The Printing and Manufacturing Journal report that Epson is set to enter the Direct-to-Shape (DtS) printing market with a new industrial printer that combines its PrecisionCore printhead technology with advanced robotics from its own industrial automation division. First unveiled earlier this summer at the Automatica show in Munich, Germany, the prototype leverages five CMYK+White printheads mounted on independently adjustable mechanisms to maintain optimal printing height on irregular surfaces. A six-axis robotic arm holds and maneuvers objects—ranging from helmets to automotive parts—allowing for precise decoration and potential functional printing, such as sensors or coatings, directly at the point of manufacture.

The system is built around Epson’s S800 PrecisionCore printhead, designed for compact, high-density output essential for navigating complex shapes. Epson has been testing the platform since 2022 at its Fujimi Inkjet Innovation Lab in Nagano, Japan, with an eye on markets that go beyond short-run decorative printing to full-scale manufacturing integration. The unit demonstrated in Munich is now installed at Epson Deutschland GmbH, where it will serve as a European testing and evaluation hub to refine substrate compatibility and workflow integration.

Epson plans full-scale global commercialization of the DtS printer and is actively seeking partnerships to deploy the technology. The company’s approach is to offer a complete package, covering hardware, ink, image processing, after-sales support, and operational integration, positioning itself as a single-source provider for both decorative and functional industrial printing applications.