Abstract: An electrohydrodynamic printer has a fluidic extractor. A stream of liquid or carrier fluid at a different electrical potential than the printing fluid passes by an extraction opening to extract printing fluid from the extraction opening. The stream of liquid can be a continuous stream, a uniform stream of droplets, or a non-uniform stream of droplets. The extracted printing fluid can merge with the extraction fluid to be carried to a printing surface for deposition. The stream of extraction fluid can be intermittently charged to intermittently extract printing fluid such that selective portions of the stream do not extract printing fluid.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a thin film structure includes printing, using an electrohydrodynamic jet (e-jet) printing apparatus, a first layer comprising a first liquid ink, such that the first layer is supported by a substrate, curing the first layer; printing, using the e-jet printing apparatus, a second layer comprising a second liquid ink, such that the second layer is supported by the first layer, and curing the second layer.

Abstract: A printer having: an ink nozzle; an extractor laterally spaced from the ink nozzle; a plurality of gas nozzles arranged around the ink nozzle; and three modes of operation, including an electrohydrodynamic mode, an aerodynamic mode, and a combined mode. The modes operate as follows: a voltage is applied across the ink nozzle and the extractor in the electrohydrodynamic mode; a jet of gas is discharged from each of the gas nozzles in the aerodynamic mode; and the voltage is applied and the jets of gas are discharged in the combined mode.

Abstract: An electrohydrodynamic printer has a self-cleaning extractor that can cleaning itself during printing. The extractor can be in the form of a metal block or a metal rod along which a layer of cleaning fluid flows from a source of cleaning fluid to a collector. The surface of the extractor along which the cleaning fluid flows can be adjustable between horizontal and any other angle. The self-cleaning extractor eliminates the need to interrupt e-jet printing cycles to clean stray printing fluid from the extractor by continuously keeping the extractor clean during ink extraction and printing.

Abstract: A printer includes a nozzle from which a stream of printing fluid is electrostatically extracted and directed toward a printing surface. A diverter can selectively interrupt the stream of printing fluid so that at least some of the extracted printing fluid is not deposited on the printing surface. Another stream of printing fluid can be extracted from another nozzle in a different direction from the first. Respective diverters can selectively and independently interrupt each stream of printing fluid to control which portions of the extracted fluids are deposited over the printing surface. Diverted printing fluid can be collected and reused. The diverters allow for a more constant or uniform extraction field while permitting selective deposition of ink droplets similar to drop-on-demand printing schemes.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a thin film structure includes printing, using an electrohydrodynamic jet (e-jet) printing apparatus, a first layer comprising a first liquid ink, such that the first layer is supported by a substrate, curing the first layer; printing, using the e-jet printing apparatus, a second layer comprising a second liquid ink, such that the second layer is supported by the first layer, and curing the second layer.

Abstract: A printer is configured to provide a stream of extraction gas that extracts a printing fluid from a printing nozzle. An electrode produces an electric field that accelerates the extracted printing fluid toward a printing substrate. The printer can be configured to selectively turn the electric field and the stream of extraction gas off and on to enable printing in a gas-extraction mode, an e-assisted gas-extraction mode, or an e-jet mode. The stream of gas can be provided by a second nozzle concentric with the printing nozzle, and the electrode can be part of the second nozzle. A third nozzle can discharge a focusing gas around the extracted printing fluid.

Abstract: A spatial atomic layer deposition apparatus that includes a depositor head having an active surface configured to discharge a flow of a first precursor gas, a flow of a second precursor gas, and a flow of an inert gas that separates the flow of the first precursor gas and the flow of the second precursor gas, a substrate plate that opposes the depositor head and has a support surface for retaining a build substrate, a plurality of gap detection sensors producing an output signal indicative of a distance between the active surface of the depositor head and the support surface of the substrate plate, and a controller that communicates with the plurality of gap detection sensors. The gap detection sensors permit a spatial orientation of the active surface of the depositor head and the support surface of the substrate plate to be determined in real-time and monitored.

Abstract: A printer is configured to provide a jet of extraction gas that extracts a printing fluid from a printing nozzle in the presence of an electric field that accelerates the extracted printing fluid toward a printing substrate. The printer is also configured to selectively turn the electric field and the jet of extraction gas off and on to enable printing in gas-extraction mode, an e-assisted gas-extraction mode, or an e-jet mode. The jet of gas can be provided by a second nozzle concentric with the printing nozzle. A third nozzle can discharge a focusing gas around the extracted printing fluid.

Abstract: Today, product developers with customized small batch production needs come across the problem of finding capable and flexible manufacturers, while manufacturers face underutilization due to inconsistent demand. In this disclosure, a digital manufacturing framework is presented to address the challenge of matching the underutilized manufacturers with the new product developers. This disclosure presents a Production as a Service (PaaS) framework to connect users (consumers or product developers) who have customized small batch manufacturing needs, with manufacturers that have existing underutilized resources. PaaS is a cloud-based, centralized framework based on a service oriented architecture (SOA) that abstracts the manufacturing steps of a product as individual (production) service requests. PaaS creates a market place for small-to-mid sized manufacturing industry by coordinating multiple manufacturers to provide the requested services.

Abstract: An electrohydrodynamic print head includes a plurality of nozzles and a common electrode. Separately controllable electrostatic fields between the common electrode and each nozzle are provided. The common electrode can also shield adjacent electrostatic fields from each other. Each nozzle can be associated with separately controllable gas flow fields and separately back pressures. The print head enables simultaneous e-jet printing of different printing fluids and/or different resolutions. The print head may be part of a printing system with interchangeable cartridges. Each cartridge has multiple nozzles, and printing fluid extraction parameters can be made separately controllable for each nozzle.

Abstract: An integrated electrohydrodynamic jet printing and spatial atomic layer deposition system for conducting nanofabrication includes an electrohydrodynamic jet printing station that includes an E-jet printing nozzle, a spatial atomic layer deposition station that includes a zoned ALD precursor gas distributor that discharges linear zone-separated first and second ALD precursor gases, a heatable substrate plate supported on a motion actuator controllable to move the substrate plate in three dimensions, and a conveyor on which the motion actuator is supported. The conveyor is operative to move the motion actuator between the electrohydrodynamic jet printing station and the spatial atomic layer deposition station so that the substrate plate is conveyable between a printing window of the E-jet printing nozzle and a deposition window of the zoned ALD precursor gas distributor, respectively. A method of conducting area-selective atomic layer deposition is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a thin film structure includes printing, using an electrohydrodynamic jet (e-jet) printing apparatus, a first layer comprising a first liquid ink, such that the first layer is supported by a substrate, curing the first layer; printing, using the e-jet printing apparatus, a second layer comprising a second liquid ink, such that the second layer is supported by the first layer, and curing the second layer.

Abstract: A print nozzle assembly is presented for use in a printer. The print nozzle assembly may include: a printing pin; a wetting mechanism associated with the printing pin, and an ink retraction mechanism integrated into the wetting mechanism. The wetting mechanism includes an ink reservoir with an outlet arranged in close proximity to a tip of the printing pin. The ink retraction mechanism is configured to retract ink away from the outlet of the ink reservoir.

Abstract: An electrohydrodynamic print head includes a plurality of nozzles and a common electrode. Separately controllable electrostatic fields between the common electrode and each nozzle are provided. The common electrode can also shield adjacent electrostatic fields from each other. Each nozzle can be associated with separately controllable gas flow fields and separately back pressures. The print head enables simultaneous e-jet printing of different printing fluids and/or different resolutions. The print head may be part of a printing system with interchangeable cartridges. Each cartridge has multiple nozzles, and printing fluid extraction parameters can be made separately controllable for each nozzle.

Abstract: A print nozzle assembly is presented for use in a printer. The print nozzle assembly may include: a printing pin; a wetting mechanism associated with the printing pin, and an ink retraction mechanism integrated into the wetting mechanism. The wetting mechanism includes an ink reservoir with an outlet arranged in close proximity to a tip of the printing pin. The ink retraction mechanism is configured to retract ink away from the outlet of the ink reservoir.

Abstract: A curing device delivers localized curing energy along a pattern of curable material printed over a substrate. A curing head of the device can emit a column of curing energy along an emission axis and toward a substrate carrying the pattern of curable material, and a movement system provides relative movement between the curing head and the substrate so that the column of curing energy is guided along the pattern. Localized delivery of the curing energy enables printing and curing of printed materials on low temperature substrates such as thermoplastics.

Abstract: An integrated electrohydrodynamic jet printing and spatial atomic layer deposition system for conducting nanofabrication includes an electrohydrodynamic jet printing station that includes an E-jet printing nozzle, a spatial atomic layer deposition station that includes a zoned ALD precursor gas distributor that discharges linear zone-separated first and second ALD precursor gases, a heatable substrate plate supported on a motion actuator controllable to move the substrate plate in three dimensions, and a conveyor on which the motion actuator is supported. The conveyor is operative to move the motion actuator between the electrohydrodynamic jet printing station and the spatial atomic layer deposition station so that the substrate plate is conveyable between a printing window of the E-jet printing nozzle and a deposition window of the zoned ALD precursor gas distributor, respectively. A method of conducting area-selective atomic layer deposition is also disclosed.

Abstract: A printer is configured to provide a jet of extraction gas that extracts a printing fluid from a printing nozzle in the presence of an electrostatic field that accelerates the extracted printing fluid toward a printing substrate. The printer is also configured to selectively turn the electrostatic field and the jet of extraction gas off and on to enable printing in an aerosol mode, an e-assisted aerosol mode, or an e-jet mode. The jet of gas can be provided by a second nozzle concentric with the printing nozzle. A third nozzle can discharge a focusing gas around the aerosol.

Abstract: Today, product developers with customized small batch production needs come across the problem of finding capable and flexible manufacturers, while manufacturers face underutilization due to inconsistent demand. In this disclosure, a digital manufacturing framework is presented to address the challenge of matching the underutilized manufacturers with the new product developers. This disclosure presents a Production as a Service (PaaS) framework to connect users (consumers or product developers) who have customized small batch manufacturing needs, with manufacturers that have existing underutilized resources. PaaS is a cloud-based, centralized framework based on a service oriented architecture (SOA) that abstracts the manufacturing steps of a product as individual (production) service requests. PaaS creates a market place for small-to-mid sized manufacturing industry by coordinating multiple manufacturers to provide the requested services.