PRINTING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRINTING ON AN ELONGATED MEMBER SUCH AS A TUBE

摘要

A printing apparatus including a supporting structure and structure for mounting a reel for rotation on the supporting structure. Tubing is wound on the reel and encoded information relating to a characteristic of the tubing is provided on the reel. The tubing can be pulled from the reel and moved through the printing apparatus. A controllable printer is mounted on the supporting structure for printing on the tubing. A sensor senses the encoded information and a microprocessor controls the printer in accordance with the encoded information sensed by the sensor so that the printer is controlled in accordance with the characteristic of the tubing.