Xerox Direct to Object Inkjet Printer

2016: Announcement

At the end of August, 2016 the Xerox company provided the printer allowing to print on any objects. The device received the name Direct to Object Inkjet Printer.

To the new invention of Xerox printing of images or the text on any objects (circles, clothes, souvenirs, etc.), as a rule, assumed that at first the necessary illustration is printed on special paper, and then is transferred to an object. Xerox constructed the equipment allowing to print at once on volume surfaces.

Direct to Object Inkjet Printer allows to print images on any objects

It is possible to insert all possible objects made of plastic, metal, glass or ceramics into Direct to Object Inkjet Printer. This can be a cover from a bottle or a sports helmet, the Gizmodo edition gives examples.

In the inkjet printer the moving printing heads with microscopic nozzles (width about a half of a human hair) which spray paint at distance about 6 mm are used. The device is capable to print images with the resolution from 300 to 1200 dots per inch.

The software of Direct to Object Inkjet Printer uses the special algorithms of image processing providing correct and exact printing on surfaces of any form.

Xerox claims that the printer can process up to 30 objects per hour. Thus, for production scales of printing the considerable number of such devices can be required, and one copy of such equipment costs expensive — from $145 thousand. The producer reported nothing how often it is necessary to change jet cartridges.^[1]

This innovation to open a way for instant creation of individual products how consumers had a need for personalisation — the vice president of division of Xerox Engineering Services Brendan Casey says. — Imagine the fan who came home after the game with the helmet or a ball issued directly at stadium or the shop offering services of a personal design of hundreds of different objects.

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