Embroidery Machine Guide

Embroidery file formats

.EXP embroidery files (Melco Expanded embroidery file)

EXP is Melco's stitch format and is also used by Bernina machines. Melco EXP stores stitches and stops but no thread colors. Bernina's home-machine version keeps colors in a separate .inf file that must travel with it.

Extension.EXP
Comes fromMelco
Native onMelco, Bernina
Stores thread colours?No: colours are assigned on the machine or in software
Editable outlines?No: it is a stitch file (resizing a lot can spoil it)
Machines in our guide that read it0

About .EXP files

EXP, short for Expanded, is a stitch format from Melco, a commercial machine maker. It is a very simple file with no header, only a run of small moves and control codes for color change, jump, stop and end. Bernina's higher-end machines use it for designs. OESD says the B 990, B 830, 7 Series and B 580 need EXP, and the B 630 and B 640 also read it.

Colors are the catch. Commercial Melco EXP has no thread colors, so your software or machine applies a default palette, which can turn a blue into green, red or yellow. Bernina's home-machine version, often called Bernina USB EXP or EXP+, comes as three files: .exp for the stitches, .inf for thread colors and .bmp for the on-screen picture. Copy all three together.

Brother's support pages do not list EXP among the formats its machines read. Convert the design to PES first and check the colors.

To make Bernina USB EXP, open an ART file in Bernina software and save it as Bernina USB EXP. Saving as Melco EXP gives you only the .exp file, without colors.

How to convert .EXP files

  • If a design pack offers Bernina USB EXP, use that version. Melco EXP loses the colors.
  • If you only have an ART file, open it in Bernina software and save it as Bernina USB EXP.
  • If you only have Melco EXP, reassign the thread colors after opening it. Embrilliance Essentials, Ink/Stitch and Wilcom software all work with EXP.
  • Copy the .exp, .inf and .bmp files to the USB stick together so the machine finds the colors and the picture.

Machines that read .EXP files

None of the machines in our guide list .EXP as a format they read. Convert it first.

Frequently asked questions

Does EXP keep thread colors?

Not Melco EXP, which has none. Bernina's home-machine version stores colors in a separate .inf file, so keep the .exp, .inf and .bmp files together.

Which machines use EXP files?

Melco commercial machines and Bernina's higher-end models. OESD lists the B 990, B 830, 7 Series and B 580 as needing EXP, with the B 630 and B 640 also reading it.

What is the difference between Melco EXP and Bernina USB EXP?

Melco EXP is the commercial version and has no thread colors. Bernina USB EXP is the home-machine version that adds colors and a preview picture through .inf and .bmp files.

Can a Brother machine read EXP?

Not directly. Brother lists .pes, .phc and .dst for its machines, plus a few Brother-specific types on some models. Convert EXP to PES, then recheck the colors.

Other formats

Sources