System and method for producing high quality images with ultraviolet curable inks in a printer

A printer comprising:

• a first printhead operatively connected to a source of ultraviolet (UV) curable ink having a first color, the first printhead being configured to eject the UV curable ink having the first color onto a substrate as the substrate passes the first printhead in a process direction;
• a first source of UV radiation following the first printhead in the process direction by a first predetermined distance, the first source of UV radiation being configured with a plurality of UV emitters that are independently operable so at least one UV emitter is operated to expose at least one area of the substrate printed with the UV curable ink ejected by the first printhead to fix the UV curable ink in the at least one area before the substrate moves past the first source of UV radiation and the UV curable ink ejected by the first printhead on at least one other area of the substrate spreads as the substrate passes the first source of UV radiation;
• and
• a second source of UV radiation following the first source of UV radiation in the process direction and being separated from the first source of UV radiation in the process direction by a second predetermined distance that is greater than the first predetermined distance, the second source of UV radiation being configured to expose an entire width of the substrate in a cross-process direction so the UV curable ink ejected by the first printhead in the at least one other area is fixed as the substrate passes the second source of UV radiation.