By Cassandra Balentine
When printing directly to cylindrical items, those that sport handles sometimes cause limitations. Depending on the specific application, utilizing a dedicated direct to object (DTO) printer, or a modified flatbed offer choices.
We discuss the options for printing to handled media in detail in our October issue. Here are a few machine highlights for this type of work.
Apex, Desco, and Goldstar America—all fall under The Apex Group—offer a variety of custom-made printing, decorating, marking, handling, and automation equipment for over 30 different market segments inclusive medical, pharmaceutical, automotive, sporting good, household, and industrial. All of its systems are unique to the specific project and designed to meet each individual customer’s project specifications.
The DPI Laboratory Catalyst Nanos and Catalyst Aventra flatbed printers were released in January 2025 and represent the company’s latest technology. Both machines are capable of flatbed and rotary printing, and the Nanos adds roll-based printing in a smaller footprint.
Included in Inkcups’ portfolio are the Helix range of cylindrical inkjet printers and UV inkjet flatbed printers including the XJET Switch direct-to-bag printer and the X5-T High Throw model. Featuring high-performance printheads, the X5-T High Throw has a large 43×24-inch vacuum bed allowing for printing onto multiple small items or large industrial products, including on items with curved or uneven surfaces. This is ideal for handled products from travel mugs, camp mugs, and tumblers to sports items such as pickle ball rackets where the handle and the racket face are different heights.
Users of the X5-T High Throw flatbed inkjet printer can now print on up to 25 percent of curved or uneven surfaces including products with handles meaning the application possibilities with DTO printing is now significantly expanded. For example, whether it’s ceramic, stainless, or powder coated, the X5-T High Throw enables larger image printing on products such as mugs and handled tumblers.
Innovative Digital Systems offers the RevHDL, a UV mug printer optimized for printing on handled items like Stanley cups and ceramic mugs.
According to the company, the print industry has long sought a specialized UV mug printer truly capable of decorating popular handled objects such as powder coated travel mugs, iconic Stanley cups, and traditional ceramic mugs.
The RevHDL UV printer offers 14-plus inches of print length and an industry-leading 290 degree print capability, operators can efficiently produce designs on challenging shapes. This means users can print up to four handled objects simultaneously, dramatically increasing production output. Its highly efficient UV LED curing system paired with high-speed industrial printheads ensures rapid, precise, and consistently registered images. Achieve stunning detail with resolutions up to 1,200×900 dpi.
Say goodbye to outdated methods and embrace the LSINC PeriH industrial printer from the exclusive Perivallo Series. Print directly on opaque substrates with handles and do it faster than ever with dual-media capabilities. With user-friendly features from the PeriQ360 and PeriOne, maintenance and training have never been easier.
O&PM Europa BV provides the LabelSaver DTO printer. The company is a precoatings, labels, and DTO printing specialist based in Tilburg, Netherlands. Established in 2015, it now serves a global customer base across a range of areas including Europe’s largest chemical companies, and serve key growth markets including labels and labelling, containers and packaging, and flexible packaging.
In the DTO space, flatbed UV printers offer a versatile platform, especially when you need to print on irregular, small run, or custom-shaped items. Mimaki USA, Inc.’s UJF Series is a strong example known for high-quality, short-run customization and exceptional control over variable object heights with features like the specialized long distance profile that can increase the range from a flat surface to a curved surface up to 4.5 millimeters in variation. For items that fall outside the physical limitations of a flatbed—such as larger or more dramatically curved surfaces—emerging technologies like UV direct to film printing are complementing DTO workflows. Solutions like the Mimaki UJV300DTF-75 allow shops to decorate oversized, contoured, or otherwise unprintable objects by applying printed transfers directly to the surface. Together, these technologies expand what can be considered DTO.
Oct2025, Industrial Print Magazine
