Improved output quality of a printer used in UV curable ink jet printing is achieved by minimizing or eliminating a print artifact referred to as gloss banding or tire tracking. A same or a similar number of nozzles as used in conventional printers is used to achieve a desired throughput, but the nozzles are arranged so that any given square inch of substrate to which ink is being applied receives a lower amount of ink. A longer effective print head is provided by arranging the print heads into a longer array, where the print heads are butted substantially end-to-end. As a result, the net throughput of the printer is the same as that of a conventional printer because the printer uses the same number of print heads, but the amount of ink that is applied to any given square inch is less on a pass.