Xerox has unveiled stainless steel nozzles ‘half width of the human hair’, for the new Xerox direct to object inkjet printer which it claims can print photos, images and text directly onto 3D objects in minutes, creating a new, label-less, on-demand method of personalizing three-dimensional objects.
The nozzles are contained in print heads that can spray ink on objects as small as bottle caps and as large as football helmets. The printer can print on plastic, metals, ceramics and glass, eliminating the need for labels.
“This innovation opens up a path for creating customized products instantly at a time when the consumer’s appetite is all about personalization,” said Brendan Casey, vice president of Xerox Engineering Services. “Imagine a sports fan coming home from a game with a helmet or ball that was personalized right at the stadium, or a retailer offering on-demand personalization on hundreds of different store items.”
Xerox uses image-quality algorithms to direct the microscopic nozzles half the width of a human hair. By spraying ink at distances of one-quarter inch, the printer is able to print on smooth, rough, slightly curved or stepped surfaces at print resolutions ranging from 300 to 1,200dpi. The printer can handle up to 30 objects per hour, with the ability to scale for production.