The below discusses how Cyan Tec, a UK-based innovator, delivers bespoke, automated solutions merging digital-inkjet expertise with cutting edge robotics to solve the most complex decoration and deposition challenges in modern manufacturing.

Broadening the application of inkjet technology into wider industrial applications requires an innovation-first approach, balanced with decades of engineering experience. For Cyan Tec, a ‘printer’ is never a standalone machine. It is a critical component within a broader manufacturing ecosystem.

Cyan Tec DNA

To understand Cyan Tec’s current position in the field, it is important to look at the origins of the company. Founder Clayton Sampson has been a foundational figure in the digital inkjet world for over 25 years. Long before inkjet was a staple of industrial manufacturing, Clayton was applying his expertise from the automation, machine tool and food-packaging sectors. His aim – to push the boundaries of digital technology.

In 2000, Clayton founded a company dedicated to the miniaturisation of UV-light sources. Not only was this a technical achievement, it was also a pivotal moment in the industry. As a result, the flatbed digital print market, as it is known today, was born. Spotting an opportunity to take the advantages of inkjet printing into new markets, Clayton founded Cyan Tec in 2007.

His ambitious mission was to design and manufacture digital-inkjet systems specifically for industrial applications. Today, Cyan Tec remains a privately owned, British family business, based in Leicestershire, England. While the company has grown into a global exporter, it retains core values of agility and dedication to quality. The company has become a go-to partner for industries where failure is not an option. These include pharmaceuticals, aerospace, medical devices and automotive manufacturing.

The Power of Integration

The primary challenge in modern manufacturing is that industrial solutions rarely exist in isolation. This is where Cyan Tec separates itself from the competition. While many companies sell ‘inkjet solutions’, Cyan Tec offers ‘automated results’. Cyan Tec’s expertise in wider automation provides the company with a proficient ability to deliver at scale. Its expertise spans a wide range of turnkey equipment, including:

• Bespoke high-power laser systems – The UK’s leading high power laser integrator, Cyan Tec provides turnkey systems for laser marking, cutting, welding, cleaning and ablation.
• Complex robotics – The company’s portfolio includes robotic assembly, leak testing, machine tending and precision adhesive dispensing.
• Comprehensive production lines – Cyan Tec integrates the entire ‘nervous system’ of a process. This includes feeding parts from bulk, palletising finished products, machine-vision quality control and the management of complex curing and cleaning cycles. By treating inkjet as a single component within a larger automation chain, Cyan Tec ensures that its systems are not just additions to a factory, but integral drivers of efficiency.

Unlocking New Dimensions

The versatility of Cyan Tec’s technology is a standout feature. The business remains resolutely focused on integrating the ‘right’ package for the customer’s specific ink and application requirements. Cyan Tec regularly integrates hardware from most major printhead manufacturers. Whether it is printing high-fidelity graphics on high-end consumer footwear or high-volume or single pass printing of tokens, each customer problem receives a dedicated solution.

Bespoke printing solutions have been used to apply graphics to a wide variety of products, across a huge range of sizes and shapes. Substrates include wood, glass and a wide range of metals and plastics. One exciting frontier for Cyan Tec is nongraphical industrial applications. Inkjet is an enabling technology for the precision deposition of functional coatings. A prime example is the company’s work in the automotive sector, applying ‘piano black’ finishes to interior trim and centre consoles. By replacing traditional spraying processes with precision inkjet, Cyan Tec generates an 80% material saving. This is a game-changer for manufacturers looking to reduce waste while improving finish quality.

Robojet Platform

The crown jewel of Cyan Tec’s innovation is the Robojet platform. Early on, the company recognised that industrial robots were the key to unlocking 3D-part decoration. As a result, Cyan Tec formed strategic partnerships with robotics leaders Fanuc and ABB. Cyan Tec has been delivering robotic printing solutions for over 16 years.

A standard Robojet cell builds on a modular, scalable architecture to create a power house of efficiency. This architecture builds around sophisticated robotic manipulation of the object. Integrating surface preparation – often plasma treatment for optimal adhesion with full-colour, high resolution, digital-ink deposition, pinning and curing – in-line UV curing for immediate finishing.

Perhaps most impressive is the speed of implementation. Cyan Tec uses 3D printing for custom fixturing and advanced offline robot programming. As a result, a Robojet cell can often be programmed and configured, for a brand new product, in under two hours. This robotic approach allows for complex pathing on curved or irregular surfaces that would be impossible for a standard printer.

Furthermore, the robot can handle machine tending duties directly. This makes the system extremely easy to drop into an existing production line.

Global Partner – British Values

From its Leicestershire base, Cyan Tec has built a worldwide reputation. It is proud to export equipment to the most demanding markets in Europe, Asia and the US. The company’s success is built on a foundation of ‘quality first’, maintained through rigorous ISO 9001 certification and a proven process for project management.

However, what truly sets Cyan Tec apart is its team. The business employs a multidisciplinary group of highly skilled engineers who thrive on ‘impossible’ projects. The dedication of the Cyan Tec team delivers quality solutions for customer satisfaction.

Conclusion

With over 18 years as a trusted partner in the digital-inkjet space, Cyan Tec has proven that the intersection of inkjet and automation is a fertile ground for innovation. The company provides the competitive edge required to succeed in a market defined by mass customisation and late-point differentiation.

A bespoke, automated inkjet solution from Cyan Tec is able to revolutionise manufacturing processes and unlock new levels of efficiency.

Cyan Tec are delighted to be a part of the 2026 SPIE Photonics West Exhibition in San Francisco, California, USA.

Showing off the companies high-quality integration of industrial laser systems, the exhibition is described by the organisers as “a place to find the providers of the best solutions, components, instruments, and system support from around the world”. Given the long-standing partnerships with the leading laser source and head manufacturers, Cyan Tec are certainly best place to offer the global market with the best automation solutions.

If you are visiting the show (Moscone Center and Moscone West) during the dates of 20/1/26 and 22/1/26, be sure to stop by and discuss your automation requirements with Cyan Tec’s enthusiastic sales team. Alternatively, for more information on laser systems, please follow this link: Industrial Laser Systems | Cyan-Tec

Cyan Tec attended the Industrial Print Integration Conference 2026 in Neuss, Germany in November.

Promoted by ESMA, the conference is an excellent way to network with current and new suppliers and customers in the automated industrial inkjet markets.

Cyan Tec promoted the companies capabilities of industrial inkjet integration, including the design and manufacture of a novel “Robojet” system. Specially designed to print onto 3D shapes, the Robojet machine is a fully automated solution that can be standalone or integrated into a fully automated production line.

Cyan Tec CEO, Clayton Sampson, provides insights into inkjet printing with robots during the Industrial Print Integration Conference in Neuss Germany.

To learn more about Cyan Tec’s machine design and build capabilities, please visit Industrial Inkjet | Cyan-Tec or contact our sales team via sales@cyan-tec.com.

Cyan Tec is a world-leading supplier of modular robotic printing machines that are capable of processing 3D shapes.

By using a six-axis robot to collect the component part from a designated load / unload position, the system then automatically transports the profiled product to the various treatment stations.

Firstly, the product needs to be presented to a material preparation station. This station typically includes plasma, flame, or corona treatment equipment depending on the material that is being processed. The part is presented under the preparation head and follows a specific profile to ensure all of the print area is successfully pre-treated.

Next, the robot moves the product to a number of printing stations. The machine can incorporate a full colour printhead setup (white, cyan, magenta, yellow and black) or a single colour. This decision is determined by the customer’s artwork requirements. The robot accurately positions the product underneath the printhead (s) and follows a pre-programmed path to create the image onto the substrate. Pinning lamps are incorporated into the printhead assembly to part-cure the ink during the printing process and prevent any separation.

Once the full artwork has been printed, the robot presents the component to a final UV curing station where the image is completely cured.

Then the final UV curing process is complete, the robot places the part back into a load / unload station, ready to be manually or automatically unloaded from the Cyan Tec machine and moved onto the next operation.

Cyan Tec’s long-standing expertise in the automation industry compliments the company’s unique industrial inkjet print specialisms perfectly, allowing the company to provide its customers with high-quality and groundbreaking solutions.

If you have a requirement for a digital inkjet printing machine, please get in touch with our sales team – sales@cyan-tec.com

Cyan Tec are exhibiting at the Smart Manufacturing Week 2025, at the NEC Birmingham, 4-5th June. 

Displaying skills and expertise in advanced automation and robotics, Cyan Tec are teaming up with their strategic partner, Fanuc, on stand 5/F40. The design of the stand aims to help customers with all aspects of their smart manufacturing and engineering journey. 

Whether your business already has a vast amount of automated process in place or you are looking for advice to take your first steps into automation and robotics, Cyan Tec are the perfect partner. 

A dedicated team of commercial and engineering professionals based in the heart of the UK, Cyan Tec has significant experience in designing and manufacturing standalone and production line equipment for a variety of different industries. Focussing on industrial laser processing, digital inkjet printing and assembly and test machinery, Cyan Tec’s potential to promote growth and improved efficiency within your business is endless. 

If you have an application that you are looking to automate, please come and see us at the Smart Manufacturing Week, or if you’re unable to attend, please contact our sales department – sales@cyan-tec.com, where a member of our team will be delighted to help.