Bidirectional Printing Launches, with More Flexibility for Expired Ink
Over the past few months, we’ve been working through some of the most requested improvements for the eufyMake E1. In this September software update, several of them are coming together in one release.
The biggest change is the official launch of Bidirectional Printing, which can reduce print time by roughly 40% to 75%, depending on the workflow.
We’re also changing how expired UV ink is handled, adding a new white ink settling repair flow, and introducing a more targeted cleaning option.
Together, these updates make the E1 faster, easier to maintain, and more flexible for everyday printing.
Bidirectional Printing Is Officially Here
We previously shared that bidirectional printing was in development.
After multiple rounds of validation and print testing, it is now officially available in the latest software version.
To access the latest features in this release, please make sure both your firmware and PC software are up to date.
With Bidirectional Printing enabled, the printhead prints in both directions instead of just one. This reduces total print time and improves efficiency across supported print modes.
Here is the feature at a glance.
Tested speed improvements
Below are the speed gains we recorded during internal testing:
Actual results will vary based on file setup and print settings, but across a wide range of common jobs, the improvement is substantial.
This change is not as easy as most people think, and we ran into some real challenges along the way.
In unidirectional printing, the position of each ink dot is relatively easy to control. In bidirectional printing, keeping the dots aligned across both passes is much harder.
We put a lot of work into algorithm optimization, and paired it with bidirectional calibration to assure that the speed goes up while accuracy stays well controlled.
The results below are based on tests using a 57 mm × 57 mm fridge magnet.
But if your work depends on extremely precise detail reproduction, we recommend starting with a test in Bidirectional Printing.
You can also switch manually to Unidirectional Printing and compare the results, so you can find the right balance between speed and print quality for your workflow.
Current limitation
At this stage, Bidirectional Printing for the roll to film attachment and flexible white ink is still under tuning and adaptation. For now, those setups will remain in Unidirectional mode.
We are actively working on them and expect to support them later this year, with print quality improving alongside.
To keep things flexible and leave the choice to you, bidirectional printing is an option rather than a default.
When you update to the latest version, the option appears in your settings marked as new. Select it there and adjust as you like.
How Bidirectional Calibration Works
Once you turn bidirectional printing on, the next step is calibration, and the software walks you through it on screen. It usually takes a few minutes.
- The printer prints calibration lines for the forward and reverse passes.
- You check whether the forward and reverse ink dots are misaligned, and whether they overlap cleanly.
- If the ink dots from the two directions are slightly offset, the software will guide you to enter a compensation value. This tells the printer to fire slightly earlier or later so the forward and reverse dots line up more accurately.
- You print again to check the result and make adjustments until the forward and reverse dots are properly aligned.
To ensure print quality, calibration is needed whenever you switch between Unidirectional and Bidirectional Printing, or when you switch between different print beds.
If you replace the printhead or restore the machine to factory settings, you will also need to calibrate again before Bidirectional Printing becomes available.
Until then, the printer will continue using unidirectional printing to avoid alignment errors.
Expired Ink Restriction Is Now Removed
Another major change in this release is how expired UV ink is handled in software.
UV ink typically has a shelf life of 12 to 15 months from the production date. As it ages, some components can gradually settle or separate, increasing the risk of clogging.
In more serious cases, aged ink may damage the printhead and lead to more costly problems.
That was the reason we originally introduced a strict expiration restriction for eufyMake E1 ink. Our intention was to reduce avoidable hardware damage, especially for users who were newer to UV printing and might not yet be familiar with the risks of aging ink.
But a hard cutoff does not fit every situation, and many of you told us so.
In some cases, fresh ink cannot be replaced in time, while printing still needs to continue. For situations like this, a hard stop can be highly disruptive.
With that in mind, we decided to adjust the policy and return that choice to you.
What is changing
With this update, expired UV ink is no longer handled with a hard lock.
Instead, when expired ink is detected, the software will show a risk warning pop-up and let you choose whether to continue.
(If your ink expired before this update, the unlock prompt will only appear after you start a print job.)
After you acknowledge the risk and choose to continue, the device will return from Abnormal to Idle, and other device operations will become available again.
We are also adding a 14 day observation period to give you time to replace expired ink without interrupting urgent work.
If you continue printing during this period, please order fresh ink and replace the expired ink as soon as possible.
Note: This change applies to UV ink only. The cleaning cartridge is not covered by the new flexibility.
Important warranty reminder
If your ink expired 14 calendar days ago or less, applicable eufyMake Care coverage and Print Head warranty still applies under its original terms.
If it expired more than 14 calendar days ago, coverage may no longer apply to problems caused by expired ink.
We still do not recommend using expired ink. The best practice is to replace it as soon as possible and plan ink usage and replacement based on your actual printing frequency and the ink's shelf life.
New White Ink Settling Repair Flow
White ink settling is one of the most common issues in UV printing, especially when the printer has not used much white ink for a while.
When white ink sits idle, the heavier components can begin to settle, which may affect output consistency and lead to unstable print results.
To help address this, we’re introducing a new white ink settling detection and repair flow in this update.
How it works
Before printing, the printer automatically runs a pre-print risk check. If it detects a risk of white ink settling, a popup automatically appears before the job starts.
You will then see two options:
- Recover & Print: The printer first purges 3ml white ink through printing to help restore flow in the ink path, then continues with the original print job.
- Skip: You can also skip the recovery step and proceed directly to printing.
Before and after
Below is a comparison of print results before and after this repair flow is applied.
New cleaning option: Medium Clean (Enhanced)
In addition to this repair flow, we’ve also added a new cleaning option called Medium Clean Enhanced.
Print line dropout is often caused by partial nozzle clogging in the printhead. When some nozzles are blocked, ink output becomes uneven and printed lines may look incomplete or broken.
Medium Clean Enhanced is designed to clear those blockages more effectively and help restore stable output.
In practice, it is equivalent to running Standard Medium Clean twice, with a total cleaning time of about 3 minutes 20 seconds.
Previously, many people had to run Standard Medium Clean multiple times or move directly to Deep Clean. With this new option, there is now a more targeted step before going deeper.
A Reminder About Sequential Print
This is not a new feature, but it is worth mentioning again because of how useful it can be for advanced applications.
For simple prints, merging layers into a single file may already be enough.
But for workflows such as holographic trading cards, spot UV effects, and other more complex designs, Multi Layer Printing gives much more flexibility.
It allows different parts of the same print to use different settings in one job, helping reduce manual steps while unlocking more creative possibilities.
Looking Ahead
Thank you, as always, for continuing to share feedback with us.
Many of the changes in this release came directly from community input, and that feedback continues to shape how eufyMake E1 evolves.
We’ll keep refining the software experience and improving real-world workflows based on what we hear from users.
If you have thoughts on this update, we’d love to hear them.
FAQs
How do I make sure I’m on the version that supports these updates?
Please make sure both your device and PC software are updated to the following versions or later:
- Firmware: 4.0.9
- PC software: 4.3.3
If one of them has not been updated, some new features may not appear or work as expected.
How is bidirectional printing different from dual head UV printing?
Both are ways to print faster, but they get there differently. Bidirectional printing speeds things up through software, with no hardware upgrade needed on your E1.
Dual head UV printing adds a second printhead, which can give slightly better results, but it also means a more complex machine and a higher overall cost.
For most work, bidirectional printing gets you most of the speed benefit without the added expense.
