Ink jet uv curing

Abstract: A method and apparatus for printing a product, article or other object at a printing station and for enhancing the application of UV light to UV photo initiators in a UV curable ink being applied to a product, article or other object at the printing station, comprising the steps for: printing a UV-curable ink with a printing head of a printer on a substrate, product, article or other object at a printing station; providing a primary light source of UV light preferably comprising at least one set of UV-LED arrays of UV-LED chips adjacent the printing head; and partially curing the ink dots by emitting light on the ink dots from the primary light source to set and partially polymerize, coalesce, coagulate and/or gel the ink dots so as to substantially inhibit the growth of the ink dots and prevent, running or smudging of the ink dots. The curing of the ink dots are completed by emitting light on the ink dots from a secondary light source, such as from one or more fluorescent lamps.