Patent ID: 8479795

Claim:
A three-dimensional object fabrication apparatus comprising: a housing enclosing a work area having at least two distinct zones including a fabrication zone and an assembly zone; an interface in the housing to receive digital data defining a geometry for a three-dimensional object to be fabricated; a fabrication mechanism in the fabrication zone to fabricate sub-elements, each sub-element forming a portion of the object substantially consistent with the digital data for a corresponding portion of the geometry; and an assembly mechanism in the assembly zone to join the sub-elements in relative alignment to form the object defined by the geometry, the assembly mechanism including a thermal element to heat both a surface of a next sub-element to be added and a surface of a partially assembled object to which the sub-element is to be attached, wherein both surfaces are heated by direct contact with the thermal element; wherein fabrication of a sub-element occurs during an overlapping time interval with assembly of another sub-element.