The story
In 1993, ZPrinting was developed in Building 20 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a new 3D printing technology. ZPrinting relates to the z axis, and adds depth to the other 2 axes x and y, as does 3D printing. In many other rapid prototyping processes, the part to be printed is built up from many thin cross sections of the 3D model. In ZPrinters, a printing head which is similar to inkjet moves across a bed of powder, selectively depositing a liquid binding material in the shape of the section. The operator is required to spread a fresh layer of powder across the top of the model, and repeat the process. When the model is complete, unbound powder is automatically removed. Parts can be built on a ZPrinter at a rate of approximately 1 vertical inch per hour.
In 1997 Z Corp released what at the time was the fastest available 3-D printer, becoming an early leader in the industry.
In January 2012 Z Corp was acquired by 3D Systems for $137 million USD.
From Wikipedia’s article on Z Corporation, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4