3D Printing + UV Printing: Richer Color, Less Waste, Better Results
Multicolor 3D printing has become a huge trend in recent years, and for good reason. It makes prints more colorful, more expressive, and more fun to create.
Now, there are plenty of ways to make your 3D prints colorful. You can choose from different machine setups, such as:
- Automatic material switching systems
- Multi-material printing setups
- Multi-toolhead machines
- Color mixing technologies
Or you can do it by hand using traditional finishing methods like acrylic markers or brushes.
These methods can work well, but they also come with familiar trade-offs.
More colors often mean more purge waste, longer print times, visible color transitions, and extra finishing work.
So even with today's multicolor systems, there's still a big gap between adding color and achieving truly full-color results.
That's where UV printing comes in. You can 3D print first, then add color with UV printing.
If you haven't explored UV printing yet, this guide will give you a simple introduction and show how UV printing and 3D printing can work together to unlock far more creative and commercial possibilities than most makers expect.
What Exactly Is UV Printing?
UV printing is a process that prints UV-curable ink directly onto the surface of an object, such as acrylic, wood, metal, plastic, leather, or glass. The ink is instantly cured by UV light as it's printed.
Common 3D printing materials like PLA are plastic-based, which bonds well with UV ink.
Because UV ink is resin-based, and a UV printer like the eufyMake E1 can print 3D textures, people sometimes confuse it with a resin 3D printer.
Yeah, it did has some same place, like stunning details. But simply put, the key difference is: 3D printing makes the shape. UV printing creates the surface finish.
Why 3D Printing Users Should Care About UV Printing
Most 3D printing users care about three things: how a part looks, how long it takes, and whether it is worth making at scale.
UV printing helps on all three.
Richer Color Without Filament Limits
Multicolor filament printing can be impressive, but it still works within the limits of physical filament changes. Even with multiple spools, the result is usually closer to color blocking than true image level detail.
A good example: light boxes.
3D printing can already produce color light boxes using methods like HueForge or layered filament artwork. But UV-printed light boxes create a very different visual effect.
One of the biggest frustrations in multicolor printing is purge waste. Every color change can create extra material that adds cost without adding anything to the final part.
With UV printing, color is added after the shape is already done, so there is no need for purge towers or flush blocks.
Source: hackday
Faster for Many Surface Color Applications
In many cases, UV printing can also save time.
Even with tool changers or multi-nozzle setups, multi-color 3D printing still introduces additional process overhead for color changes.
More importantly, FDM printers must build the entire object layer by layer, which is inherently slower than applying color directly to a finished surface.
That is especially true for products like keychains, badges, decorative panels, branding plates, and other prints where the color mostly lives on the outside.
Source: Willem Post
A Better Way to Stand Out
For anyone selling 3D prints, the value goes even further. Have you ever watched someone glance at your booth, think "just more plastic trinkets," and move on?
The 3D printing market is full of similar shapes and similar finishes.
UV printing gives you a way to add graphics, branding, textures, and personalization that make a product feel more finished and intentional.
The result is often more polished, more distinctive, and easier to customize. And when you're competing with dozens of similar prints, that can make a real difference.
What Can You Make with UV Printing and 3D Printing
Now that you know what UV printing is and why it matters, let's look at a few ways it can work alongside your 3D printer.
We've shared some cool 3D printing ideas in earlier posts, and here are a few examples that get even better with UV printing.
Scannable QR Labels for Filament Management
Organizing filaments can get messy fast, especially once the collection starts growing.
A 3D printer can create custom storage bins, spool holders, or label plates, and UV printing can add clean text, color information, and fully scannable QR codes right onto the surface.
That makes it much easier to identify materials, track colors, and keep everything organized without relying on paper labels or stickers.
It is a small detail, but it instantly makes a workshop setup look cleaner, smarter, and more professional.
Full Color 3D Printed Keychains
Keychains are one of the best everyday examples of UV printing and 3D printing working together.
You use them all the time, which makes the added color and detail much more noticeable. They're also easy to carry, easy to gift, and easy to show to other people.
Jewelry and Cosplay Accessories
Jewelry is a perfect example of where shape alone is not enough.
A 3D printed piece may already have a strong form, but UV printing can add the color and surface detail that makes it feel complete.
You can use your 3D printer to build the structural base of pendants, earrings, or armor pieces. Then, you can use the UV printer to apply intricate decorative graphics, metallic accents, and custom artwork.
Custom Gear Case
A 3D printed shape alone can be strong, but adding color and complex texture makes it feel like a complete retail product.
This example uses your 3D printer to create a rugged-style utility box. Then, the UV printer is used to apply a detailed topographic relief map and icons.
Custom 3D Printed Bricks and Minifigures
You can use your 3D printer to create custom building blocks or unique toy parts.
Then, you can use the UV printer to add professional grade facial expressions, clothing textures, and branding elements.
Check out our full guide: Custom 3D Printed LEGO with UV Printing
source: Eric Ledbetter
How Your 3D Printer Upgrades UV Printing Workflow
This is a true two-way relationship. Your 3D printer is the ultimate companion tool for a UV printer.
You can use your 3D printer to solve the two biggest challenges of UV printing, which are alignment and material costs.
1. Print Custom Jigs for Perfect Alignment
Custom jigs are one of the most useful things you can 3D print for UV printing.
They let you place parts in the same position every time, which helps keep graphics aligned, reduces the chance of overspray, and makes repeat jobs much more reliable.
They can also cut down on camera alignment time, which is especially helpful when you are running multiple items and want a faster workflow.
Many eufyMake E1 users in the community already share useful 3D printed jigs and accessories, including alignment trays and rotary tools for specialized applications.
You can find many of these files on major 3D printing model websites and print them yourself.
2. Save Money with 3D Printed Substrates
3D printing can also help lower the cost of UV printed products.
For simple items like coasters, bookmarks, magnets, and other flat products, buying ready-made blanks can get expensive once shipping costs and minimum order quantities are included.
Printing your own substrates gives you more flexibility while keeping material costs under better control.
This is especially useful when you are testing new product ideas, making small batches, or offering custom designs.
There is also a simple material advantage: if you print your substrates in white filament, you may be able to reduce white ink usage during UV printing.
Since white ink is often one of the more expensive consumables, this can help lower running costs and simplify production for some designs.
Source: BonsaiPrintGarden
Final Thought
The most exciting part of UV printing is not the technology itself. It is what it lets you make.
When we combine 3D printing for shape with UV printing for surface detail, we unlock products that look more colorful, more polished, and far more marketable than standard prints.
And once people see the results in photos, videos, or in person, the value becomes obvious very quickly.
