Dr Liang Hao from the University of Exeter spun out his prototype 3D chocolate printer research into company Choc Edge that offers a 3D chocolate printer for sale, the Choc Creator V1:
3D printing or Additive Layer Manufacturing (ALM) describes a host of technologies that are used to fabricate physical objects directly from CAD data sources.
In 3D chocolate printing, chocolate is melted, tempered and deposited into 2D cross-section on a substrate like a printer printing a 2D image onto paper. The substrate is then lowered by a layer thickness and the deposition process repeats layer-by-layer to form a solid 3D chocolate product that is defined by a 3D computer design.
And what makes 3d Printing better than traditional methods?
Well, A 3D printer can directly produce 3D chocolate objects without using expensive molding tools. It can also deposit complex and artistic 2D patterns onto other foods or substrates similar to the way a pastery chef pipes chocolate onto cakes, dishes, deserts, etc.
The 3D chocolate printer can be broadly used to make creative, artistic, personalized and decorative chocolate products and gifts.
So what does the future hold?
What makes this technology special is that everyone is now having the opportunity to design and make their own chocolates. In the long term, Choc Edge will supply retail units so that everyone can print their own chocolate designs in their local chocolate shop. From reproducing the shape of a child’s favourite toy to a person’s face, the possibilities are endless! …