The machine, which enables personalised printing on three-dimensional objects, has been sold to UK-based trade printer DCL Print, which expects to take delivery of the device in late August.

The machine supports a wide variety of substrates including plastic, metals, ceramics, paper and cloth and object volumes of up to one cubic foot can be handled.

Xerox mechanical designer Michael Leo said: “The prototype unit was designed for a customer that wanted it inside their store so wanted it to have a very small footprint. We custom make each one for the client, so they get exactly what they're looking for, not necessarily what the production lines can solve.”

The dimensions of the machine are 39 x 39 x 90 inches and it can print up to 30 objects per hour, although this can be increased for industrial applications.

Its print resolution ranges from 300 to 1,200dpi and it can be configured with up to 10 ink channels. UV inks are typically used for durability, Xerox said, but most speciality inks are supported.

Objects can be easily changed from one type to another for high productivity and other applications include packaging, as the machine could be used to replace labels.

“It's digital so it reduces label stock and colours could also be changed in the middle of the run,” said Leo.

Last week the company revealed the first buyers of its Drupa-launched inkjet presses, the Brenva HD and the Trivor 2400.