Abstract: An apparatus and method for printing an image with uniform screened and/or solid colors on a non-cylindrical circularly symmetrical surface of an object by depositing print dots using a digital inkjet printhead, wherein the printhead is moved while maintaining a uniform print gap between nozzle tips of the inkjet nozzles of the printhead and the surface of the object and the inkjet nozzles are fired to apply the image to the surface of the object by adjusting line screen and/or sizes of the print dots at different circumferences of the surface of the object based on the cross-section diameter of the object at each circumference.

Abstract: A apparatus and method for printing an image on a non-cylindrical circularly symmetrical surface of an object using a printhead with inkjet nozzles with tips in a nozzle plane by rotating the object about the longitudinal axis of the surface while a print engine controller drives the printhead in space and controls the operation of the nozzle tips within a predetermined print gap along the surface to print the image.