Printing system assemblies and methods

A method, comprising:

• supporting a substrate on a gas cushion;
• holding the substrate along an edge thereof using a substrate gripping surface of a gripper;
• moving a carriage assembly to move the gripper in a Y-axis direction to position the substrate in a work position;
• moving a dispenser across the substrate in an X-axis direction that crosses the Y-axis direction;
• dispensing droplets of a liquid material onto the substrate using the dispenser;
• moving the dispenser in the X-axis direction toward a maintenance system;
• and
• maintaining orientation of the edge of the substrate parallel to the Y-axis direction by using an actuator to rotate the substrate gripping surface of the gripper about a Z-axis that is substantially perpendicular to a plane defined by the Y-axis and X-axis directions while moving the gripper in the Y-axis direction, wherein rotation applied by the actuator is adjusted as the substrate is moved in the Y-direction based on signals from a sensor configured to detect a position of the actuator in the X-direction relative to a position of the carriage assembly in the X-direction.

A method, comprising:

• supporting a substrate on a gas cushion using positive pressure and vacuum;
• holding the substrate along an edge thereof using a substrate gripping surface of a gripper;
• moving a carriage assembly to move the gripper in a Y-axis direction to position the substrate in a work position;
• moving a dispenser across the substrate in an X-axis direction that crosses the Y-axis direction;
• dispensing droplets of a liquid material onto the substrate using the dispenser;
• moving the dispenser in the X-axis direction toward a maintenance system;
• and
• maintaining orientation of the edge of the substrate parallel to the Y-axis direction by using an actuator to rotate a component of the gripper about a Z-axis axis that is substantially perpendicular to a plane defined by the Y-axis and X-axis directions while moving the gripper in the Y-axis direction, wherein rotation applied by the actuator is adjusted as the substrate is moved in the Y-direction based on signals from a sensor configured to detect a position of the actuator in the X-direction relative to a position of the carriage assembly in the X-direction.