In a method for printing non-absorbent substrates with a water-based ink, ink droplets are applied to the respective substrate. The ink is applied to the relevant substrate by the use of at least one inkjet print head. Substrates are used, which have a surface tension of less than 45 mN/m in air at a temperature of 20 C. Before the application of the ink droplets, the surface tension of the substrate to be printed is increased to a value of at least 45 mN/m. The ink droplets are only afterwards applied to the respective substrate which has the increased surface tension. The applied ink droplets are dried one of by an input of heat and heat exposure, with an exposure time of less than 0.2 seconds within only a single second after the printing of the relevant substrate. The method is carried out, in particular, in a digital printing press.

A method of forming a digital print on a surface by applying powder of dry ink including colourants on the surface, bonding a part of the dry ink powder to the surface by a digital heating print head such that the digital print is formed by the bonded dry ink colourants and removing non-bonded dry ink from the surface.

A method of forming a digital embossing on a surface by bonding hard press particles to a carrier. A liquid binder pattern is applied on the carrier by a digital drop application head. Hard press particles are applied on the carrier and the binder pattern such that some hard press particles are bonded to the carrier by the liquid pattern and non-bonded press particles are removed. The carrier with the bonded hard press particles is pressed to the surface and an embossing is formed when the carrier with the hard press particles is removed.

An image processing apparatus is an image processing apparatus that generates image data used to print images on a sheet appliable to the skin. The image processing apparatus includes an image determiner that determines a makeup article image whose target position on the face is determined in accordance with facial feature points and an assist mark image whose target position on the face is determined in accordance with the facial feature points and a printing controller that generates the image data including contents indicating that the determined makeup article image and the determined assist mark image are to be printed on the sheet, the determined assist mark image printed at a position corresponding to a printing position of the determined makeup article image.

A metallic image forming method is a method for forming a metallic image with a metallic ink containing an organic coloring agent capable of exhibiting a metallic color on a recording medium provided with an undercoat layer thereon having a black color or an opposite color to the color of diffused light from the metallic ink. The method includes applying the metallic ink onto the recording medium so as to cover at least part of the undercoat layer.

A method for decorating a natural leather comprising the following steps: a) holding by vacuum suction the natural leather with its corium side to an air-permeable support onto a vacuum support of an inkjet printer; and b) inkjet printing a decorative image on the natural leather wherein the air-permeable support is partly covered by said natural leather. The air-permeable support comprises a fibrous layer in contact with the corium side of the natural leather.

Methods and systems are provided for color printing onto nonwhite substrates and articles. For example, an article of apparel is provided that includes multiple layers of ink with a combination of a white ink and at least one color ink, and each layer having a ratio of white ink to color ink, and the ratios of white ink to color ink are different.

A stick handling apparatus for handling ice cream sticks, said apparatus comprising a magazine arranged to hold ice cream sticks, a conveyor band arranged to retrieve ice cream sticks from the magazine, a stacker unit arranged to retrieve ice cream sticks from the conveyor band and to stack the ice cream sticks one after the other, a stick placing unit arranged to receive the ice cream sticks from the stacker unit for positioning the ice cream sticks inside a piece of ice cream mass, and a printer unit configured to print information on the ice cream sticks while the ice cream sticks are conveyed by the conveyor band.

In a method for applying distinguishing markings to a marijuana bud, one or more indicia are directly applied to an irregular outer surface of the marijuana bud. The indicia may be applied to the marijuana bud by spraying, stamping or dipping the marijuana bud with a liquid marking composition including a liquid base and a colored substance. In the method, the bud may be moved along a conveyor with a plurality of other buds, and the liquid marking composition is sprayed directly onto the irregular outer surface of the marijuana bud from spray nozzles located above the conveyor. An apparatus for applying indicia to a plurality of marijuana buds includes a conveyor having a plurality of laterally-extending dividers spaced apart along the moving direction. The dividers define a plurality of channels, each having a width sufficient to closely receive a marijuana bud.

A method and equipment to form a digital image on a surface by applying a powder layer including colour pigments on the surfaces, bonding a part of the powder and removing the non-bonded powder from the surface.