TDK CD printer for printing on "solids"

Sorry for the terrible thread title.

I was asked if I thought it was possible to convert a typical injet
printer to be used for printing on "samples" upto an inch thick.

I said probably cautiously. Replace the paper drive mechanism with
some form of moving table, drive that with the same motor as moved
the table and make sure the printer did not no any difference,
perhaps modify aspect ratios or printed things to account for
differing step/mm etc.

Obviously samples would have to be very flat or we would get head
strikes all the time.

But what about the ink I said? Some of the samples are metal and I
can't see inkjet ink settling on that too well. It doesn't as I
already know from previous inkjet abuse :)

Thinking cap on and I remembered the TDK direct print CD printers.
These use a ribbon and thermal transfer ink and can print on an area
big enough for their purposes. So I am thinking what about doing a
similar conversion. From what I can see you slide the CD in, it
prints and then it pops out. Perhaps this is a micro x,y gantry or
just a wide ribbon, either way it sounds perfect.

Does anyone have such a printer they might like to have a closer
look at?

Oh one last thing, some have two positions for printing and spin the
disk between them, these will be avoided I think.

Regards

Graham