As the year winds down, we’re wrapping up a season filled with tradeshow conversations, fresh ideas, and the inevitable buzz around digitally printed cans - everyone and their beer seems to be talking about them.

Technically, we shouldn’t be posting about something we’re not fully ready to launch, but it’d feel like we’re ignoring the obvious if we didn’t address this AI-level hype. We’re using this time to dig into the details of this evolving technology, the fast-growing market, and the factors holding us back from launch.

We’ll skip over the common knowledge like low MOQs or full CMYK colour. Instead, let’s focus on the bigger picture and the finer points, like balancing print quality with production speed, tuning calibration, ink adhesion, and the specialized varnish that protects digital ink on cans that need to handle pasteurization. Here’s what’s happening behind the scenes.

How Digitally Printed Cans Work (And Why They’re So Tricky)

Printing on cans is like a big inkjet printer that fits in a factory instead of on a desk. Each can rolls through a setup that prints directly onto its surface, a little like how a traditional printer rolls paper through to get ink on every page. But here’s where it gets complex - digital printing on a curved metal surface requires fine-tuned calibration. Higher print speeds (which are needed to be commercially viable) can impact resolution, leading to text or fine details appearing slightly fuzzy if everything isn’t perfectly aligned.

For the uninitiated, DPI (dots per inch) is a big factor. A lower DPI means less crisp details, so in an industry where traditional offset printing can zip out perfectly crisp cans in seconds, digital printing needs a lot of careful calibration to get even close to that quality on smaller runs. And it’s not just about making the text readable - getting the image quality right is a delicate balance of speed, resolution, and attention to the setup.

Digitally printed cans also need a special ink or a special varnish layer to protect the ink, especially if they’ll go through processes like pasteurization. Without this, ink could smudge or fade over time.

What Exactly are We Improving?

Side-by-side comparison of sleeved cans (left) and digitally printed cans (right) with the same design. The text on the digital cans is a bit fuzzy but still within an acceptable threshold.

Close-up of a recent sample can – with a crisp vector logo printed directly onto a silver blank. The transparency of the silver base enhances the design, allowing for a wider range of visual effects.

Just like de-alcoholized beverages, digital can printing has come a long way over the past decade, with improvements focused on three main areas: ink adhesion, print resolution, and software precision.

Ink formulations/Special Varnish have been upgraded to adhere better to aluminum surfaces, especially in conditions with moisture and temperature changes. In the early days, inks struggled to stick effectively on bare metal, which is why you often saw white-coated cans used as a base. This coating provided a neutral surface for the ink to adhere to but limited design flexibility. Now, with improved inks, designs hold up well directly on silver cans, staying vibrant without smudging or fading.

Print heads have also come a long way in both resolution and speed. Older models couldn’t match the crisp detail of traditional printing, but today’s more precise print heads offer higher DPI, allowing for finer details and richer colors. This improvement also means that we can print at faster speeds without sacrificing quality, which is essential for making digital can printing viable on a larger scale.

And software precision has evolved to give us better control over the printing process. Advanced software now allows for fine-tuning ink application down to the smallest detail, which means more consistency across batches.

What We've Learnt - Imperfectly Perfect Fun Cans

For us, it’s second nature to critique a print - whether we’re admiring a job well done or pointing out where calibration might improve things. But we know that, for most people, the excitement of seeing a quirky, custom design probably matters more than noticing a small text smudge or less-than-perfect resolution. And honestly, we get it, at least we had a lot of fun designing our own sample cans (with zero design background, no less).

In our trials, we’ve seen the full range - from stunning, high-quality digital cans with crisp text and high resolution to some “not quite there” samples that still manage to charm because they’re fun, vibrant, and unique. For many customers, the beauty of digital cans isn’t just in their print quality; it’s in the ability to bring new ideas to life without needing to order in massive quantities. Small-batch designs, custom artwork, and even a little humor find a home on digital cans in a way that traditional printing just doesn’t allow.

Yes, we’re still working on making digital cans widely available. Our focus now is sourcing the right manufacturing partners who can meet the demand for digital cans with the quality and reliability we expect. There’s a lot to explore, and we’re committed to offering the best possible option. For now, we’re keeping things in development to make sure the final product checks all the boxes. Stay tuned for what’s next - we’re excited to see where digital cans take us in the new year.