MHM Automatic Presses

[ebscreen]

Being able to get Pallet A over to head 10 quickly.

[screenprintguy]

When you get your machine, what ever type, you will free wheel alot!!!! From setting up, to cleaning your machine, changing pallet tape, changing out pallets, registering jobs at set up, wait, oops, got a pin hole, need to get under there, free wheel a little there, checking a possible misprint, being able to freewheel is a necessity for a smaller shop. Even mega shops, their operators will free wheel alot for various reasons, even though some of them can have a higher rate of miss prints and waste that smaller shops can't afford to allow, they also need the ability. If you are looking at MHM, M&R, Progressive, Anatol and so on, the major brands all have that feature as it is a necessary basic ability of a carousel press. When you go to a trade show and see a big M&R set up, you will notice the press operators free wheeling frequently for all types of reasons. I used to think free wheel meant, that a press had the ability to spin the index table mechanically, but after buying my machine, I quickly found out different. I do think there are a few machines out there that will mechanically freewheel, not sure which one, more than likely machines with direct drive indexing. The more of the fancy features, the more ticket price will climb. There are alot of good fellas on this board that can give direct testimonies about their presses, and presses of the past for them. You can't go wrong with MHM, M&R, RPM, and Progressive, lots of successful shops using these brands day to day. Get the most for your money, and if you know little to nothing about an auto, make sure you will have serious support. I fancy the MHM's, but we went with M&R and the support is always there. My machine is no where near the sophistication of the MHM, but, I also paid around 30K for the ability to print up to 8 colors with a flash as well, to me that's what we needed at the time. It would have been double the ticket if we went the other route and it didn't fit the budget at that time.

[Printficient]

When you get your machine, what ever type, you will free wheel alot!!!! From setting up, to cleaning your machine, changing pallet tape, changing out pallets, registering jobs at set up, wait, oops, got a pin hole, need to get under there, free wheel a little there, checking a possible misprint, being able to freewheel is a necessity for a smaller shop. Even mega shops, their operators will free wheel alot for various reasons, even though some of them can have a higher rate of miss prints and waste that smaller shops can't afford to allow, they also need the ability. If you are looking at MHM, M&R, Progressive, Anatol and so on, the major brands all have that feature as it is a necessary basic ability of a carousel press. When you go to a trade show and see a big M&R set up, you will notice the press operators free wheeling frequently for all types of reasons. I used to think free wheel meant, that a press had the ability to spin the index table mechanically, but after buying my machine, I quickly found out different. I do think there are a few machines out there that will mechanically freewheel, not sure which one, more than likely machines with direct drive indexing. The more of the fancy features, the more ticket price will climb. There are alot of good fellas on this board that can give direct testimonies about their presses, and presses of the past for them. You can't go wrong with MHM, M&R, RPM, and Progressive, lots of successful shops using these brands day to day. Get the most for your money, and if you know little to nothing about an auto, make sure you will have serious support. I fancy the MHM's, but we went with M&R and the support is always there. My machine is no where near the sophistication of the MHM, but, I also paid around 30K for the ability to print up to 8 colors with a flash as well, to me that's what we needed at the time. It would have been double the ticket if we went the other route and it didn't fit the budget at that time.

Could not disagree more with regards to the MHM.  To change pallets is automatic and does not require the free wheel.  I have sold and run MHMs and never freewheeled the press.  There is a pallet move for every function.  Pallets are not required for registration.  Indexing either way is a push of a virtual button.  Clean position same.  Pallet change ditto.  This is why the MHM is the fastest set up and be ready to print machine out there by a long shot.
Screenprinter 123 give me a call.
Sonny
404-895-1796

[Sbrem]

my 2 cents, we have an MHM and a M&R, the M&R freewheels, but our MHM does not, and we don't notice that one tiny bit. We would always rather print on the MHM, but don't get me wrong, out Gauntlet works it's heart out. The MHM is much newer, and much, much faster setup.

Steve

[alan802]

We freewheel quite a bit.  Sometimes it's a lot faster to move the carousel over six places by freewheel than indexing it, so we do it.  Then we have to tape up a screen on press or clean one and freewheeling helps us do that easily.  I wouldn't consider a freewheel function a deal breaker one way or the other, but I do like it and use it a good bit.

[ebscreen]

Half index takes care of everything except moving a pallet to the other side of the press quickly.

[Screened Gear]

We freewheel quite a bit.  Sometimes it's a lot faster to move the carousel over six places by freewheel than indexing it, so we do it.  Then we have to tape up a screen on press or clean one and freewheeling helps us do that easily.  I wouldn't consider a freewheel function a deal breaker one way or the other, but I do like it and use it a good bit.

So your press must not have a clean function? After you freewheel you have to engage the drive motor right? That seams like alot of work to move the pallets a few heads.

I would love to start an auto thread with videos of people doing the same tasks on their auto. Like this is how I change pallets. This is how I put a screen in the press. This is how I clean out the ink in a screen. It would really help learn the real differences of each press and we will all learn a ton on best practices of each tack...Just an idea. Who is on board?

[alan802]

We freewheel quite a bit.  Sometimes it's a lot faster to move the carousel over six places by freewheel than indexing it, so we do it.  Then we have to tape up a screen on press or clean one and freewheeling helps us do that easily.  I wouldn't consider a freewheel function a deal breaker one way or the other, but I do like it and use it a good bit.

So your press must not have a clean function? After you freewheel you have to engage the drive motor right? That seams like alot of work to move the pallets a few heads.

I would love to start an auto thread with videos of people doing the same tasks on their auto. Like this is how I change pallets. This is how I put a screen in the press. This is how I clean out the ink in a screen. It would really help learn the real differences of each press and we will all learn a ton on best practices of each tack...Just an idea. Who is on board?

I press a button and the pin releases the carriage and it's free, then all I got to do is press the freewheel button again and spin the carousel back to where it's under a printhead and the pin re-engages the servo to the carousel.  Absolutely no trouble or time to do at all. 

I'm up for making some videos on me doing this among other usual tasks.

[screenprintguy]

When you get your machine, what ever type, you will free wheel alot!!!! From setting up, to cleaning your machine, changing pallet tape, changing out pallets, registering jobs at set up, wait, oops, got a pin hole, need to get under there, free wheel a little there, checking a possible misprint, being able to freewheel is a necessity for a smaller shop. Even mega shops, their operators will free wheel alot for various reasons, even though some of them can have a higher rate of miss prints and waste that smaller shops can't afford to allow, they also need the ability. If you are looking at MHM, M&R, Progressive, Anatol and so on, the major brands all have that feature as it is a necessary basic ability of a carousel press. When you go to a trade show and see a big M&R set up, you will notice the press operators free wheeling frequently for all types of reasons. I used to think free wheel meant, that a press had the ability to spin the index table mechanically, but after buying my machine, I quickly found out different. I do think there are a few machines out there that will mechanically freewheel, not sure which one, more than likely machines with direct drive indexing. The more of the fancy features, the more ticket price will climb. There are alot of good fellas on this board that can give direct testimonies about their presses, and presses of the past for them. You can't go wrong with MHM, M&R, RPM, and Progressive, lots of successful shops using these brands day to day. Get the most for your money, and if you know little to nothing about an auto, make sure you will have serious support. I fancy the MHM's, but we went with M&R and the support is always there. My machine is no where near the sophistication of the MHM, but, I also paid around 30K for the ability to print up to 8 colors with a flash as well, to me that's what we needed at the time. It would have been double the ticket if we went the other route and it didn't fit the budget at that time.

Could not disagree more with regards to the MHM.  To change pallets is automatic and does not require the free wheel.  I have sold and run MHMs and never freewheeled the press.  There is a pallet move for every function.  Pallets are not required for registration.  Indexing either way is a push of a virtual button.  Clean position same.  Pallet change ditto.  This is why the MHM is the fastest set up and be ready to print machine out there by a long shot.
Screenprinter 123 give me a call.
Sonny
404-895-1796

True, but the "freewheeling" topic shift wasn't meant, just for MHM. If he ended up buying a Falcon, or a Sportsman, the MHM function for changing pallets wouldn't make a difference. Yes, the orginal topic of this thread was based on MHM, but then it has veered off to "free Wheel". I could only wish my press had the half index function, or the quick release pallet change function of the MHM, but that function meant more cost, meant the possibility of another set of variables down the road for possible break down. Not that I have heard too many people mention having a problem with it, but for a first time auto buyer, these are just things to consider. For sure, he should call any long time MHM users or former dealers to get all the specific education. Honestly from the last few years on the boards, I have yet to hear anyone truly complain about their MHM, more complaints about the company they have to buy through and rely on service through. We bought our Tajima through the same company and have had great service with it, but don't know how they can handle the MHM service nation wide with ony 1 technician, that is scary.

[Printficient]

When you get your machine, what ever type, you will free wheel alot!!!! From setting up, to cleaning your machine, changing pallet tape, changing out pallets, registering jobs at set up, wait, oops, got a pin hole, need to get under there, free wheel a little there, checking a possible misprint, being able to freewheel is a necessity for a smaller shop. Even mega shops, their operators will free wheel alot for various reasons, even though some of them can have a higher rate of miss prints and waste that smaller shops can't afford to allow, they also need the ability. If you are looking at MHM, M&R, Progressive, Anatol and so on, the major brands all have that feature as it is a necessary basic ability of a carousel press. When you go to a trade show and see a big M&R set up, you will notice the press operators free wheeling frequently for all types of reasons. I used to think free wheel meant, that a press had the ability to spin the index table mechanically, but after buying my machine, I quickly found out different. I do think there are a few machines out there that will mechanically freewheel, not sure which one, more than likely machines with direct drive indexing. The more of the fancy features, the more ticket price will climb. There are alot of good fellas on this board that can give direct testimonies about their presses, and presses of the past for them. You can't go wrong with MHM, M&R, RPM, and Progressive, lots of successful shops using these brands day to day. Get the most for your money, and if you know little to nothing about an auto, make sure you will have serious support. I fancy the MHM's, but we went with M&R and the support is always there. My machine is no where near the sophistication of the MHM, but, I also paid around 30K for the ability to print up to 8 colors with a flash as well, to me that's what we needed at the time. It would have been double the ticket if we went the other route and it didn't fit the budget at that time.

Could not disagree more with regards to the MHM.  To change pallets is automatic and does not require the free wheel.  I have sold and run MHMs and never freewheeled the press.  There is a pallet move for every function.  Pallets are not required for registration.  Indexing either way is a push of a virtual button.  Clean position same.  Pallet change ditto.  This is why the MHM is the fastest set up and be ready to print machine out there by a long shot.
Screenprinter 123 give me a call.
Sonny
404-895-1796

True, but the "freewheeling" topic shift wasn't meant, just for MHM. If he ended up buying a Falcon, or a Sportsman, the MHM function for changing pallets wouldn't make a difference. Yes, the orginal topic of this thread was based on MHM, but then it has veered off to "free Wheel". I could only wish my press had the half index function, or the quick release pallet change function of the MHM, but that function meant more cost, meant the possibility of another set of variables down the road for possible break down. Not that I have heard too many people mention having a problem with it, but for a first time auto buyer, these are just things to consider. For sure, he should call any long time MHM users or former dealers to get all the specific education. Honestly from the last few years on the boards, I have yet to hear anyone truly complain about their MHM, more complaints about the company they have to buy through and rely on service through. We bought our Tajima through the same company and have had great service with it, but don't know how they can handle the MHM service nation wide with ony 1 technician, that is scary.

Quite simply the MHM is the cheapest press to own and gives you the opportunity to produce up to 2/3 more shirts in a year.