Genius behind resistors stripe code and electrolytic cap wire length? [rant]

Boffin1:
They have pad printers that can print on curved surfaces, and have been printing a band plus text on diodes for 50 years now.

I am guessing the diodes are rolled over the ink transfer medium ????

I simply hate those small diodes with unredable text, many times looks like that text is designed to fade away before user get it...

Cheers,
Kari