On February 17th, apparel decorators across the globe got a firsthand look at the new M&R Polaris direct-to-garment (DTG) machine during a live launch event hosted by the company. Throughout the event, M&R shared live demonstrations of the machine, discussed its features, and held a Q&A session.

The Polaris is the latest release from the company that’s been three years in the making. According to a video shared during the live launch event, the DTG machine is developed from features of two of M&R’s other pieces of equipment: the Striker and the Digital Squeegee 400. All stations, from loading to pretreatment to final print, are part of the Polaris, encouraging a more efficient workflow process.

Participants in the launch event included:

  • Thomas Trimingham, director of marketing
  • Patrick Lashbrook, smart product sales manager
  • Michelle Moxley, innovation director
  • Danielle Hazen, smart technology line manager
  • Peter Walsh, executive vice president

To kick off the event, a short video featured commentary from Danny Sweem, CEO at M&R. From there, all event participants took turns showcasing different features of the equipment. Some highlights include:

  • Two high-speed digital print engines (one white and one CMYK)
  • Onboard automated pretreat application and drying systems
  • Printed garments are fully cured at 300 F in three minutes or less

“Most DTG equipment is used for POD (print-on-demand) services today,” noted Lashbrook. “With the Polaris, you have the quick turnaround ability with retail-quality images.”

The machine is listed at $824,950, a price that includes the system, stage installation and training program, DTG start-up consumables kit, and a spare parts kit. Hazen added during the Q&A portion of the event that the machine is fairly low maintenance, stating that it’s about a 15-minute start-up window in the morning and 15 minutes of shutdown procedures in the evening. She also stated that users should do a weekly oiling of the carriage and other small components as well.

For those who would like information, Lashbrook encourages them to reach out to him directly or contact their regional M&R manager or distributor. You can also visit the site for additional details.