Valved nozzle with a compensator and massively parallel 3D printing system

A nozzle for a 3D printing system, the nozzle comprising:

• a flowpath with a material inlet and a material outlet;
• a valve in fluid communication with the flowpath between the material inlet and the material outlet;
• and
• a compensator in fluid communication with the flowpath in a location between the material inlet and the material outlet,
• wherein the valve includes a first diaphragm moveable between an open state and a closed state, wherein in the closed state the first diaphragm is displaced and obstructs the flow path between the material inlet and the material outlet,
• wherein the compensator includes a second diaphragm moveable between a contracted state and an expanded state, and
• wherein the second diaphragm moves from the expanded state to the contracted state when the first diaphragm moves from the open state to the closed state such that a change in volume of the flowpath caused by the displacement of the first diaphragm is approximately equal to a change in volume of the flowpath at the second diaphragm.

A nozzle for a 3D printing system, the nozzle comprising:

• a flowpath with a material inlet and a material outlet;
• a valve in fluid communication with the flowpath between the material inlet and the material outlet, the valve including a closed state and an open state, wherein in the closed state the valve obstructs the flowpath between the material inlet and the material outlet, and wherein in the open state the material inlet is in fluid communication with the material outlet;
• and
• a compensator in fluid communication with the flowpath, the compensator including a contracted state associated with the open state of the valve and an expanded state associated with the closed state of the valve, wherein in the contracted state, the compensator provides a portion of the flowpath with a first volume;
• and
• an actuator for switching a control pressure between the valve and the compensator such that, when the valve moves from the open state to the closed state, the compensator moves from the expanded state to the contracted state simultaneously.