Patent ID: 7693595

Claim:
A volume element (voxel) printing system for printing a three-dimensional object, the system comprising: a first printhead group having a plurality of first printheads configured to print a first voxel layer on a substrate; at least one second printhead group having a plurality of second printheads downstream from the first group, the second printhead group configured to print a subsequent voxel layer on at least part of the first layer, said second printheads being reconfigurable as backup printheads for the first printheads in case of failure; an object insertion device configured to insert an object into a cavity defined by the voxel layers; a conveyor configured to convey the substrate past the printhead groups; and a control system configured to control and monitor the printhead groups, the object insertion device and the conveyor, and dynamically to reconfigure the second printheads if failure of a first printhead is detected.