40 email: editor@signlink.co.uk Issue 267 - October | November 2026 DTO printing can decorate the circumference of cylindrical products 360° designs, personalise content, and handle shorter, on-demand print runs remains the same, but with very different end uses. “On a creative front, the use of Mimaki’s clear ink as both a design tool and a practical embellishment is becoming more popular – and easier. Mimaki’s latest RasterLink RIP software includes efficient ways to add textures, patterns, and even Braille, allowing accessible signage, packaging prototypes with accessible labelling, and other tactile requirements For example, the latest XpertJet 461UF supports objects up to 70mm thick, or nearly 150mm with the table removed, and offers CMYK, white, and varnish options. On top of this, its UV-LED local-dimming technology enables different gloss effects while improving productivity and reducing banding and layer misalignment. “We expect continued growth in personalised and on-demand products, alongside greater automation, easier workflows, and broader substrate compatibility,” he says, continuing: “Improvements in UV-LED inks, colour, and texture capabilities, and more environmentally conscious printing technologies should also help DTO printing move into new applications and higher-volume production.” The opportunity presented by DTO printing is becoming harder for sign-makers to ignore. As technology continues to improve, businesses can move beyond traditional flat substrates and explore new applications, from personalised products and promotional items to packaging, drinkware, and more ▲ The Mimaki UJF7151plusII e can print onto objects with a distance of up to 10mm from the print head to the print surface to be digitally created.” Going into more detail on Mimaki’s solutions, Gregory highlights ‘LD’ technology in the latest UJF DTO printers as a feature that sets these machines apart. He says this allows for significantly contoured or angled objects to be printed, thus expanding the capabilities of the printer. “For example, the recently released Mimaki UJF-7151plusII e model enables printing onto objects with a distance of up to 10mm from the print head to the print surface,” he adds. He also highlights the ‘Kebab’ option, a rotary attachment that allows a flatbed printer to be quickly converted into one that can complete a print around the full circumference of a cylindrical object such as a bottle or can. Mimaki’s newest Kebab HS will even print to tapered items, including glassware and shaped packaging. “For a company investing in DTO hardware for the very first time, the sheer versatility of applications is an important consideration,” Gregory says, continuing: “Rather than asking ‘What can I print on?’ the question really should be ‘What else can I print on?’ Extending product offerings and exploring new ways to serve existing customers is an excellent way to maximise an investment, and for forward thinking print businesses, those answers should naturally lead to very successful returns. “Mimaki UJF A3 and A2 flatbed UV printers have a reputation for being very simple to use and maintain, even in demanding, high production settings. They’re also equally well equipped for use Rather than asking ‘What can I print on?’ the question really should be ‘What else can I print on?’ DIRECT-TO-OBJECT PRINTERS | ROB FLETCHER in studios and office environments – and we have a larger number of customers who have started businesses from home offices using the same equipment that would be found in much larger, more industrial enterprises.” Continued Growth Rounding off the discussion is Phil Kneale, director of Graphtec GB, which counts Mutoh among its manufacturer partners. Kneale picks out personalisation, shortrun production, and rapid turnaround as major drivers in the DTO sector, with customers wanting to print directly onto a wider range of products. However, with this varied demand comes the importance of investing properly in kit that can handle different materials. Kneale says: “A common mistake is choosing a printer based primarily on headline speed or price without matching its capabilities to actual and projected production needs.” On this, Kneale says that Mutoh has focused on greater versatility, ease of operation, and production reliability.
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