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How to Print on Weird Things

By Doc | August 3, 2010, 7:12am PDT

I love the occasional story about printing on unusual surfaces, like the first time I heard about the CakeJet printer for transferring edible images on to cakes. So I was wondering how companies get images onto all those unusual things you see available these days like customized mouse pads, coffee mugs, Christmas ornaments, dog dishes, etc., etc.

Turns out most of those products are made with relatively simple desktop dye-sublimation color printers and the use of a heat transfer press. And from the looks of this video from Conde Systems, it doesn’t look all that complicated.

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ZDNet introduces Doc (The DocuMentor), sponsored by RICOH. Through his blog, Doc will educate you about Document Management. So who is Doc? Doc is something of an enigma. He was born to a Russian ballerina and a German electrical engineer who some believe was running covert operations for shadowy corporate interests. Doc grew up in various locations in the United States, although no one seems to know precisely where, least of all Doc. His early schooling was unremarkable except for the time he was caught trying to replace all the mimeograph machines with high-tech color copiers that had mysteriously disappeared from a shipment to Albania. At MIT, he made a name for himself by transforming a large printer into a robot that hunts and eats Roombas. Professionally, he reportedly has seen the insides of more brands, versions, and generations of printer and printer-related hardware than almost anyone. Some say his obsession with paper, printing, and mechanical movement was either started by, or evidenced by, a traumatic childhood episode when he crawled inside an old Xerox 2400 and tried to print himself.

Anyway, Doc has hands on experience with stuff like printer maintenance and fleet management, but his mastery of document management leaves no stone unturned. Important issues like sustainability, security, and regulatory compliance are top of mind for Doc, as are other business technology needs like networking and IT services, making him a true blue IT renaissance man.

Talkback Most Recent of 5 Talkback(s)

  • RE: How to Print on Weird Things
    Dear DocuMentor,
    Actually, I feel impelled to point out that we don't use ordinary desktop dye sublimation printers, those are actually a "horse of a different color". What we do is use certain Ricoh and Epson brand printers with dye sublimation inks created for the imaging process.

    Please feel free to contact us with any questions or inquiries. Thanks for showing off our video!

    Thanks,
    Bobbi McMullen

    Product Marketing
    Delivering all the value of today's color output technology.?

    Cond? Systems, Inc.
    5600 Commerce Blvd. East
    Mobile, AL; 36619-9214
    (800) 826-6332, ext. 272 - Toll Free
    251.633.5704
    (251) 633-3876 - Fax
    ZDNet Gravatar
    bobbicoker
    4th Aug 2010
  • RE: How to Print on Weird Things
    @bobbicoker
    Thanks Bobbi, for the correction. Doc hasn't checked in on dye-sublimation technology in a long time and was obviously behind the times.

    Only us old guys remember the early days of color printing when dye sublimation, solid-ink, inkjet and toner were all competing for market share. All of those technologies are still around, but it seems as though inkjet and toner have taken over the bulk of the market. Glad to know, however, that technologies like dye sublimation are still in use in such interesting fields and that companies like Ricoh and Epson are tailoring machines for specialty printing.

    Thanks again for bringing us up to date!
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Documentor
    10th Aug 2010
  • RE: How to Print on Weird Things
    One can also try exploring of adding a dye sub kit comprimising of sublimation ink tanks that attach to the print heads for various Epson inkjet printers on the market. Much cheaper albeit a more basic option
    ZDNet Gravatar
    shane chauhan
    9th Aug 2010
  • RE: How to Print on Weird Things
    Thank you so much. hermes lindy bags hermes wallets hermes birbin bags 25cm
    ZDNet Gravatar
    3shao
    19th Sep
  • good idea about printers
    Thanks for your sharing. Hi, do you want to buy hp toner cartridges? Here you can find laserjet cartridges, printer toner cartridges, laser toner cartridges, hp laser toner cartridges and laser printer toner cartridges wholesale online.ZSgB5
    ZDNet Gravatar
    gavin.chan
    2nd Oct

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