MHM S Type? Likes and Dislikes...

[blue moon]

I'll give a little back ground. 

We currently run an 8 color all electric press, with no Registration System. Will not mention manufacture, does not seem important to conversation. 

Average print run 100 to 500 pcs, that are now rangeing in 5-7 colors on an 8 color press, major PITA!
(We currently have 12 jobs in que that are all 6 to 7 colors)
Why we are looking to upgrade. 

Average 2-3 jobs daily 1 8hr shift with 6hrs of production time, 6 days a week.

Average production speed 45-60 dozen/hr.  This is while flashing. 

 

This is why we are looking to upgrade.

just a quick note in passing . . .  here's what we did one day when we were in a hurry.

Three ppl on the press. We finished the first 7 color sim process job and pulled the old screens out, cleaned 5 squeegees and floodbars, put the new screens in (they were ready and staged for the swap), loaded the new ink (premixed and waiting), registered the next job (another 7 color simulated process) and stuck off the first sample. Start to finish . . . 8.5 minutes!

It is the registration system and the floating linear micros that make it possible. On normal days, we register the 6-7 color sim process in about 10 min (and we register to about 6-8/1000th of an inch).

pierre

[alan802]

With the background info you provided I think the E type would be the best fit.  If you plan on doing double what you normally do within a year then you might want to think about the S type a little more, but you sound like you do the same types of jobs that we do with the colors and quantities.  Our average job is a 4 over 4 on black or navy, 48-72 pieces.  We get the 1000 or more piece job once or twice a month but the majority of our time is spent on setups and teardowns, not printing.  I love the MHM regi system.  We've been using the triloc for the last few months and it's been great.  My old DIY regi system was identical to the MHM in art setup to screen but I had to use a stand-alone pallet jig to register the screens on press.  I've also used the triloc without carrier sheets and the other way with the double sided tape and honestly, the results are better with the carrier sheets, and it really doesn't take any more time than the double sided tape way.  The MHM method of placing art to screen is the fastest way, but it's not drastically faster, at least it wasn't at our shop.  Your results may vary!!!

Whatever press you choose, do not cheap out on the regi system.  I know it ain't cheap and might discourage a lot of shops from buying, but it will pay for itself within months if used correctly.

[blue moon]

With the background info you provided I think the E type would be the best fit.  If you plan on doing double what you normally do within a year then you might want to think about the S type a little more, but you sound like you do the same types of jobs that we do with the colors and quantities.  Our average job is a 4 over 4 on black or navy, 48-72 pieces.  We get the 1000 or more piece job once or twice a month but the majority of our time is spent on setups and teardowns, not printing.  I love the MHM regi system.  We've been using the triloc for the last few months and it's been great.  My old DIY regi system was identical to the MHM in art setup to screen but I had to use a stand-alone pallet jig to register the screens on press.  I've also used the triloc without carrier sheets and the other way with the double sided tape and honestly, the results are better with the carrier sheets, and it really doesn't take any more time than the double sided tape way.  The MHM method of placing art to screen is the fastest way, but it's not drastically faster, at least it wasn't at our shop.  Your results may vary!!!

Whatever press you choose, do not cheap out on the regi system.  I know it ain't cheap and might discourage a lot of shops from buying, but it will pay for itself within months if used correctly.

from what I have seen, the triloc will give similar results as the MHM FPU. It is a little bit slower (all things equal), but we are splitting hairs here.  My suggestion would be to see both presses in action and get a quote. I think the mentality behind the design is quite different and one might suite you better than the other.

pierre

[Parker 1]

With the background info you provided I think the E type would be the best fit.  If you plan on doing double what you normally do within a year then you might want to think about the S type a little more, but you sound like you do the same types of jobs that we do with the colors and quantities.  Our average job is a 4 over 4 on black or navy, 48-72 pieces.  We get the 1000 or more piece job once or twice a month but the majority of our time is spent on setups and teardowns, not printing.  I love the MHM regi system.  We've been using the triloc for the last few months and it's been great.  My old DIY regi system was identical to the MHM in art setup to screen but I had to use a stand-alone pallet jig to register the screens on press.  I've also used the triloc without carrier sheets and the other way with the double sided tape and honestly, the results are better with the carrier sheets, and it really doesn't take any more time than the double sided tape way.  The MHM method of placing art to screen is the fastest way, but it's not drastically faster, at least it wasn't at our shop.  Your results may vary!!!

Whatever press you choose, do not cheap out on the regi system.  I know it ain't cheap and might discourage a lot of shops from buying, but it will pay for itself within months if used correctly.

Alan, I agree with getting the E type but it is only offered with up to 10 colors.  This leaves us no where to grow.  We out grew our press with in a Month of having it. Kick myself in the a$$ daily for not getting atleast a 10 color.  I have operated other brands with front and rear screen claps and we currently run a Machine with side clamps.  I prefer side clamps, so that narrows the field down.  I am currently limiting colors in art to make it work with our current press.  It is becoming more difficult to do so and keep customers happy with the end result.  I do not like the "idea" of carrier sheets.  I will revist the tri-loc system again.  May give you a call in my spare time and pick your brain. 

[alan802]

I don't think you'll outgrow the 10 color as much as you think.  We've never really needed anything bigger.  There was a huge difference in going from an 8 color to a 10 though.  If we had a 12 color or bigger, we would not have done one single job that we didn't do on the 10 color.  I guess if you have those jobs that are 8 colors or more and you have to do a plastisol underbase then a 12 color would be nice, but fortunately most of our work can be done in 6-7 colors or less.

[blue moon]

I don't think you'll outgrow the 10 color as much as you think.  We've never really needed anything bigger.  There was a huge difference in going from an 8 color to a 10 though.  If we had a 12 color or bigger, we would not have done one single job that we didn't do on the 10 color.  I guess if you have those jobs that are 8 colors or more and you have to do a plastisol underbase then a 12 color would be nice, but fortunately most of our work can be done in 6-7 colors or less.

some of the advantages of more heads are more flashes, more cool down heads, a permanent spot for the fuzz pickup screen and more colors. While most of us don't need more colors to reproduce the image or add the special effects, it is nice to be able to separate the image into more colors. It avoids blending (for example instead of red and yellow trying to mix to create a particular shade of orange, with an extra head you can just add the orange ink in and save time on potentially having to tweak the seps in order to nail that orange shade).

with that in mind, our next press should be a 14 color. Not ready to buy yet, but am very much so looking forward to it.

pierre

[Sbrem]

With the background info you provided I think the E type would be the best fit.  If you plan on doing double what you normally do within a year then you might want to think about the S type a little more, but you sound like you do the same types of jobs that we do with the colors and quantities.  Our average job is a 4 over 4 on black or navy, 48-72 pieces.  We get the 1000 or more piece job once or twice a month but the majority of our time is spent on setups and teardowns, not printing.  I love the MHM regi system.  We've been using the triloc for the last few months and it's been great.  My old DIY regi system was identical to the MHM in art setup to screen but I had to use a stand-alone pallet jig to register the screens on press.  I've also used the triloc without carrier sheets and the other way with the double sided tape and honestly, the results are better with the carrier sheets, and it really doesn't take any more time than the double sided tape way.  The MHM method of placing art to screen is the fastest way, but it's not drastically faster, at least it wasn't at our shop.  Your results may vary!!!

Whatever press you choose, do not cheap out on the regi system.  I know it ain't cheap and might discourage a lot of shops from buying, but it will pay for itself within months if used correctly.

Alan, I agree with getting the E type but it is only offered with up to 10 colors.  This leaves us no where to grow.  We out grew our press with in a Month of having it. Kick myself in the a$$ daily for not getting atleast a 10 color.  I have operated other brands with front and rear screen claps and we currently run a Machine with side clamps.  I prefer side clamps, so that narrows the field down.  I am currently limiting colors in art to make it work with our current press.  It is becoming more difficult to do so and keep customers happy with the end result.  I do not like the "idea" of carrier sheets.  I will revist the tri-loc system again.  May give you a call in my spare time and pick your brain.

don't let the lack of side clamps turn you off to MHM. It has no clamps at all, it takes 2 seconds to load a screen mostly in register... I prefer side clamps too, on a manual though.

Steve