Multicolour pad printing machine

A pad printing machine comprising:

• a base;
• a platform disposed on the base, and adapted to hold an article thereon for printing;
• a plurality of pad printing units disposed on the base at a predetermined orientation with respect to each other, wherein each of the pad printing units comprises:
• a cliché plate disposed adjacent to the platform and comprising a pattern to print on the article;
• an ink cup disposed slidably over the cliché plate and adapted to provide ink to the cliché plate during a sliding operation thereof;
• an actuator positioned above the cliché plate;
• and
• a silicon pad assembly slidably mounted on the actuator and adapted to slide between a home position and the platform, wherein the silicon pad assembly is adapted to:
• make selective contact with the cliché plate at the home position to pick the ink therefrom;
• and
• make selective contact with the platform to deposit the ink on the article.