Blurry UV Prints? It's Probably Not Your Design or Your Settings

If your UV prints are blurry - there's almost always one main reason why: the print head height is wrong. 

This doesn't actually mean there's a problem with your UV printer or that it measured wrong.  But it does mean you need to make some changes to get better quality prints.

Your machine is measuring height, not just position

A UV printer has figure out how tall your object is and it does that by scanning the entire flatbed. 

It then takes the highest point on the flatbed and it bases the print head height off that. The print head needs to sit a very specific distance above whatever it is printing on. If it's too high the ink kind of scatters a little before it lands, which is exactly what gives you that soft, blurry look.  If the printhead is too low or too close close and the head can physically drag across your piece.

Why an uneven surface wrecks the print

Picture a notebook or journal on the bed.  If the cover doesn't full close or one corner is bent it can make that area higher than the rest of the book.  

The problem is the scan sees that as the height of the object and then prints the entire design at that level. Every other part of that journal is now sitting lower, further from the print head than it should be, and your ink lands soft and fuzzy across most of the design.

Same story with a tumbler lid that has a lip, a coaster that is a touch warped, a phone case with a raised camera bump, or a piece of wood with a knot standing up above the surface.  Most UV printers can still handle these usually with either manual height detection tools or by just allowing a small range of height variances across the object (like on a phone case) 

Get it flat, and print on something you don't care about first

The fix for something like a book is pretty simple - just tape it down. Just keep in mind if the tape itself lifts, that then becomes the highest point. 

My best advice is that while you're learning to use scrap pieces or junk drawer items that you don't care about. The point of your first few prints is to learn the workflow, not to come out with a finished product. Trust me - it will save you tossing an expensive blank. 

If you are brand new to UV printing (congrats!) I walk through a complete first UV print start to finish in this month's Silhouette U video, on the eufyMake E1, though the process is close to the same on any desktop flatbed UV printer. You can watch the full walkthrough here as a member or preview it before you join Silhouette U! 

If you are still deciding on a machine, my beginner's guide to the eufyMake E1 is a good place to start.

If you are just getting into UV printing that is exactly what Silhouette U is for. Not only exclusive videos and tutorials, but same day, personalized, US-based help! Come join us in Silhouette U.

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing products through my links, I receive a small commission. That's what helps fund Silhouette School so I can keep buying new Silhouette-related products to show you how to get the most out of your machine!