In a production system 100, containers have hollow main bodies 1a having openings at their top parts and caps 1b for closing the openings. The production system 100 includes a conveyor line L for conveying the containers 1, a capper 5 for attaching the caps 1b to the main bodies 1a of the containers 1 on the conveyor line L, a reading apparatus 18 configured to read first information attached to top surfaces of the caps 1b of the containers 1 for identifying the containers 1 on the conveyor line L at one or more predetermined points after the capper 5, and a memory apparatus 52 configured to store linked together the first information of the containers 1, second information attached to the main bodies 1a of the containers 1 for identifying the main bodies 1a, and times at which the containers 1 passed the one or more predetermined points.

An apparatus for digital printing on closing components for containers, includes a loading container with a hopper containing the closing components from which a conveyor line originates, with the closing components being positioned on the conveyor line by means of a withdrawing device provided with a bowl. A digital printing station situated along the conveyor line includes a digital printing device with ink-jet nozzles provided to reproduce images and/or text on each metal closing component with the help of a position sensor provided to detect the position of the closing components on the conveyor line.

The digital printing device is controlled by a command and control unit, to which the position sensor is connected. A user interface device allows the user to interact with the command and control unit to select and/or modify an image to be printed, on the basis of which control instructions are sent to the digital printing device so that the selected and/or modified image to be printed is reproduced on the closing components.

A device for printing closures of closed containers, comprising a transport section for transporting the containers, wherein a detection unit and a printing unit for printing the closure of a container are arranged behind one another in the transport direction and the detection unit can individually determine the position of the closure transversely with respect to the transport direction for each container and can transmit a signal which is indicative of the position to a control unit which is assigned to the detection unit and the printing unit. The control unit is designed to control the printing unit to apply printing ink to the closure in order to print the closure according to its position. Also disclosed is a corresponding method.

In a production system 100, containers have hollow main bodies 1a having openings at their top parts and caps 1b for closing the openings. The production system 100 includes a conveyor line L for conveying the containers 1, a capper 5 for attaching the caps 1b to the main bodies 1a of the containers 1 on the conveyor line L, a reading apparatus 18 configured to read first information attached to top surfaces of the caps 1b of the containers 1 for identifying the containers 1 on the conveyor line L at one or more predetermined points after the capper 5, and a memory apparatus 52 configured to store linked together the first information of the containers 1, second information attached to the main bodies 1a of the containers 1 for identifying the main bodies 1a, and times at which the containers 1 passed the one or more predetermined points.

An apparatus for digital printing on closing components for containers, includes a loading container with a hopper containing the closing components from which a conveyor line originates, with the closing components being positioned on the conveyor line by means of a withdrawing device provided with a bowl. A digital printing station situated along the conveyor line includes a digital printing device with ink-jet nozzles provided to reproduce images and/or text on each metal closing component with the help of a position sensor provided to detect the position of the closing components on the conveyor line. The digital printing device is controlled by a command and control unit, to which the position sensor is connected. A user interface device allows the user to interact with the command and control unit to select and/or modify an image to be printed, on the basis of which control instructions are sent to the digital printing device so that the selected and/or modified image to be printed is reproduced on the closing components.