Any Idea how this is printed

[Seeking Knowledge]

Hello all,

Recently I picked up a Golf ball and noticed that it was Digitally printed. I am stumped at how this is possible. As many of you know Golf balls have several properties that make this process very challenging. First they are round, secondly the dimples and third since they are round I would think you would notice the start and stop of the print. How in the devil is this done? I know many golf ball logos are pad printed but these balls have a noticeable stochastic pattern, which make me think digital. Looking at the ball with a loupe the copy where it says "Tour Response" does not go in and out of register as it hits the peak and valley of the dimples as I would expect. I am thinking there must be a printhead that has a some curvature to it. Photos do not do it justice.

Or it is just Magic.

Anyones input would be greatly appreciated, I don't want to do it, I would just like to know how it is done.

Thanks in advance,
SK

 

[Magnus59]

Probably on one of these

Xante

Xante

www.xante.com

 

[Seeking Knowledge]

Magnus,

Thanks for the feedback but that cannot be the device that printed the Golf ball in the photo. The site your provided clearly states that the machine is a flat bed printer. That would not work for this application.

Someone will clue us in.

Take care,
SK

 

[gregbatch]

Flatbed UV printer with rotary attachment. 360° Rotary Printing | LogoJET

 

[tngcas]

Flatbed UV printer with rotary attachment. 360° Rotary Printing | LogoJET

<deep sigh> The list of machines I desire to possess continues to grow.

 

[bcr]

Magnus,

Thanks for the feedback but that cannot be the device that printed the Golf ball in the photo. The site your provided clearly states that the machine is a flat be printer. That would not work for this application.

Someone wil clue us in.

Take care,
SK

Clearly you didn't bother to read the description properly.

 

[Shawnd]

Jig for Xante x98 for printing on golf balls: Jig for golf ball, baseball, credit card

 

[pippip]

Jig for Xante x98 for printing on golf balls: Jig for golf ball, baseball, credit card

That's only for single spot printing, no movement. That wouldn't be suitable for print all around the ball like the op requested.

 

[YourCastle]

Clearly you didn't bother to read the description properly.

does it do a full rotation on a sphere?

 

[pippip]

Maybe used this -

 

[MacTwidget]

I have actually printed on golf balls in the past. The company LogoJet makes devices that are designed for printing on 3D substrates.
I have used these in the past, albeit was several generations older than this. At the time the print engine used was an EPSON.

 

[Seeking Knowledge]

Clearly you didn't bother to read the description properly.

bcr,

Forgive me, what did I miss?

Thanks
SK

 

[Seeking Knowledge]

Maybe used this -

pippip,

This may be the device. I am still trying to wrap my head around how they can calibrate a device to print so well on a convex surface along with the peaks and valleys of the dimples and the registration does not really suffer.

Thanks
SK

 

[bcr]

bcr,

Forgive me, what did I miss?

Thanks
SK

The part on the page where they explain how it's used specifically for golf ball printing and has a jig for it

 

[Seeking Knowledge]

The part on the page where they explain how it's used specifically for golf ball printing and has a jig for it

bcr,

Thank you, I did see that. It looks like this printer would be good for printing logos. The pictures I included, while they may not have shown it clearly, the printing goes all the way around the circumference of the ball, that is what confuses me. I think Pippip is on the right path as that device allows one to print the entire circumference of the ball. Still how they calibrate the printing seems like it would be a challenge.

Have a good one,
SK

 

[narseman]

pippip,

This may be the device. I am still trying to wrap my head around how they can calibrate a device to print so well on a convex surface along with the peaks and valleys of the dimples and the registration does not really suffer.

Thanks
SK

Well. It probably does suffer. Just not a lot.. in the pic you sent it's clear there's a lot of splash in the dimples. It's Ink Jet. but not one that sits 0.15mm high. It's more like 1mm or 1.5 mm or more off the subject surface. Depending on the surface being addressed.