What is UV printing?
UV printing uses ultraviolet light to instantly cure (harden) ink as it's printed onto a substrate. Unlike sublimation (which requires polyester) or DTF (which is a transfer), UV printing deposits ink directly onto the surface of the item — wood, acrylic, metal, glass, leather, phone cases, and hundreds of other hard goods.
UV print quality is exceptional — vibrant colors, photographic detail, and durable finish that's scratch and fade resistant. UV DTF (a variant using a film transfer) brings UV-quality printing to curved surfaces like tumblers.
Equipment types
- Desktop UV flatbed printers — print directly onto rigid items up to a few inches tall. Epson MakeON, Roland BN series, and others. Good for phone cases, ornaments, wood slices, tiles.
- UV DTF printers — print onto a clear film that's then applied to any surface including curved items. Good for tumblers, mugs, bottles.
- Wide-format UV flatbeds — industrial systems for large rigid substrates (signs, panels, larger items). Higher throughput, higher cost.
Key materials and their costs
- UV ink — CMYK + White + Varnish channels; $0.08–0.15 per ml for compatible third-party inks
- UV DTF film — A-B film set; $0.30–0.60 per A4 sheet
- Substrate/blank — cost varies widely: acrylic tile $0.50–2.00, phone case $1–4, wood slice $0.30–1.50, tumbler $6–12
- UV primer/coating — for surfaces requiring adhesion prep (glass, some metals); $0.05–0.20 per piece
Setting up UV printing in Sunday Maker
1. Add your equipment
Go to Settings → Equipment and add your UV printer. Tag it as "UV Printing." Hourly rate estimate: a $2,500 desktop UV printer used 200 hours over its life = $12.50/hr. Sounds high but UV prints are fast — a 3-minute print is only $0.63 in equipment cost.
2. Add your materials
In Materials, add:
- UV ink — unit: ml, cost per ml
- UV DTF film (if applicable) — unit: sheet or sq_ft
- Your blanks/substrates — unit: each, your cost
- Any primer or coating — unit: ml or each
- Packaging
3. Build a product
Go to Products → New Product, select category UV Printing. Add your blank. Add a print step with UV printer time. For UV DTF, add an application step. Add packaging. The cost panel updates in real time.
Typical UV print settings (reference)
| Variable | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Print height clearance | 0.5–5mm above substrate | Varies by printer model |
| White ink layer | Usually needed on dark/clear substrates | Adds cost and time |
| Varnish layer | Optional — adds gloss or matte finish | Increases durability |
| UV DTF application | Squeegee at room temperature | No heat press needed for most films |
These are starting points only. Always run test prints on your specific equipment with your specific inks and substrates. Settings vary significantly between UV printer models and ink brands. Sunday Maker is not responsible for material damage from following these ranges.
Estimating ink usage
UV ink usage is difficult to calculate precisely without a RIP software that reports ink volume. A rough estimate for a 4"×4" full-coverage print: approximately 2–4ml of combined ink (CMYK + white). At $0.10/ml that's $0.20–0.40 in ink cost. For costing purposes, add ink as a consumable in your job step with an estimated ml per piece until you have better data from your printer's usage reports.