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Posted on 07/09/2011 8:51:54 AM PDT by smokingfrog
3D Chocolate Printer looks as quite an amusing name at the first glance. It makes you want to know what it really does. The 3D Chocolate printer allows you to create your own designs on a computer and reproduce them physically in three dimensional form in to chocolate.
This interesting project is funded as part of the Research Council UK Cross-Research Council Programme – Digital Economy and is managed by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) on behalf of ESRC, AHRC and MRC. It is being led by the University of Exeter in collaboration with the University of Brunel and software developer Delcam.
The technology used behind the production is not new. It has been in the industry for some time now, but all they had produced was 3D plastic and metal products. This is the first time that it has been applied to chocolate, making it the world’s first 3D chocolate printer. The research work has given a glimpse of the sweet opportunities that technologies give rise to.
Among the different challenges faces by the team, one was that the chocolate is not an easy material to work with because it requires accurate heating and cooling cycles. Researchers integrated these variables with the correct flow rates and found solutions with the development of new temperature and heating control systems.
Research leader Dr Liang Hao, at the University of Exeter said, “What makes this technology special is that users will be able to design and make their own products. In the long term it could be developed to help consumers custom – design many products from different materials but we’ve started with chocolate as it is readily available, low cost and non-hazardous. There is also no wastage as any unused or spoiled material can be eaten of course!
(Excerpt) Read more at crazyengineers.com ...
Oh. My. Goodness. I think I’m in LOVE! :)
Finally! Boy-candy as it was truly meant to be, LOL!
Boy-candy! LOL!
I’m craving the development of a baking powder biscuit, fresh strawberry and homemade whipped cream printer right now. :)
Mmmmm!
I’m having a piece from a Lindt Bar; Intense Orange Dark.
Hey! It keeps me out of the REAL bars. Carbs ARE carbs, LOL!
Oh, dear. And you haven't even read my books yet.
I shall console myself with the knowledge that you are already deliciously salacious. I could accomplish no more.
The next step in this technology is adding additional ingredients and heating/cooling requirements so that we can "print" Klondike Bars, and Milky Ways.
"Printing" Snickers Bars would require depositing peanuts, but I suppose some hand sprinkling could be done at the appropriate moment.
I had this in mind for my automatic kitchen devices, using flour, sugar, salt, and other dry ingredients, spraying them out to be mixed in situ with water, and even baking them with infrared as they are layered up. But I never considered starting with chocolate.
I'm surprised and slightly disillusioned by that confession, Bob.
Candy is dandy, ...
Also, it’s surprising what can be accomplished when you don’t care who gets the credit.
I’m willing to augment the future by adopting any good ideas. They don’t have to be mine.
Come to think of it, they don’t necessarily have to be good, either.
Oh, that’s true.
There. I said it and I'm GLAD!
“But I never considered starting with chocolate.”
That was your FIRST mistake, LOL!
No, actually my first mistake was a physics experiment when I was six years old.
It turned out badly, and I still bear the scars, although no one can see them but me.
Wisdom is not his who has never erred; but in the man who learns from his mistakes, and who has learned from the errors of others. For in this we see the reason that caring about others is important.
In watching over them, we learn painful truths. But these truths are only painful if we care.
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