Fixed Printhead Fused Filament Fabrication Printer and Method

A fused filament fabrication printer comprising:

• a frame;
• a first carriage mounted to the frame for vertical motion;
• a second carriage mounted to the first carriage for horizontal motion;
• a build platform having a surface, the build platform rotatably mounted to the second carriage, so that rotation of the build platform defines an axis of rotation;
• a plurality of printheads mounted to the frame along lines extending through the axis of rotation defined by the build platform;
• wherein the build platform is positioned opposite the printheads, so that as the build platform rotates and moves in a horizontal direction opposite the printheads, so that the printheads can print in a print plane parallel to the surface of the build platform, as the build platform is moved relative to the printheads;
• wherein the first carriage mounted to the frame for vertical motion is arranged to move away from the printheads so that the print plane is moved away from the printheads.

A method of fused filament fabrication printing comprising the steps of:

• repeatedly starting extrusion of thermoplastic from at least one printhead at a selected radius from a center of rotation onto a rotating build platform and stopping extrusion of thermoplastic from the printhead onto the rotating build platform so as to deposit continuous arc segments of thermoplastic onto the build platform;
• translating the build platform in a plane defined by the rotation of the build platform so that the continuous arc segments of thermoplastic are deposited onto the build platform over a multiplicity of different selected radiuses;
• and
• moving the build platform perpendicular to the plane defined by the build platform such that the continuous arc segments of thermoplastic are deposited onto the build platform in a multiplicity of parallel planes of different selected spacing from the rotating build platform.