| Genre | 3D Imaging/Printing/Prototyping |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1986 |
| Headquarters | Rock Hill, South Carolina,, USA |
Z Corporation (commonly abbreviated Z Corp.) was acquired by 3D Systems on January 3, 2012.
ZPrinting relates to the z axis which adds depth to the other 2 axes x,y as does 3D printing.[1]
In 1995, a new 3D printing technology, ZPrinting, was developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.[2][3] As 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, an inkjet-like printing head moves across a bed of powder, selectively depositing a liquid binding material in the shape of the section. A fresh layer of powder is spread across the top of the model, and the process is repeated. When the model is complete, unbound powder is automatically removed.[4] Parts can be built on a ZPrinter at a rate of approximately 1 vertical inch per hour.
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Unique among rapid prototyping technologies, Zprinters can print parts in full color, by varying the color of the binding liquid applied by the printing head at any location.[5] Color can be used to simulate the appearance of other materials (as in architectural models or product prototypes [6][7][8]), to highlight surface structures or add annotations to models (as in models used to plan surgeries [9]), or to display the results of structural analyses (such as finite element analysis) directly on the model surface.
Recently, ZPrinters have been used to manufacture custom avatars and figurines from video games such as World of Warcraft in full color [10][11].