US Patent 7198826 Providing a surface layer or structure on a substrate

The present invention provides a method of providing a surface layer or structure on a substrate. The method includes ink jet printing spaced first segments of the surface layer or structure material on the substrate and drying or curing the first segments. Additionally, the method includes ink jet printing further material segments in the gaps between the first segments and drying or curing the further segments. In the present invention, the material and/or curing and drying conditions are different in both steps of the method. The method also includes forming a surface layer or structure where segment material and/or curing and drying conditions are chosen so as to control mechanical properties of the surface layer.