MHM Automatic Presses

[ScreenPrinter123]

I am just starting to be in the market for an ac/servo press and ha 2 questions about the MHM:
1) what are the differences/benefits of the s series over the e series?
2) another screen printer told me that this press moves faster than other presses. He test tried a syncoprint 4000 and was doing 900 plus shirts per hour and felt like he was loading 500 shirts per hour. What is the reason for this? The only difference I see is that the heads lower the screens to the palettes rather than raising the palettes to the screens, but I dont see how that would make the process any quicker. Any comments would be helpful. I am imagining this faster speed while feeling like you're not going so fast is also the case on the standard s and e series?

Thanks in advance.

[alan802]

The S-type is a bad mofo and the E-type is more of their economical priced press.  The E-type is a great press for that one auto shop with one shift, but could handle just about any production you threw at it.  The S-type has more features, and a lot bigger price tag.  The MHM's do index faster than a lot of machines, I think the E-type and S-type are rated at about 1400 pieces/hr which is about 500-700 more than the average operator can load on a consistent basis.  I'm not saying you shouldn't go with the S-type, it depends more on your business but I think the E-type would better fit most smaller to medium sized shops.

[ScreenPrinter123]

Thanks Alan802!  The main difference I noticed was that on the E type the table moves up and down whereas on the S type the Print stations seem to move.  Other than this there is a slightly larger print area on the S Type and the S Type screen clamps fold up for easy insertion of the screen.  I was wondering if this was worth the 20k difference in price.

I am having a hard time deciding between MHM and RPM because the RPM seems to have more features but the MHM from what I hear would have faster setup times.  Any other thoughts out there?

[blue moon]

I am just starting to be in the market for an ac/servo press and ha 2 questions about the MHM:
1) what are the differences/benefits of the s series over the e series?
2) another screen printer told me that this press moves faster than other presses. He test tried a syncoprint 4000 and was doing 900 plus shirts per hour and felt like he was loading 500 shirts per hour. What is the reason for this? The only difference I see is that the heads lower the screens to the palettes rather than raising the palettes to the screens, but I dont see how that would make the process any quicker. Any comments would be helpful. I am imagining this faster speed while feeling like you're not going so fast is also the case on the standard s and e series?

Thanks in advance.

my guess is that since the plattens are not moving up and down they give you more time to load. We tend to anticipate the movement and often wait for it to stop. Since it is not going up and down, it is in one place for a longer amount of time and is perceived as moving slower.
Does that make any sense?

e-type actually moves up and down unlike the s and 4000.

for an entry level, E is probably enough with an S as the second press later. The way I see it, the advantages are really coming into play when you have a busy shop and have the right kind of work for it. Not to say you couldn't start with an S, but considering the price difference, E is all you need.

pierre

[blue moon]

Thanks Alan802!  The main difference I noticed was that on the E type the table moves up and down whereas on the S type the Print stations seem to move.  Other than this there is a slightly larger print area on the S Type and the S Type screen clamps fold up for easy insertion of the screen.  I was wondering if this was worth the 20k difference in price.

I am having a hard time deciding between MHM and RPM because the RPM seems to have more features but the MHM from what I hear would have faster setup times.  Any other thoughts out there?

hmmm . . . got me thinking now. The RPM sounds very impressive, but we own and run an MHM so it would make sense to go with another one if we were buying.

As with all the other brands, I believe it comes down to personal preferences. It's the Ford vs Chevy vs VW vs BWM vs Benz. Many different approaches to transportation, they all get you there in the end, some just get you there faster or with less work. My personal preference, is MHM. I drive German cars and MHM is made in Austria which has similar approach to engineering. Hey they even speak German! It is well thought out design with a lot of forethought going into it. Typical German!

Since I know very little about the RPM, I can't compare them. I believe Alan to be in a similar position. Maybe you just need to find time to check them both in action!

pierre

[ScreenPrinter123]

Thanks blue moon.  I still have yet to see a MHM in action and am currently trying to set that up with Hirsch.  We are currently using a TUF Freedom so either MHM or RPM would be such a huge upgrade that it makes choosing between MHM and RPM seem like nitpicking!  However, given the size of this investment I want to make a decision being as well informed as I can.

[blue moon]

Thanks blue moon.  I still have yet to see a MHM in action and am currently trying to set that up with Hirsch.  We are currently using a TUF Freedom so either MHM or RPM would be such a huge upgrade that it makes choosing between MHM and RPM seem like nitpicking!  However, given the size of this investment I want to make a decision being as well informed as I can.

One of the Hirsch guys said he would explain the difference between the two, so keep checking back.

As far as choosing, I might have an answer for you! Few years back, I was skydiving for living. When I started I obviously did not have as many jumps as the senior guys, but many of the regular jumpers wanted me to take their family rather then the guys with 10x the jumps I had. Some were dead set the opposite way. What's point here? If you were going to jump out of an airplane, would you go with somebody who is extremely safety conscious and keeps reading and studying and double and triple checks everything but has very limited experience OR would you go with a guy who has 10 times or even 100 times as many jumps and has been there and done that?

How does this relate? RPM is small and Rick is very heavily invested in his product. He will do what ever he can to keep you going (or so I hear). Unfortunately, he is a one man show unlike Hirsch. They are a big organization and in some cases that is beneficial (the recent case comes to mind where they replaced the freight damaged press out of their own pocket while waiting for the insurance claim. Having another press in stock (and being willing to send it) was a plus here.

So . . . small and fanatical or big and steady? Your call!

pierre

[screenprintguy]

Those machines are very nice, besides the fact that they have full control of the machine at each head, I love how the print arms lift up out of your way on the S-type and SP machines. That right there is an awesome feature. Scary thing for me, if I were to get into one, is service, they are very "techy" and having a "tech" near by would be a necessity. They are built awesome, so there may never be a need, but still, that is a gamble some aren't willing to make on knowing they are an hours drive away from a tech. The only other machine I have seen with print heads that lift is the Alpha, but the whole head, screen clamps and all lift. On the MhM's it's just the main rail, so it makes flood/squeegee changes fast, loading ink, reg'ing the screen, cleaning, maintenance, the whole nine yards becomes a since with those lifting arms. They are slick machines to say the least. Also, anyone I have spoke with who owns one and has had others say no machine's set up can match when using their pre-reg and set up system.

[ebscreen]

All presses take roughly the same amount of time actually flooding and printing, as it is dependent on ink viscosity etc. The difference is how quickly you index and get the pallets in register. MHM does this very quickly and with minimal energy due to the fact that the pallet arms and supports are all lightweight aluminum. All other presses I've seen are steel. There are tradeoffs to both.

The head lift on S-Types is worth every penny and then some. I've had my 10/12 for 3 years or so and just got another one. I think there is one official tech in the US for MHM. That said downtime for my first press can be counted in minutes.

I called Hirsch yesterday to see about purchasing a new Tajima. On hold for 30 minutes and then they hung up when they closed. Usually companies answer that new sales line asap.

[Printficient]

E Type 16x20 Print area, table moves up and down.  S Type 18x24 print area table does not move up and down.  S Type also allows for lifting the squeegee/floodbar carriage out of the way to make for easier ink applications.  In every other way they are the same.

[ebscreen]

Can E-types freewheel?

[blue moon]

Can E-types freewheel?

yup!

[Screened Gear]

Can E-types freewheel?

yup!

Whats freewheel?

[ebscreen]

Unlock reg/index and spin the tables manually.

Coming from a press that can to a press that can't is kind of annoying,
but freewheeling can lead to out of parallel when folks get a little ham-fisted.

[Screened Gear]

Unlock reg/index and spin the tables manually.

Coming from a press that can to a press that can't is kind of annoying,
but freewheeling can lead to out of parallel when folks get a little ham-fisted.

So other pressed are always locked into the drive motor? I guess it wouldn't really matter to me. What is the benefit of freewheeling???