An apparatus to mark a surface of an object includes a conveyor assembly having spaced apart conveyor belts with a conveyor opening therebetween. The conveyor assembly has an entry side and an exit side that supports the object. A marking assembly moves between a retracted position away from the conveyor belts, which allows movement of the object from the entry side to the exit side, and an operate position proximal the surface to be marked. At least one marker is carried by the marking assembly which marks a surface of the object when the marking assembly is in the operate position.

An apparatus to mark a surface of an object includes a conveyor assembly having spaced apart conveyor belts with a conveyor opening therebetween. The conveyor assembly has an entry side and an exit side that supports the object. A marking assembly moves between a retracted position away from the conveyor belts, which allows movement of the object from the entry side to the exit side, and an operate position proximal the surface to be marked. At least one marker is carried by the marking assembly which marks a surface of the object when the marking assembly is in the operate position.

Printing machine includes a guide; at least one printing station located along the guide; at least one supporting station for supporting a product to be printed by the printing station; at least a first and a second positioning units mounted along the guide, at least one of the positioning units being located at the printing station. The supporting station includes: a motor substantially integral with the supporting station for moving the supporting station along the guide; an acquisition device capable of acquiring an identification code from each of the positioning units when the supporting station is at each of the positioning units; a memory wherein reference codes corresponding to the identification codes and at least one reference distance corresponding to a distance between the first and second positioning units are stored; a processing unit configured to control the motor based on the acquired identification codes and on the reference codes and reference distance stored in the memory.

A printing system provides a printer for printing indicia on a container within a vending machine. The printing system may print indicia based on information relevant to a purchase transaction. The vending machine may transmit to a remote server data relating to a purchase transaction entered into the vending machine, the remote server retrieving data relevant to the purchase transaction and/or to the purchaser and transmitting to the vending machine the data relevant to the purchase transaction, such that the printing apparatus prints indicia on the container based on the received data relevant to the purchase transaction.

A printing system provides a printer for printing indicia on a container within a vending machine. The printing system may print indicia based on information relevant to a purchase transaction. The vending machine may transmit to a remote server data relating to a purchase transaction entered into the vending machine, the remote server retrieving data relevant to the purchase transaction and/or to the purchaser and transmitting to the vending machine the data relevant to the purchase transaction, such that the printing apparatus prints indicia on the container based on the received data relevant to the purchase transaction.

A printing control apparatus configured to control a binding unit configured to perform a binding processing for binding sheets without using a staple includes a control unit that controls the biding unit to divide sheets subjected to printing into sheet groups in units of a number of sheets bindable by the binding unit, and to apply the binding processing to each of sheet groups or controls another binding unit to bind the sheets subjected to printing using a staple.

A printing control apparatus configured to control a binding unit configured to perform a binding processing for binding sheets without using a staple includes a control unit that controls the biding unit to divide sheets subjected to printing into sheet groups in units of a number of sheets bindable by the binding unit, and to apply the binding processing to each of sheet groups or controls another binding unit to bind the sheets subjected to printing using a staple.

A printing system provides a printer for printing indicia on a container within a vending machine. The printing system may print indicia based on information relevant to a purchase transaction. The vending machine may transmit to a remote server data relating to a purchase transaction entered into the vending machine, the remote server retrieving data relevant to the purchase transaction and/or to the purchaser and transmitting to the vending machine the data relevant to the purchase transaction, such that the printing apparatus prints indicia on the container based on the received data relevant to the purchase transaction.

A printing system provides a printer for printing indicia on a container within a vending machine. The printing system may print indicia based on information relevant to a purchase transaction. The vending machine may transmit to a remote server data relating to a purchase transaction entered into the vending machine, the remote server retrieving data relevant to the purchase transaction and/or to the purchaser and transmitting to the vending machine the data relevant to the purchase transaction, such that the printing apparatus prints indicia on the container based on the received data relevant to the purchase transaction.

A method may be provided for manufacturing coated panels of the type including at least a substrate and a top layer with a motif. The top layer may be provided on the substrate. The method may involve providing a synthetic material layer on the substrate. A relief may be provided on the surface of said synthetic material layer provided on the substrate. The relief may include a pattern of recesses. The pattern may be at least partially determined by at least one print that is applied by inkjet printing. The relief may be obtained by printing a mask directly on or in the synthetic material layer. After providing the mask, the synthetic material layer may be cured. The mask may provide for selective curing of the synthetic material layer, such that the synthetic material layer is not solidified or solidified at a lesser extent in correspondence of the mask. The not solidified or less solidified portions of the synthetic material layer may be removed by performing a material-removing treatment on the synthetic material layer thereby obtaining the relief.