I guess one of the fundamental questions people ask is what is “Hydro Dipping?”
Water Transfer Printing or Hydro Dipping has been around for a while and has been used world wide to create outstanding custom graphics on a wide range of materials.
According to Wikipedia the exact origin of the water transfer printing process is unclear. However, a US patent was registered for the first hydro-graphic by Motoyasu Nakanishi of Kabushiki Kaisha Cubic Engineering on Jul 26, 1982.
The patents abstract reads “[a] printing apparatus provided with a structure which supplies a transcription film into a transcription tub containing a liquid so that the transcription film is kept afloat on the liquid, a structure which makes the liquid flow in a direction in which the film is supplied, and a structure which slantingly immerses an article to be printed into the liquid in the transcription tub from an upstream position to a downstream position of the liquid.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrographics_(printing)
The water transfer printing process is applied to customize items that range from entire all-terrain vehicles, car dashboards, automotive trim and wheels. More popular items are found in the sports, hunting and fishing field. Bike helmets, hockey goalie masks and other sports equipment, guns, fishing gear, or anything related to your lifestyle.
A good rule of thumb is if the item can be submersed in water without damage and can be painted using well known methods, then the hydro-graphic printing process can be used.