Abstract: A system and process for placing printed color images on a series of objects including: generating digital data representing a plurality of different color images; providing a print medium composed of a substrate carrying a releasable coating which is formulated to retain printing inks; supplying the generated digital data to a digitally controlled color printer having a plurality of print heads; feeding the print medium through the printer while operating the print heads under control of the generated data; and placing a portion of the printed coating in contact with an objects and transferring the image to the object. The printed medium may be incorporated into a mold. Alternatively, this may be accomplished by: providing a digitally controlled color printer having a plurality of print heads; feeding the objects to be printed upon past the printer; and operating the print heads under control of the generated digital data to print the color images on the objects.

Abstract: A system and process for placing printed color images on a series of objects including: generating digital data representing a plurality of different color images; providing a print medium composed of a substrate carrying a releasable coating which is formulated to retain printing inks; supplying the generated digital data to a digitally controlled color printer having a plurality of print heads; feeding the print medium through the printer while operating the print heads under control of the generated data; and placing a portion of the printed coating in contact with an objects and transferring the image to the object. The printed medium may be incorporated into a mold.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for placing printed color images on a series of objects, by: generating digital data representing a plurality of different color images; providing a print medium composed of a substrate carrying a coating which is releasable from the substrate and is formulated to retain printing inks; providing a digitally controlled color printer having a plurality of print heads; supplying the generated digital data to the printer; feeding the print medium through the printer and past the print heads while operating the print heads under control of the generated data to print the color images on the coating; and placing a portion of the coating on which an image has been printed in contact with one of the objects and transferring the image to the object.