US Patent 8033811 Pantograph assembly for digital manufacturing system

A digital manufacturing system for producing first and second objects comprises a platen, a gantry, a pantograph extrusion head system and first and second sets of extruders. The platen defines a workspace upon which the objects are produced. The gantry defines a headspace displaced from the workspace. The extrusion head system is mounted to the gantry for movement in the headspace. The sets of extruders are connected to the extrusion head system and are configured to deposit extrusion material on the workspace to build the objects. Each set of extruders comprises a first extruder mounted to the extrusion head system; a second extruder mounted to the extrusion head system so as to be actuatable from a first to a second position; and a flexible linkage connecting the extruders. The flexible linkages position the second extruders in approximately equal known spatial relationships to the first extruders in the second positions.