Metal drop ejecting three-dimensional (3D) object printer

A metal drop ejecting apparatus comprising:

• a melter configured to receive and melt a bulk metal;
• an ejector operatively connected to the melter to receive melted bulk metal from the melter;
• a platform configured to support a substrate having a plurality of via holes in the substrate, the platform being positioned opposite the ejector;
• at least one actuator operatively connected to at least one of the platform and the ejector, the at least one actuator being configured to move at least one of the platform and the ejector relative to one another;
• a user interface configured to receive a digital data model of a substrate and user input data;
• and
• a controller operatively connected to the melter, the ejector, the user interface, and the at least one actuator, the controller being configured to:
• identify the bulk metal to be received by the melter using the digital data model;
• identify locations of the via holes in the substrate using the digital data model;
• generate machine ready instructions for moving and operating the ejector to fill the via holes at the identified locations;
• and
• execute the machine ready instructions to operate the ejector, the at least one actuator, and the melter to melt the bulk metal in the melter, position the ejector opposite the identified locations for the via holes in the substrate and eject drops of the melted bulk metal toward the via holes at the identified locations.