Apparatus and method of dispensing conductive material with active Z-axis control

An apparatus for printing a conductive ink onto a plastic panel, the apparatus comprising:

• a support adapted to support the panel;
• an articulatable member positioned relative to the support such that an end of the member opposes a surface of the panel to be printed;
• a nozzle carried by the member and mounted thereto at the end, the nozzle being coupled to a source of the conductive ink;
• a nozzle height actuator mounting the nozzle to the member;
• a flow regulator coupled to the ink source and the nozzle, the flow rate of conductive ink out of the nozzle being regulated by the flow regulator;
• a height sensor configured to measure a distance of the nozzle from the surface of the panel and output a height signal relative to the surface of the panel;
• and
• a controller coupled to the member, the flow regulator, the nozzle height actuator and the height sensor, the controller being configured to cause articulation of the member so as to move the nozzle in a predetermined pattern about the surface of the panel, whereby the controller is configured to control at least one of the flow regulator and the nozzle height actuator as a function of at least one of the speed at which the nozzle is moved, the height signal from the height sensor and the flow rate of conductive ink out of the nozzle, such that a conductive trace of predetermined height and width is applied to the panel.