Customers are obviously cottoning on to the unique benefits of the Amaya XT professional embroidery equipment produced by Melco-Saurer.

And it's the modular nature of the machine that is key to its success.

According to Amaya's Peter Wright, the UK garment decoration industry has changed dramatically in the last few years. "Embroidery production now requires machines with total flexibility," he says. "Using modular machines is the only efficient way of running an embroidery business in the modern climate.

"Modular machines give you the ability to configure the ideal number of machines for each job. If you need to create a sample, then just use one machine and leave the rest in production."

Many garment re-sellers are saying that their embroiderers are holding back some of their smaller orders until they have several to do. If the embroiderers had an Amaya modular system they could cope easily with all their orders and not upset their clients. They also complained about inconsistent quality, adds Peter.

According to Peter, one customer was spending around £30,000 a year on embroidery. "He's just realised how much it's costing and that he should be doing it himself.

"The quality issue could be down to the training that operators are given," he continues. "Always use a machine supplier that gives good training, not just on the machine side but also on production techniques. Make sure that there is some quality assurance before the goods are despatched."

The Amaya XT embroidery system has many advantages. "You can configure up to 30 machines on one PC," says Peter. "Amaya is unique because it has automatic tensioning. With speeds up to 1,500 stitches per minute, the exclusive Acti-Feed system feeds the thread smoothly and automatically adjusts thread tensions, so you don't have to. You will get the same perfect quality on every sew-out."

The result, adds Peter, is a lighter embroidery and greater accuracy.

And because the Amaya machines stitch independently, a thread break won't halt the entire production. "If you have a fixed six head and get a thread break, all of the heads have to stop. So you've got that down time while it's being re-threaded," comments Peter.

"The efficiency on these is at least 30 to 40 per cent greater than conventional machines. Head for head, there is no comparison. These systems produce work orders not possible on conventional machines."

In fact, the Amaya XT is so efficient that you will only need three heads instead of a conventional six head machine, says Peter.

"The customers we are winning are those who really like the modular system - they like the machines and they like us," he adds. "We have had a few good deals recently where people are not just buying single machines, they are buying four or six at a time."

But he says is it misleading to call them a "single head" machine. "They can be whatever you want - as many as you add.

The advantages of Amaya include:

• The largest cap sewing field in the industry;
• Unique modular design;
• Precise automatic thread tension;
• Consistent speeds of up to 1,500 spm, regardless of machine configuration
• Precise laser tracing eye, and
• 16 colour backup system.

Plus, it is all neatly networked to one computer.

The Amaya XT also features the smallest cylindrical lower arm in the industry which gives you the ability to embroider the widest range of caps and visors, as well as pockets (without the need to remove), children's garments and golf club covers at speeds that cannot be achieved with other systems.

It is also the first to feature a laser eye for tracing and positioning. It makes the design set-up fast and easy, assuring accurate placement throughout the sewing process.

A patented height adjustable presser foot also makes it easy to adjust to different fabrics.

Amaya is proud to have supplied blue chip clients including Rolls Royce with embroidery machines. "Rolls Royce bought machines off us last year for embroidering the leather they use for upholstery and they have got three now," says Peter. Amaya has also supplied machines to the London College of Fashion and to the textile department of Huddersfield University.

Peter believes the embroidery industry is at a pivotal point.

"I think the biggest challenge is still there," he says. "You have all these people with old machinery and fixed head machines. They are not efficient and they are going to start realising that because their customers are now buying their own machines.

"It happened before, when people had the 12 heads and the 20 heads, and people got fed up and others came into the industry," adds Peter. "The same thing's happening now. A lot of people have fallen behind with technology."

He comments on the embroiderers' reluctance to invest in servicing. "This can contribute to bad embroidery," says Peter. "Our technicians are rarely asked to do a service. They are only normally asked to fix emergency repairs. Machines should be serviced at least once a year; there are several settings that need checking to keep the machines working efficiently and to prevent thread breaks and poor quality embroidery.

Also new this year is the latest version of DesignShop - compatible with Adobe and Corel-Draw - which is superb for automated digitising, says Peter.

Whether you are a new or seasoned digitiser, DesignShop V9 can convert almost any piece of artwork and lettering (with true type font conversion) into digital embroidery files with ease. You can also change stitches to vector files on screen, without using another program or switching to another screen.

"If you have a half reasonable graphic, it does it straight away and it does it well," says Peter.

Now you can choose from four levels (all with Vector conversion) and upgrade at any time, starting with DesignShop V9 Lite which offers affordable lettering for the beginner or enthusiast, through to DesignShop V9 Pro + , everything you need for professional digitizing, lettering, editing and sizing, including vector graphics.

"It's really intelligent now," says Peter. "And it can work with any embroidery machine format."

New digitizing features include the UnaFill splicer which allows users to splice multiple directions of fill stitches for one object. Auto underlay has been added with multiple choices of underlay styles for any digitized object or font. Objects will maintain colour properties so that copying and pasting will not require re-sequencing of colours.

New production tools include fabric profiles that allow users to save design information, such as stitch densities, to specific fabrics or apply fabric profiles to specific designs. Design information can also now be printed with bar codes. Use a bar code reader at anytime to recall the design, eliminating the need to search for design files on hard drives or disks.

According to Peter, most people are digitising in-house now, but a lack of software training is responsible for poor embroidery.

Amaya provides software training to overcome this problem.

We're on a roll...

Also new from Amaya for 2009 is the Tex Jet roll to roll printer which can print onto both sublimating paper, polyester material and ribbon. Manufactured by Polyprint, the printer was launched at FESPA in Amsterdam this spring.

"It has sublimation ink on one side and water-based ink on the other, so you can mix and match," says Peter. "That is a unique feature."

Ribbon widths can be varied and the printing area is 48cm.

Buyers can choose versions with the sublimation printer and the roll to roll, or with the ribbon printer.

Peter first saw the Tex Jet direct to garment printer at FESPA in Germany over two years ago. "At that time they were being sold through Kimoto in Switzerland, the European distributor, but now we deal directly with Greece and with Polyprint, the manufacturer."

Tex Jet has a 42 x 60cm platen (A2) and comes with its own Rip software.

Sealed cartridges of Dupont ink are now available to help overcome the traditional clogging problem.

"Some companies have to use an agitator on the back of the machine, but we don't need that," says Peter. "You still have a choice - those that you fill up yourself or the sealed cartridges. The latter have been made for people who don't use their printer every day."

Amaya UK have also launched the new Freejet TX textile printer which offers an A3 size printing area at a reduced price.

What's in a name?

The name Amaya came about as the result of a competition organised by Melco. It stands for As Many As You Add.

"Amaya is also a Spanish word for a gipsy dancer," says Peter Wright. "As Many As You Add makes perfect sense for us, but if you Google Amaya, all the dancing stuff will come up as well!"

For more information about Amaya Sales UK Ltd call 01730 711151, email sales@amayauk.com or visit www.amayauk.com

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