly as I took the "damaged" one out. Just didn't realize which was the scarf and which was the groove. Love my technician, he didn"t charge me a bench fee!