What is UV printing, and what can it print on?

UV printing is a way of printing full-colour artwork straight onto a solid object, such as acrylic, wood, metal or a 3D printed part, with ultraviolet light hardening the ink the moment it lands. It suits logos, photos and name plates on flat or gently curved faces. We UV print in-house at our studio in Singapore, and the table below sums up what it can and cannot do.

UV printing at a glance

Lead time is counted in working days from a confirmed quote. Large prints and big batches take longer, so check with us.

Know what you need? Send us your artwork

How UV printing works: ink that hardens under light

A UV printer works much like an office inkjet printer, except that the item lies still on a flat table, called the bed, while the print heads pass over it, spraying tiny drops of ink. Lamps beside the heads shine ultraviolet (UV) light on the ink, and it hardens straight away. That hardening is called curing.

Because the ink cures instantly, there is no drying time and nothing to smudge. That is why UV printing works on hard, smooth materials where ordinary ink would sit wet and run. Every colour is mixed from four inks: cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK). So photos and smooth gradients print in a single pass, close to how they look on screen.

See how our UV printing service works, step by step

What UV printing prints on: most flat, solid materials

UV printing goes onto most hard or firm surfaces that can lie flat on the bed:

• Acrylic: clear, frosted or coloured, for signs, awards and display pieces.
• Wood: plywood, MDF and hardwoods.
• Metal: with a coating or primer, so the ink has something to grip.
• Leather and certain coated papers.
• 3D printed parts: PLA, PETG and ABS filament prints, and resin prints.

The item can be something we make for you, or one of your own with a flat face, such as a phone case. Send a photo and the size, and we will tell you whether it will print well.

Not sure your item will take a print? Ask us

White ink: bright colour on dark or clear surfaces

Coloured ink is slightly see-through. On a black part or clear acrylic, colours printed straight on look dark or faded. So a UV printer also has white ink: it lays a white layer first, called the underbase, and prints the colours on top. White text and white logos can print on their own, too.

Two more options help a brand print look right:

• Pantone matching: a Pantone code is the numbered colour standard brands use. Give us yours and we match it on the print.
• Spot gloss varnish: a clear, shiny layer printed only on chosen areas, such as a logo, so it catches the light against the rest of the print.

Need white ink or a Pantone match? Send us your artwork

Curved surfaces: flat or gently curved faces only

The print heads pass a short, fixed distance above the bed. The face being printed has to stay close to them all the way across, so UV printing suits:

• Flat faces: plates, panels, signs, the flat side of a part.
• Gently curved faces: a shallow curve that stays close to the heads.

It does not suit shapes that curve two ways at once, like a ball, a helmet or a figurine’s face. There, the ink lands too far from where it was aimed and the print blurs. For those, spray paint or airbrushing on a primed part works better. When we design a part ourselves, we can give it a flat face where the logo goes.

Send a photo of the surface and we will check it

Durability: long-lasting indoors, clear-coated outdoors

• Indoors: a UV print keeps its colour on a desk, shelf or wall, and has no edge to peel like a vinyl sticker.
• Outdoors: sun and rain are harder on any print. We add a clear coat over the print for pieces that live outside.
• Daily wear: the ink sits on the surface, so keys, tools and rough handling can scratch through it over time. A mark that must survive that is better laser engraved.

Tell us where the piece will live and we will advise

Artwork to send: vector files or 300 DPI images

• Best: a PDF or SVG with the fonts converted to outlines. These are vector files, which stay sharp at any size.
• Photos and images: a PNG or JPG at 300 DPI at print size. DPI (dots per inch) is how many pixels fall in each inch of the print. A print 100 mm wide at 300 DPI needs an image about 1,200 pixels wide.
• Shapes with no background: a PNG with a transparent background, so only the artwork prints.
• AI and EPS files: these are welcome too, sent over WhatsApp.

We build the white underbase for you, and we flag anything that will not print well, such as a blurry image or a line too thin to show.

Send your file and we will check it before it prints

Lead time: about a week for a normal job

A normal-size UV print job takes about 5 to 7 working days from a confirmed quote. That is a rough guide: large prints and big batches take longer, so check with us. If we are also making the item, its making time comes first: a 3D printed part, for example, takes 4 to 7 working days in filament or resin before it is printed on. Tell us your deadline when you ask.

Have a date to meet? Tell us with your artwork

UV printing, engraving or paint: pick by colour, wear and shape

• UV printing reproduces exact brand colours, photos and fine detail on a flat or gently curved face, from one piece upwards.
• Laser engraving burns the mark into acrylic, wood or metal. It shows in a shade of the material itself, so it suits a clean wordmark, and it cannot peel or fade.
• Paint goes on after a primer and covers any shape, including whole parts in a matched colour.

For more on putting a brand on a part, see five ways to put a logo on a 3D print.

Still deciding? Send the artwork and we will recommend one