M&R is pleased to announce the addition of the Challenger III and the addition to the Sportsman DPE to its line of automatic textile presses.
Challenger revolutionized screen printing in the 1980s, and Challengers have dominated the industry ever since. Now, M&R’s all-new Challenger III expands on that tradition by combining innovative patented and patent-pending features—like M&R’s Ink-Dip Ink Retrieval System and Optical No-Shirt Detector.
Printheads
Challenger III’s Formula-based servo-driven belt-drive-indexer enables double indexing in one uninterrupted motion, increasing production speed for oversize work by eliminating the pause between indexes.
Like Alpha 8, Challenger III’s printheads also feature calibrated tool-free click-stop four-corner off-contact settings for fast and accurate screen leveling. Built from the ground up to optimize performance, flexibility, print quality, and durability, Challenger III is ready to dominate the next decade of carousel textile printing.
Versions
All three versions of Challenger III feature Alpha 8-style electric printheads. Models 55, 70, and 110 offer respective maximum image lengths of 55 cm (22”), 70 cm (28”), and 110 cm (43”). Printheads are driven by fast, reliable electric-drive motors, and include no-tools front and rear print-stroke adjustment for versatility and exceptionally high production rates. Pneumatic screen clamps facilitate rapid screen loading and deliver excellent stability on a wide variety of screens. Other standard features include squeegee pressure regulators; independent squeegee & floodbar speed adjustments; independently-set angle and calibrated squeegee and floodbar pressure adjustments; and adjustable rear screen holders.
Challenger III’s large new touch-screen control panel with icon-based labeling can display information and commands in numerous languages, simplifying press operation and training anywhere in the world.
Sportsman DPE
Also new is the Sportsman DPE, which has the same simplicity of operation and performance-proven dependability as the Sportsman E, but with room to place flash units between print stations.
Sportsman DPE’s eight printheads and 18 stations enable users to flash between each printhead and still print up to eight colors. Sportsman DPE has a maximum print stroke length of 78 cm (31”) and a standard image area of 41 x 46 cm (16” x 18″). Sportsman DPE’s maximum image area (without flash cure units in place) is an impressive 79 x 79 cm (31” x 31”). All models feature servo-driven indexers, electric printheads, and multiple print-stroke capability.
Features
The press is compatible with most registration systems, including M&R’s Tri-Loc and Newman Pin-Lock. Pneumatic clamps hold frames tight and allow rapid screen loading. Standard features like independent squeegee & floodbar speed adjustments, adjustable rear screen holders, independently-set angle and calibrated pressure adjustments, and independent print, reset, and print/flood speed controls on each printhead further simplify setup.
Other standard features include a 14 cm (5.7”) color touch-screen display, onboard self-diagnostics, real-time production data, and an independent print-start/print-finish setting that automatically activates and stops printheads at the beginning and end of production runs.
