Embroidery Machine Guide

Melco · Multi-needle · Specs checked October 2026

Melco BRAVO: hoop size, file formats and specs

Also written: Bravo, BRAVO 16 needle, Melco Bravo 16-needle

Melco's entry 16-needle commercial machine. It has a 12.7 × 10.5 in (322 × 267 mm) sew field, runs up to 1,000 stitches per minute and trims thread automatically. Designs arrive over Ethernet from a computer. It weighs about 165 lb (75 kg) without its cart.

The Melco BRAVO is a 16-needle embroidery machine with a 12.7 × 10.5 in (322 × 267 mm) embroidery field. It reads .OFM, .EXP, .DST files and gets designs by USB cable to a computer.

BRAVO hoop size and embroidery area

The BRAVO can stitch a design up to 12.7 × 10.5 in (322 × 267 mm) in one hooping, which is the 8 × 12 in size. That is the field limit: a larger hoop from another maker will not let it stitch a bigger area.

BRAVO field8 × 126 × 105 × 74 × 4
The BRAVO field (filled) next to standard hoop sizes, drawn to scale.

Optional from Melco: Largest tubular frame (frame about 14.2 × 11.8 in) (12.7 × 10.5 in (322 × 267 mm)).

Cap frame: Conventional cap frame (about 5.9 × 2.75 in) (6 × 2.8 in (152 × 70 mm)), sold separately.

Fits in one hooping at typical size: left chest, full front, full back, pocket, sleeve, cap front, cap side and back, beanie, towel, baby onesie, baby bib, tote bag, pillow cover, quilt block, patch.

Check if your design fits the BRAVO

What file format does the BRAVO use?

The BRAVO reads .OFM, .EXP and .DST files. You load designs by USB cable to a computer. Designs in other formats (for example .JEF or .PES) need converting first with embroidery software.

Where to buy the Melco BRAVO

About $8,995–$10,887 new (checked October 2026)

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Melco BRAVO specs

TypeMulti-needle (16 needles)
Embroidery field12.7 × 10.5 in (322 × 267 mm)
Hoops includedNot listed
Optional hoopsLargest tubular frame (frame about 14.2 × 11.8 in) (12.7 × 10.5 in (322 × 267 mm))
Cap frameConventional cap frame (about 5.9 × 2.75 in) (optional)
File formats it reads.OFM, .EXP, .DST
Design transferUSB cable to a computer
Max embroidery speed1000 stitches per minute
Weight165 lb (74.8 kg)
StatusSold new
Typical priceAbout $8,995–$10,887 new (checked October 2026)
Skill levelIntermediate

Who the BRAVO is for

A shop or serious hobbyist stepping up to a commercial machine who wants 16 colors loaded at once and a field big enough for jackets and bags. Skip it if you want a light home machine or USB and Wi-Fi design transfer.

Strengths

  • 16 needles hold 16 thread colors at once, so multi-color designs need fewer thread changes
  • Melco's technical manual gives a 12.7 × 10.5 in (322 × 267 mm) maximum sew field in a tubular frame, far larger than a 5 × 7 in home field
  • Sews at up to 1,000 stitches per minute, with a 300 to 1,000 range in Melco's spec table
  • Auto trimming with a self-sharpening carbide knife, Acti-Feed automatic thread tension and laser alignment are listed on Melco's page
  • Melco's page lists an included cap driver, with a cap frame system as an optional add-on

Limits

  • Melco's manual says an Ethernet connection to a computer is required to control the machine and send designs; no USB or Wi-Fi transfer is listed
  • Heavy: about 165 lb (75 kg) without the cart and 210 lb (95 kg) with it
  • The cap frame is an optional extra, and Melco's technical manual lists the single-machine cap frame at only 5.9 × 2.75 in (152 × 70 mm)
  • Melco publishes no hoop sizes for the hoop kit in the starter package, no screen size and no built-in design or font counts

Good to know: Specs come from Melco's BRAVO product page and the BRAVO X technical manual on Melco's service site. That manual's spec table has two software levels: Lite, for one machine, and Flex, for up to four. The Lite column is used here, because its 12.7 × 10.5 in sew field matches the Large Sew Field figure on the product page. The product page's feature list also shows 12.6 × 10.25 in, which looks like an older figure, so the manual's 322 × 267 mm is used. The manual gives the largest tubular frame as 360 × 300 mm (14.2 × 11.8 in) with a 322 × 267 mm sew field, and the sew field is listed as the hoop size. Melco says a tubular hoop kit comes in the starter package but gives no sizes, so no included flat hoop is listed. The product page shows a 6 × 3.2 in cap frame with the optional cap frame system, while the technical manual lists a 152 × 70 mm (5.9 × 2.75 in) conventional cap frame for Lite and no wide angle frame, so the manual's size is used. Melco's pages do not list file formats for the machine itself. Its manual calls EXP files test designs for the machine and OFM files its own format, and DesignShop 12 supports DST and EXP files; those three are listed. An older BRAVO OS release also mentions loading EMB, PSF, ART and JEF files. Ethernet is filed under cable. Melco's page shows a starter package that adds a hoop kit, a starter kit, DesignShop 12 lettering software and a steel cart to the machine. The price range here runs from Melco's machine price to its full package total, and no US dealer page could be opened to confirm it. Weight is the machine without the cart. Training is a separate add-on. Melco gives no launch year, no screen size and no successor or predecessor, so those fields are empty. Melco's support site has separate BRAVO and BRAVO X pages, and the BRAVO X manual notes support for a needle plate trimmer.

How the BRAVO compares

Listed in our buying guides

Frequently asked questions

What is the embroidery area of the Melco BRAVO?

Melco's technical manual lists a maximum sew field of 12.7 × 10.5 in (322 × 267 mm) in a tubular frame. Melco's product page gives the same figure under its Large Sew Field tab.

How much does the Melco BRAVO cost?

Melco lists the machine on its own and a starter package that adds a hoop kit, a starter kit, lettering software and a cart. The range shown on this page runs from the machine price to the full package total. Training is a separate add-on.

What hoops does the Melco BRAVO use?

It uses tubular frames up to about 14.2 × 11.8 in (360 × 300 mm), which give the 12.7 × 10.5 in (322 × 267 mm) sew field. A tubular hoop kit comes in Melco's starter package, but Melco does not list its sizes.

Can the Melco BRAVO embroider hats?

Yes. Melco's page lists a cap driver as included and a cap frame system as an optional add-on. Melco's technical manual gives the conventional cap frame as 5.9 × 2.75 in (152 × 70 mm).

How do I get designs onto the Melco BRAVO?

Through a computer. Melco's manual says an Ethernet connection is required to control the machine and send designs, and the machine runs from Melco's BRAVO OS software. Melco does not list USB or Wi-Fi transfer.

Sources

Specs come from Melco's own pages and manuals, checked October 2026. Prices are typical ranges, not live prices. We are not affiliated with Melco. See how we research.