Patent ID: 7644660

Claim:
A pad printing system comprising, a flexible pad having a flat front surface, an actuator, a first applicator station supplied with a first substance by a first source and capable of applying said first substance in a first layer to said front surface of said pad, a second applicator station supplied with a second substance by a second source and capable of applying said second substance in a second layer to said front surface of said pad and over said first substance, said first and said second applicators each being an applicator type selected from the group consisting of inkjet, spray, and electrostatic applicators, said first applicator type being selected to be a different type of applicator than said second applicator type within said group so that said first and said second substances can be applied with the appropriate type of applicator for each of said substances, a controller for independently instructing said first and said second applicator stations to apply said layers comprising said first and said second substances to said pad and then optionally instructing said actuator to deform said pad in preparation for simultaneously transferring all layers to a receiving surface, whereby when independently instructed by said controller, said first and said second applicator stations will apply said first and said second layers to said pad so that said pad can be used to transfer said first and second layers from said pad to a receiving surface in a single operation.