SOL Nova Unlimited – Cheyenne's first wireless tattoo machine for unlimited tattooing

Tattooing as if you were simply holding a pen in your hand? No annoying cords to get in the way, no tattoo power supply to adjust or footswitches to operate - it's just you and your tattoo machine. It is light in the hand and forms a perfect symbiosis with you. Unlimited tattooing for unlimited creativity. What sounds like a dream has become reality thanks to the latest innovation from Cheyenne Professional Tattoo Equipment. About a year ago, at the Factory Day at our main location in Berlin, we introduced the revolutionary SOL Nova Unlimited - a wireless tattoo machine that is making tattoo artists' hearts beat faster all over the world.

Weighing just 184 grams and measuring less than 13 centimetres and packed with the most innovative technology, our SOL Nova Unlimited is turning the heads of tattoo artists around the globe. The machine was developed in Berlin according to medical standards and the highest quality requirements. Unlike other wireless tattoo machines, the SOL Nova Unlimited does not require a third-party battery to be attached; it has its own integrated power supply. Making this possible was the greatest challenge in the development of this new type of tattoo machine, explains Richard Weiss, Product Manager at Cheyenne: "We felt that the previous solutions on the market were unsatisfactory in terms of ergonomics. So we came up with initial concepts on how best to integrate the battery without it interfering with the artist's work. It was quickly clear that our first battery-operated machine would be shaped like a pen. "The first battery-operated tattoo machine from Cheyenne was based on the SOL Nova, which is very popular with tattoo artists. The name of the latest machine is also derived from this development: SOL Nova Unlimited - unlimited because the tattoo artist really has unlimited possibilities when using it. In the next step, we had to integrate all the inner workings of a control unit with all its functions in the machine and make it work, which we managed to do quite well," says Richard. A reliable power supply within the machine, and a wealth of adjustment possibilities, operable via just one button - in fact, our product developers at Cheyenne have achieved a real masterpiece with this; it revolutionizes the day-to-day work of tattoo artists.

The SOL Nova Unlimited is powered by a rechargeable battery, which is available in most battery shops. The main advantage is that tattoo artists can easily supply themselves with new batteries when travelling if something fails or cannot be carried in hand luggage, for example. A standard 18500 lithium-ion battery is used; more precisely, the Panasonic NCR18500A. "It was very important to us to use a battery from a quality supplier that you can also buy in a battery shop," says Richard. Two batteries are included in the scope of delivery; when fully charged, the batteries are said to have a runtime of five hours. Richard explains the conditions under which this time value was determined: "We determined these five hours using a 27-magnum Cheyenne Safety Cartridge at the highest frequency. This is a needle module with several needles and a relatively stiff safety membrane, which means a particularly high load for the tattoo machine. With the appropriate tattoo needle and lancing frequency, runtimes of over ten hours are even possible with the SOL Nova Unlimited. However, it is important to us that we are not making customers expect ideal conditions that are not suitable for everyday use by the majority of tattoo artists. We say that the machine will last at least five hours and the artist can rely on that, no matter how demanding their tattooing conditions are. A few months after the market launch, we can confirm, based on feedback from many tattoo artists, that the SOL Nova Unlimited can be used to tattoo for far more than five hours - depending on the area of application.
The battery can be fully recharged in the charger supplied in just three hours. This means that before a battery is empty, the second one can be recharging and the artist always has enough power. The battery can be replaced in no time at all, meaning unlimited tattooing is not an empty promise with the SOL Nova Unlimited. Don't be afraid of the moment when the battery reaches its limits: the machine runs constantly with the set parameters until the battery is empty. Then it simply switches off. The battery charge level is indicated by a multicoloured LED on the machine and the tattoo artist is always aware of the charge level.

The new SOL Nova Unlimited has a lot in common with its predecessor, not only in terms of shape and appearance: it has the same quiet and low-vibration operation for which the Sol Nova is already known. Those who have already worked with it and who know tattooing with the coil machine in comparison, know how much more pleasant the work is now. In particular tattoo artists who have been tattooing for a long time are pleased with the wrist-friendly feature and see it as a real solution to be able to tattoo as long as possible without pain. Customers too are noticing differences when they are tattooed using a new type of Cheyenne: the Cheyenne tattoo machine is perceived as much calmer and thus more relaxing.

The revolutionary SOL Nova Unlimited is operated with just one button. The reduced design and simplified operation make it possible to avoid distractions and makes the tattoo artist's work easier. "Our goal is to make the life of the tattoo artist easy. A machine with numerous buttons and labels doesn't fit with that goal. So the ideal is operation using just a single button, which the tattoo artist finds without having to turn from his tattoo pattern to look at the machine," Richard explains. This button not only switches the wireless tattoo machine on and off, but it also adjusts the stitching frequency and allows the user to switch between two operating modes. "It was clear that our first battery-operated machine must also be able to switch between Steady and Responsive Mode, just like the SOL Luna and SOL Terra. Our research and development departments worked very well together to achieve this."
There is also real innovation behind the modes just mentioned: in Responsive Mode, the needle enters the skin, causing the resistance to increase. Under this load increase, the pricking frequency and thus the hit break down. Depending on the skin condition, this response of the machine is stronger or weaker. Steady mode was then introduced with the SOL Nova. Here, the motor's controller continuously measures the stitch frequency. If the load on the motor increases, the controller registers this and supplies the motor with more energy to compensate for the increased load. The stitch frequency and thus the hit remain constant, regardless of the condition of the skin area to be tattooed. "Responsive Mode is often used for soft shading, while Steady Mode is good for rich lines," says our product manager.

When the wireless tattoo machine is switched on, a long press toggles between Responsive or Steady modes and a short press starts and stops the machine. The frequency is changed via gesture control. "If you press and hold the button while the machine is running, tilting the machine up increases the stitch frequency, while tilting it down decreases it. When you find the frequency you want, you release the button and can continue tattooing. " What may sound abstract at first can quickly be applied intuitively, allowing the tattoo artist to work even faster and more confidently without distraction. To help learn the technique, we include practical instructions with every tattoo machine: "Every SOL Nova Unlimited comes with a small poster that you can hang on your studio wall. This poster shows the tilt angles and the corresponding piercing frequencies and voltages. The artist only needs to hold the machine in front of the poster and can set the desired frequency exactly. One side of the poster is for right-handers, the other for left-handers," Richard explains.

In order to meet the individual needs of tattoo artists even better, Cheyenne has launched another version of the SOL Nova Unlimited with 3.5 mm stroke about eight months after the launch: "After the launch, we received feedback from customers who wanted a stroke of 4.0 mm. Since we take feedback seriously, we quickly launched a second version with the desired 4.0 mm stroke," says Richard. "The 3.5 mm stroke provides a good balance between lines and shading. The additional SOL Nova Unlimited 4.0 has the desired 4.0 mm stroke, which is suitable for demanding line and colour packing." It was important to the developers to provide a solution for every type of tattooing that makes equal use of the innovative technology. Needle protrusion can be continuously adjusted from 0 - 4.0 mm in the 3.5 version and from 0.25 - 4.25 mm in the 4.0 version.

The SOL Nova Unlimited comes in a practical case that is covered in black fabric and has a simple design. This means you can take the wireless tattoo machine practically anywhere and have it perfectly protected. It’s a great plus, especially for conventions, guest spots and travelling. The product purchase also includes a 33.0 mm SOL Nova Grip, two batteries, the operating instructions and a charger.
When will you put away the cables and let innovation enter your tattoo studio?
With the SOL Nova Unlimited, you will get to know a new side of tattooing - tattooing wirelessly thanks to battery operation. It’s just like drawing directly on the skin with a pen. Low-vibration, yet technically versatile thanks to a wide range of settings.
For more details and to order the SOL Nova Unlimited machine directly, click here. If you have any questions about the Cheyenne product range, don't hesitate to contact us.