How Much Time?

[YDCustom]

I'm in an unusual situation for our shop and would like some thoughts on the time it takes to embroider names on pique polo shirts. I potentially have 80 pieces to digitize, hoop, embroider and then trim away the backing on. I estimate this will take 8-10 minutes per piece. How far off am I? Do you have tips to help speed up the process? Would you do all the digitizing at once(to get consistent size on each name in the job)and then the embroidery? Or digitize and embroider each name before going on to the next?

-There is me. There is no help.
-I typically work only on bed linens and towels, never before on knits. We have some 2oz cut away backing samples that should be enough to do the job.
-I'm using standard Melco round hoops and have multiple in each size.
-No fancy hooping aids, templates or anything else. Of course, the shirts are a variety of sizes and the names are all different lengths.

(Hugo, it's work politics. I haven't suddenly lost my mind and started taking in other products!)

[Wishes]

When doing any name I use the group names feature. First put the names into excel and put them in order according to size. If you have a group names feature put your copied into group so you don't have to type them and have misspellings. Set all your parameters and they should stay the same for all the names. Start with the longest name.
I use group names but save each name individually with the size as the first letter. Msarah so all the mediums line up in the queue.
As far as the font, use one that is over .25, density of 4, underlay on auto or edgewalk and zigzag. Depends on the font really. font that doesn't have skinny columns. Knit block, or a fatter script. 2.5 oz cutaway and solve on top.
Hope this helps
Margaret