Volume element (voxel) printing system for printing a three-dimensional object

#This invention relates to the creation of objects using digital additive manufacturing and more particularly to creating working objects that may be electrically and/or mechanically active.

#Various methods, systems and apparatus relating to the present invention are disclosed in the following co-pending applications filed by the applicant or assignee of the present invention simultaneously with the present application:

#7,206,654 7,162,325 7,278,847 6,997,698 7,231,276 7,195,475 7,162,324 7,231,275 10/753,499 7,220,112 10/753,440

#FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a production line according to a first embodiment of the invention.

#FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of a production line according to a second embodiment of the invention.

#FIG. 3 shows another schematic side view of the production line of FIG. 2.

#Basic Concept

#FIG. 1 schematically shows a simplified production line 100 having many substrate width printheads 102. The printheads 102 print materials onto a moving substrate 104, that is preferably moved at a substantially constant speed in a flat plane, as indicated by arrow 106. The printheads 102 extend across the width of the substrate 104 perpendicular to the direction of travel of the substrate and are, preferably, spaced along the substrate 104 with substantially constant separations. However, as will be explained later, constant separation of the printheads is not critical.

#The printheads 102 print one layer of an object onto the previously printed layer. Thus the printhead 112 prints the first layer 110, the second printhead 108 prints a second layer 114 onto the first layer 110 and the Nth printhead 116 prints an Nth layer 118 onto the (n−1)th layer 119. For clarity only one printhead is shown for each layer but in practice there will be multiple printheads for each layer.