Changes

Virtual printers have earned their name quite simply because they are not really printers at all.  These printers have no physical module, but are rather computer programs. The operating system and other software recognizes these as printers, but when something is "printed" to one, the task is spooled into a file, rather than an actual printer.  Perhaps th emost common virtual printer is produced by [[Adobe Systems|Adobe]], which "prints" to [[Portable Document Format|PDF]].

Virtual printers have earned their name quite simply because they are not really printers at all.  These printers have no physical module, but are rather computer programs. The operating system and other software recognizes these as printers, but when something is "printed" to one, the task is spooled into a file, rather than an actual printer.  Perhaps th emost common virtual printer is produced by [[Adobe Systems|Adobe]], which "prints" to [[Portable Document Format|PDF]].

===Three dimensional===

===Three dimensional===

Just as a ink jet printer can be used to deposit an ink or marking substance on a flat piece of paper, similar mechanisms can be used to deposit a bulky substance instead.  As such substances cure, they can accumulate to form a three dimensional object. As the printer makes repeated passes over the object the pattern of depositing the substance can change, which will affect the ultimate shape of the object.

Just as a ink jet printer can be used to deposit an ink or marking substance on a flat piece of paper, similar mechanisms can be used to deposit a bulky substance instead.  As such substances cure, they can accumulate to form a three dimensional object. As the printer makes repeated passes over the object the pattern of depositing the substance can change, which will affect the ultimate shape of the object.