I’ve recently bought this marvelous machine for my business and I simply must write about it in detail.
After searching for a good machine that won’t cost me a fortune, the Melco Amaya Bravo X topped the list with numerous recommendations, mostly that it is the best value for money embroidery machine you can find.
Guess what? It is!
I’m simply amazed by it and here is why…
Melco Bravo X 16 Needle Review
Standout features:
- As the name suggests, it has 16 needles that will embroider colorful patterns with efficiency.
- It has a fantastic Acti-Feed thread control that automatically adjusts the tension.
- Laser positioning and alignment.
- The smallest cylindrical lower arm I’ve ever seen that works at high speed!
- Easy to use!
About the Melco Bravo X
What amazed me the most is that this Melco Bravo 16 needle system has a color backup system, a great novelty in the textile industry. By the looks of it, it is aimed at the highest productivity, allows the possibility of creating groups of needles so that, in case of thread breakage, the Amaya automatically jumps to the next needle in the group programmed with the reserve color and continues embroidering. Amazing, right?
This innovative backup system is very easy to configure, both in single and multi-head configurations. Another great addition is the new automatic color assignment system! No need to worry anymore, Bravo X now takes care of assigning the colors to your design automatically, choosing the most similar color coil in each case.
Acti-Feed
What makes Melco Amaya Bravo one of the best embroidery machines on the market, if you ask me, is because it includes an innovative, fully autonomous, automated thread tension system. What does it do? Well, now I can forget about calibrating and regulating the thread tensions periodically as the Acti-Feed system will take care of feeding the thread smoothly by automatically adjusting the necessary tension in each stitch!
As you may know, the tension of the threads is very important to obtain perfect embroidery. This system ensures a regular and perfect quality for each type of fabric and threads to be used, regardless of the experience of the operator in charge of the machine (I had my new assistants use it, they did it with ease).
High Speed
All the embroideries will be the same, you will not see stitch skips, spikes, or waves. This beauty can perform at full speed without losing any quality at all! The Melco Bravo has a pantograph capable of positioning itself at each point at very high speed. The movement of both axes is smooth and silent, thanks to the independent servomotors with which it is supplied.
The hoop movement has been optimized to allow precise positioning to provide an embroidery speed of up to 1000 stitches per minute flat! If you ask me, that’s amazing. In the case of cap embroidery, the Amaya Bravo is capable of offering a maximum speed of 1000 ppm in any part of the cap, front or side, making it probably the fastest in the cap embroidery category that I’ve ever used.
Laser Pointer
When it comes to the laser pointer, I know that a lot of experienced embroiders will turn their heads to it. But it’s actually quite helpful! The Bravo system includes an internal laser pointer that will help us trace the embroidery in progress to ensure that the design is in the corresponding place in each case. We can combine the embroidery with patterns, for example, fitting both parts to perfection.
And why not use laser pointers? Why not have automated help? This embroidery machine makes our work easier!
Choosing Shades
It is no longer necessary to look one by one at the order of the colors of the design and manually apply a needle to each color. When loading the design, the Amaya software (AOS) makes an automatic needle selection according to the RGB color of the pick we are working on, based on the colors assigned to the creel of the machine. The system makes an automatic selection and assigns the color to the needle number with the closest threaded thread.
For example, if we had in the design a red color and in the needles, we had 3 different shades of red (garnet, scarlet and red), this automatic color comparison function would be in charge of assigning it the needle most similar to the RGB red of the design, discarding the tones of red remaining.
In the event that a color assigned in the picking does not keep similarity to any of the colors assigned in the creel, the Amaya software (AOS) will ask us which needle we want to assign to that color that it does not find similar to.
Height Adjustable Presser Foot
Melco Bravo has provided this embroidery machine with a patented height adjustable presser foot system, which is the only one that allows its height to be adjusted when changing fabric type manually, without the use of tools. Now going from embroidering a fine fabric to a thick fabric is very easy for anyone who is on the machine.
The height-adjustable foot moves from its lowest position of 0.5mm to its highest position of 3.5mm above the level of the needle plate.
Small Cylindrical Arm
For all Bravo Amaya models, the lower cylinder arm is the smallest cylindrical arm in the embroidery machine industry. This allows you the possibility of having more embroidery fields in caps and visors, as well as in trouser or shirt pockets, children’s clothing, and golf bags, at speeds that will hardly be matched by any other embroidery systems that I’ve tried.
The special hook coating enables maximum performance at speeds of up to 1000 ppm for the Amaya Bravo and requires less lubrication than standard hooks on other embroidery machines.
Breakage detection
This fantastic embroidery machine also has many other features such as the thread breakage detector, which automatically detects thread breaks and bobbin ends, or the safety thread catcher system, designed as a needle guard that prevents accidents while placing the thread in a defined position after cutting.
Tech Support
As it might get confusing to set this machine up to work to its fullest, especially if you are new in the business, a help of technical support might be necessary. Luckily, there are great instructional videos on YouTube on how to use this machine. Besides, the tech support can be contacted if you have any need for support or technical assistance, be it warnings that the machine may give, repair needs, configuration advice, and similar.
It should also be mentioned that the Amaya system offers the largest embroidery area on caps, 382×82 mm. In addition, Amaya offers real hoop limits, with which we can embroider up to the real physical limit of the hoop that we have chosen.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- The machine has so many innovative features that make embroidery simply mesmerizing.
- There is less work to do when using this machine.
- Although quite modern, it is quite easy to use it as well.
- Fast and precise stitching with a lot of helping mechanisms.
- Great value for money.
Cons
- Users should know their way about computers in order to fully use this machine.
Value Editorial and Buying debates
Why buy an embroidery machine?
In times of crisis or not, it is always interesting to find new sources of income and a good option for this is the embroidery machine! As it can be used on towels, coats, uniforms, caps, and more, this item is extremely versatile and an investment that can yield good results for those interested in joining this field.
Of course, people who are just starting with this business should first take it slow, buy a cheaper machine than the one I just described (Melco embroidery machine price is around $10,000), see how it goes, and then, if inspired and good enough, invest in better machines and do more work.
Those who are doing this type of work for some time – don’t wait any longer! Invest a bit and buy Melco Bravo X right now! It will make your life so much easier.
Purchase criteria: Factors to compare embroidery machine models
Since this will be an investment and a product that could become your source of income, it is essential to make a good decision, right? To help you in this process, I have separated the main comparison factors between embroidery machine models:
- Machine type,
- Shelf dimension,
- Number of matrices,
- Speed,
- Size.
Once you know what you want, it is quite easy to find a machine that works like a charm. How? Sewing machine reviews on the internet!
To know the different opinions of the machine you want to buy, I recommend that you go to Amazon and other similar websites and browse through the different comments and opinions, so you will get a fairly precise idea of what machine you are going to buy is like. Keep in mind that opinions are counted by hundreds and hundreds, so you will just have to look for the most useful answers.
Some opinions will tell you things that do not help you at all like “I love it! I am delighted with my new machine, it works like a charm”, but if you keep looking and digging through the opinions, you will find a lot of good information that gives you precise details of the machine you are going to buy. Something like “This machine has served me perfectly to sew pants, hem two tablecloths, and make curtains with three different fabrics. I use the machine somewhat more often than at home, no more than 2 or 3 hours a day, but enough to know that I am looking at a great device…”
Do others think Melco Bravo is any good?
Yes, I’m not the only person who thinks Melco Bravo is great. As stated at the beginning, I was reading a lot of Melco Bravo reviews on the internet (that’s why I recommended for you to do the same in the previous paragraph since it worked out for me as well), and the general feeling is that people are quite satisfied with it.
Those who do embroidery for a long time and also know how to set up a machine will have zero problems with it. Some did have slight problems which were fixed immediately upon contacting the support team. If you set it up nicely and use it to the fullest of its capabilities, the Melco Bravo will do the job perfectly. Besides, here is one of the reviews that sum up my point perfectly:
“I have the new EMT 16 by Melco and recently got a used Bravo. I love them both. The Bravo gives me zero problems unless it’s user error.”
In addition, there are several YouTube videos of professionals showing how the machine works and how satisfied they are as well!
Melco Bravo X FAQ
Where is Melco made?
Melco is an embroidery machine manufacturer and embroidery software, developer. The company’s history in the embroidery industry dates back to 1972 and today they are leaders in embroidery technology. All of Melco’s embroidery equipment has been designed and developed in the United States.
Where are Melco embroidery machines made?
The factory is based in Westminster, Colorado, not far from Denver.
What embroidery format does Melco use?
Melco uses the OFM embroidery file type as a default format, especially the Melco Bravo machine. Some Melco machines use the EMB files, but those are older machines that work on older operating systems.
Who makes Melco?
Here is a short history of the company that I’ve found.
In 1972, William Child and Randall Melton founded Melco in Denver, Colorado. Their goal is to develop the first computerized embroidery system.
In 1977, Melco introduces the first embroidery system controlled by computers and names it Digitrac.
In 1980, Melco launches its first embroidery machine, the Star 1. It is the first machine capable of embroidering curved letters. Since then Melco has produced machines with one to twelve heads, mainly for the US market.
In 1990, a Swiss textile machinery maker Saurer acquires Melco. The idea for the Amaya machine was born (“As Many As You Add”). It is a modular machine system that took three years to develop.
In 2002, Melco introduces the Amaya embroidery machine and with it, the Acti-Feed thread feed system, the greatest innovation the industry has experienced in the last 20 years. Consequently, Melco parts ways with its multi-head machines.
In 2006, an industrial giant OC Oerlikon acquires Saurer. A year later, Melco launches LiveDesigner personalization technology.
In 2012, Melco is sold to Bernina International AG, a company from Steckborn, Switzerland. Soon after, Melco launches the EMT16 embroidery machine, which with its new user interface sets new standards for efficiency, flexibility, and ease of use.
Conclusion
If you don’t believe me, feel free to search and compare with the rest of the existing offers on the market and you will know why I was ensuring you the whole time that the new Melco Amaya Bravo models are not conventional embroidery machines, they are unique embroidery machines for their performance, which will surely improve your works and productivity by a lot.
I know this beauty definitely has done wonders for me and by the looks of it, will continue in the future. Who knows, maybe I just fell in love quickly and rushed into a positive review, but by the looks of other satisfied people, I’m pretty sure I will stand by my words. Make sure you are staying safe in these times we are all going through and have a good one, guys!