Patent ID: 8875653

Claim:
A micro-extrusion system for printing parallel gridlines on a pseudo-square substrate such that the gridlines extend in a process direction, the system comprising: a gridline material feed system for supplying a gridline material along a supply flow path; a micro-extrusion printhead assembly including: a plurality of first nozzle channels, each said first nozzle channel having a first outlet orifice that is disposed in a central cross-process region of said printhead assembly, a first flow channel communicating between a first inlet port and each of said plurality of first nozzle channels, a first set of second nozzle channels, each said second nozzle channel of the first set having a second outlet orifice that is disposed in a first cross-process side region located outside of said central cross-process region; a second set of second nozzle channels, each said second nozzle channel of the second set having a second outlet orifice that is disposed in a second cross-process side region located outside of said central cross-process region, said central cross-process region being located between the first and second cross-process side regions; and a second flow channel communicating between a second inlet port and each said second outlet orifice of said first and second sets of second nozzle channels, wherein each of said first outlet orifices is offset in the process direction from each said second outlet orifice of said first and second sets of second nozzle channels by an offset distance; a first valve disposed in the supply flow path between the gridline material feed system and the first inlet port;a second valve disposed in the supply flow path between the gridline material feed system and the second inlet port; and a controller configured to control operation of the first valve and the second valve such that both the first and second valves open in response to a start signal, and such that both the first and second valves simultaneously initiate extrusion of portions of said gridline material into said printhead at a print start time, whereby front endpoints of gridlines formed by the extruded gridline material form a first step pattern, said controller further configured such that said second valve is closed in response to a first stop command at a second time after the print start time, and such that the first valve is closed in response to a second stop command at a third time after the second start time, whereby back endpoints of gridlines formed by the extruded gridline material form a second step pattern.