Patent ID: 8042269

Claim:
A method of forming a nozzle plate for droplet deposition apparatus, including the steps of: defining a plurality of distinct bodies of polymeric material distributed over a nozzle plate plane, each said body having a periphery, forming a plurality of nozzles, each nozzle extending through one of said distinct bodies of polymeric material distributed over the nozzle plate plane, and subsequently to said step of defining a plurality of distinct bodies of polymeric material, forming at least one metal nozzle plate layer by electroforming around said peripheries of said bodies of polymeric material so that each of said distinct bodies of polymeric material is located within a corresponding one of a plurality of apertures within said metal nozzle plate layer and so that said peripheries of said bodies of polymeric material define at least in part the shapes of said apertures; to provide a nozzle plate extending over said nozzle plate plane.