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3D food printing: An emerging technology in food designing
- 1. TH. BIDYALAKSHMI DEVI, K. NARSAIAH, YOGESH B. KALNAR and K. BEMBEM ICAR-Central Institute of Post Harvest Engineering and Technology, Ludhiana, Punjab-141004 3D FOOD PRINTING: An emerging technology in food designing
- 2. Designing of food What? • Design process that leads to innovation on products, services or systems for food and eating: from production, procurement, preservation, and transportation, to preparation, presentation, consumption, and disposal. • Integration of different discipline such as mechanical engineering, design science, biomedical engineering, computer engineering, pharmacologist , biotechnology, food technologist etc. (Portanguen, 2019). • Global population is estimated to cross 9 billion by 2050 (Lupton et al., 2016). Hence, It’s time to develop new methods for food production.
- 3. • Demand of personalized food • Change in life style and behavior • Health conscious and demand for nutritive food • Consumer preferences (Age, Religion, Ethnicity, Income, Community) Importance Personalized food Child Pregnant Lady Patient Old Age Athlete
- 5. 3D FOOD PRINTING: An emerging technology in food designing
- 6. 3D FOOD PRINTING • Process for producing physical, three- dimensional objects based on a computer model. • The model is created in the program for graphic engineering (CAD) in the form of STL files. • Convert alternative ingredients such as proteins from algae, beet leaves, or insects into tasty products. It provides the options to design their food into any shape, color, texture and flavour. • Also known as Additive manufacturing (AM), Solid freedom fabrication (SFF), Food layer manufacture
- 7. • Begins in 1981 with Dr. Hideo Kodama’s patent application for a rapid prototyping device, invented two additive methods for fabricating 3D plastic models • In 1984, Charles Hull used UV lamp for curing photosensitive resin layer-by-layer, eventually creating a part. • Then invented the technology called stereolithography. • The patent was issued in 1986, and in the same year, Charles started his own company in Valencia, California: 3D Systems. • Released their first commercial product, the SLA-1, in 1988. Dr. Hideo Kodama Invention of Stereolithography by Hull
- 8. • In the 1990s, 3D printing techniques were considered suitable only for the production of functional or aesthetic prototypes, and a more appropriate term for it at that time was rapid prototyping. • Fused deposition modeling, or FDM, is the most common 3D printing process in use as of 2018 [motion systems, food, and many other fields]. Contd…
- 9. Contd… • In the food sector, a 3D printing techniques to design food was firstly reported by researchers from Cornell University who introduced the Fablab@Home Model 1 as an open source design 3D printer using liquid food materials (Malone and Lipson, 2007; Periard et al., 2007).
- 10. Medical • Bio-printing, medical devices, pharmaceutical formulations. Eg. Artificial limbs, 3D printed fingers Industrial Applications • Fashion designing, automotive industry, construction, fire arm, computer and robots, space etc. Socio-cultural • Art and jewelry, 3D selfies, Domestic use, Education and research, Environmental use, Cultural heritage.
- 11. • Digitally controlled, robotic construction process which can build up complex 3D food products layer by layer. • Precisely mixing, depositing, and cooking layers of ingredients, so that users can easily and rapidly experiment with different material combinations. • Eg. 3D printer for pasta, fruit, pastry, health food, meat, dishes etc. 3D printing in food 3D printed fruit Pastry chef 3D printed dishes Printer for healthy food 3D printer for pasta
- 13. Categories of food printability Categories of food printability Native printable food material Non-native printable food material Alternative ingredient Cheese pizza dough Vegemite and marmite Chocolate Meat Fish and seafood fruits and vegetable Derivative from insects, algae , bacteria , fungi
- 14. Types of 3D Food Printing 3D food printing/ AM Extrusion based printing Binder jetting Inkjet printing
- 15. • Constructs food model by extruding food through a nozzle at constant pressure. • The starting material can be both solid and paste (soft) with low viscosity. • Material is loaded in extruder (cylinder) before it is extruded through nozzle by ram pressure to create food shape layer – by – layer. • Eg. dough meat paste and cheese. • Variation of ingredient concentration affected to fabricate food model especially ratio of butter, yolk and sugar. Lipton, et al. (2010) Extrusion-based printing A: 3D Model B: Printed Cookies
- 16. • Dispenses material stream of droplets from a thermal head to certain regions for creating the surface filling or decorating on food surfaces • The print head is electrically heated to establish pulses of pressure that push droplets from the nozzle • There are two types of inkjet printing methods: a continuous jet printing and a drop-on-demand printing • Handle low viscosity materials; therefore, it does not find application on the construction of complex food structure • Eg. chocolate, liquid dough, sugar icing, meat paste, cheese, jams, gels, cake, pizza etc. Inkjet Printing (IJP)
- 17. • Constructs model by using a binder to selectively bond layers of powders. • Small droplets of binder with diameters <100 μm are successively deposited on to the powder bed surface • After deposition of the liquid binder, the entire surface of the powder bed is exposed to a fixed amount of heat to provide mechanical strength via partially cured binder to withstand the shear and gravitational compressive forces • The binder has to be suitably low viscosity in which surface tension and ink density are appropriate to prevent spreading from nozzles. • Eg. Broad range of confectionary items Binder Jetting
- 18. Category Extrusion -based printing Binder jetting Inkjet printing Principle • Extrusion and deposition • Powder binding and binder drop- on demand deposition • Drop-on- demand deposition and Continuous jet printing Material • Solid-based, Paste material • cheese, meat puree, Chocolate, Confection • Liquid-based, Powder-based • materials such as starch, sugar Chocolate, Pizza (Powder form) • Liquid-based, low viscosity material • Sauce, Chocolate, Liquid dough, sugar icing, meat paste, cheese, jams, gels Advantage • More material choices • Simple device • Easy to customize • Large number of potential materials • Very high production speed • Complex 3D food fabrication • High resolution and accuracy • More material choices • Fast fabrication Comparison
- 19. Category Extrusion -based printing Binder jetting Inkjet printing Limitations • Low level of precision and long build time • Difficult to hold 3D structures in post- processing • Rough or grainy appearance • required to remove moisture or improve strength • Less nutritious products • Support materials cannot by recycled thus wasted • Simple food design • Only for surface filling or image decoration Machine • Choc Creator, AIBOULLY Chocolate, Createbot 3D Food • Chefjet, Fujifilm Dimatix • Foodjet, Filament six- head 3D Company • Chocedge, AIBOULLY, Createbot • 3D systems, Fujifilm Dimatix • De Grood Innovations, TNO Contd…
- 20. Rational choice of material properties for 3D printing Fig. Parallel between materials properties and factors to consider for the rational design of 3D food structures (Godoi et al., 2016) Structural and mechanical properties Physical-chemical properties Rheological properties Viscosity Self- supporting layers Fracturability Wettability Gelation Flowability
- 21. Factors Affecting Printing Precision (Liu et al., 2017) Category Extrusion -based printing Binder jetting Inkjet printing Factors affecting printing precision Material properties Rheological properties, mechanical strength, Flowability, particle size, wettability and binder’s viscosity and surface tension Compatibility , ink rheological properties, surface properties Processing factors Printing height, nozzle diameter, printing rate, nozzle movement rate Head types, printing rate, nozzle diameter, layer thickness Temperature, printing rate, nozzle diameter, printing height Post processing Additive, recipe control Heating, baking, surface coating, removal of excess parts -
- 22. • Relatively few animal protein-rich products have been studied for applicability in AM. Exceptions include various types of pureed meat (Lipton et al., 2015), collagen (Inzana et al., 2014) and gelatin (Farag & Yun, 2014). • Better printability was observed for beef-based preparations when the myofibrillar proteins were solubilized, due to salt adding (Gracia-Julia et al., 2015) • Addition of NaCl- led to myofibrillar protein crosslinking, enabling free amino acids to bind proteins, shrinking the void spaces, and changing the structure of the gel into a fine-strand network (Wang et al., 2018). Impact of 3D printing on food macromolecules Impact on proteins
- 23. • Development of new texture- protein + polysaccharide materials like alginate; temperature or mechanical stresses, or incorporating acid or base compound ingredients [Godoi et al. (2016)]. • 3D food-based structures cannot be successfully printed without adding texturizers like hydrocolloids or gettable proteins in turkey meat [Yang et al., 2018] Contd…
- 24. • Cheese extrusion-printed at 4 mL/min and 75oC: altered microstructure, discontinuous protein phase and change in fat globules morphology-losing sphericity and gaining volume-with the appearance of interstitial fat. • Printing at 12 mL/min (75oC): homogenous fat globule size and distribution likely due to a higher shear rate. Protein-lipid interactions are though to explain the rheological changes observed to occur in 3D-printed cheeses [Le Tohic et al. (2018)] • Tested for lipids using skimmed (0.4% fat) and semi-skimmed (9% fat) milk powder. Skimmed milk- highly-viscous and very sticky; semi-skimmed formulation: good printability and precise holding printed shape [Lille et al. (2018)] • Triglyceride composition and different melting points of lipid influence meat texture and, crucially, tenderness and flavor [Godoi et al. (2016)] Impact on Lipids
- 25. • Cellulose (powder) is printable layer-by-layer, by controlling the rheological properties, surface tension and density of the build material. [Holland et al., 2018] • Methyl cellulose as reference food-ink: 9%, 11 % and 13% hydrocolloid concentrations were able to scaffold 28 mm-diameter, cylindrical with heights of 20 mm, 40 mm and 80 mm, respectively, without collapse. [Kim et al., (2018)]. • Potato puree- 2% starch has better printability and extrudability than 4% starch but hold the shape and structure. [Liu et al.,(2018)] • Complex sugar like potato starch are 3D printable. Lemon juice and starch (at 15 g/100 g), can determine the optimal print-process parameters- nozzle diameter, printhead speed and extrusion rate-that fabricating smooth-surfaced constructs with zero deformation. Yang et al. (2018) Impact on Carbohydrates
- 26. Food personalization: meal composition adapted to individual diet Use of new components, which are not used or are not popular among consumers Ease and simplicity of preparation of meals Both aesthetic and functional customization can be achieved at the same time, novel food textures, longer shelf life Ease of transportation even to the most remote corners of the world or into space (NASA) New opportunities to create dishes, their artistic design - creating culinary works of art Ability to design own food Economical and efficient technique of mass personalization. Advantages
- 27. Lack of Simple, Inexpensive Consumer Printers Lack of Suitable Materials for Printing Need for Knowledge of CAD Design Challenges
- 28. Impact on Health • Provide healthy and nutritious food • Not only use fresh ingredients for a variety of recipes, but also allow stricter control over food portion sizes, thereby reducing overconsumption. • Regulate preservatives, additives and other chemicals added to your food, thereby leading to a healthier meal plan. Impact on the Environment • Sustainable and less wasteful methods of food production • 3D food printers can reduce wastage by using only the required amount of raw materials to make food • Lesser transport costs since most of the food can be 3D printed locally, or at home IMPACT OF 3D PRINTING ON FOOD INDUSTRY
- 29. Impact on Individualized and Alternative Sources of Food • Manufacturers and individuals can customize a food product with regards to flavor, nutritional value, ingredients. • 3D printed food can also be precisely tailored to an individual's taste and requirement, such as food for athletes, pregnant women, etc. • Barilla, the leading Italian pasta manufacturer teamed up with TNO, a Dutch scientific research firm to develop a 3D printer capable of printing a variety of differently shaped pasta, enabling customers to 3D print their own CAD files with different pasta designs quickly and easily • AlgaVia, a company from San Francisco, California has utilized microalgae to develop a protein powder with impressive functional attributes such as being non-allergenic, gluten-free and have a high source of dietary fiber
- 30. • Provide nutritional food security • Sustainable way of food development • Could bring a revolution in food designing and service • Require research for appropriate selection of material • Need for the development of low cost 3D printer Conclusions
- 31. Thank You
Editor's Notes
- Food Design is, simply, the connection between food and Design. 3D food printing is best option to tackle the food demand through world.
- Different section of population require different food input
- Threedimensional food printing (3DFP) is constantly associated as a potential alternative to achieve personalisation and enchant a variety of customers.
- It also opens the door to food customization and therefore tune up with individual needs and preferences. 3D food printing offers a range of potential benefits. It can be healthy and good for the environment because it can help to
- 3D printing refers to processes in which material(s) is/are joined or solidified under computer control to create a 3D object. It is also known as additive manufacturing (AM), and defined as a technology, which is controlled using computer- aided design (CAD) software and instructs a digital fabricating machine to shape 3D objects by successive addition of material layers (Lupton and Turner 2016). The most early additive manufacturing equipment and materials were developed in the 1980s by Hideo Kodama (1981) of Nagoya Municipal Industrial Research Institute, who invented two additive methods for fabricating 3D plastic models. In 1984, Chuck Hull of 3D Systems Corporation filed his own patent for a stereolithography fabrication system, in which photopolymer layers were added, and followed by curing with ultraviolet light lasers (Lipson and Kurman 2013). As far as we’re aware, Dr. Kodama is the first person ever to apply for a patent in which laser beam resin curing system is described. who was the lucky year for 3D printing. Working for a tabletop and furniture manufacturer, Charles “Chuck” Hull was frustrated at the long times it took to make small, custom parts. He therefore suggested turning the company’s UV lamps to a different use: curing photosensitive resin layer-by-layer, eventually creating a part. (Sound familiar?) Fortunately, Hull was given his own small lab to work on the process. Only three weeks after the team in France applied for their patent, Hull applied for his, calling the technology
- As of 2019, the precision, repeatability, and material range of 3D printing has increased to the point that some 3D printing processes are considered viable as an industrial-production technology, whereby the term additive manufacturing can be used synonymously with 3D printing. One of the key advantages of 3D printing is the ability to produce very complex shapes or geometries that would be otherwise impossible to construct by hand, including hollow parts or parts with internal truss structures to reduce weight. AM technologies found applications starting in the 1980s in product development, data visualization, rapid prototyping, and specialized manufacturing. Their expansion into production (job production, mass production, and distributed manufacturing) has been under development in the decades since. Industrial production roles within the metalworking industries[4] achieved significant scale for the first time in the early 2010s. Since the start of the 21st century there has been a large growth in the sales of AM machines, and their price has dropped substantially.[5] According to Wohlers Associates, a consultancy, the market for 3D printers and services was worth $2.2 billion worldwide in 2012, up 29% from 2011.[6] McKinsey predicts that additive manufacturing could have an economic impact of $550 billion annually by 2025.[7] There are many applications for AM technologies, including architecture, construction (AEC), industrial design, automotive, aerospace,[8] military, engineering, dental and medical industries, biotech (human tissue replacement), fashion, footwear, jewelry, eyewear, education, geographic infor
- 3D food printers can print food, usually through one more syringes. Food 3D printers actually were invented around the same time as low cost filament printers, but did not have much The first known open source printers capable of printing food were probably developed at Cornell University around 2005 under the name of fablab@home by Hod Lipson and collaborators. success.
- 2. Artificial Limbs Washington University students developed a prosthetic arm for a 13-year-old girl who had lost her limb in a boating accident. While not as advanced as other prosthetics, the cost of $200 for materials was substantially below the $6,000 cost of similar devices, a factor that precludes widespread application in many companies. Kylie Wicker of Rockland, Illinois, born without fingers on her left hand, received an operating set of plastic 3D printed fingers for a cost of $5 and designed by a high school engineering class. A Canadian professor is working on a 3D printing process to make prosthetic limbs to be sent to Uganda for victims of their persistent civil wars. Lady Gaga wore the world’s first flying dress, Volantis, another 3D printed dress, at the 2013 ArtRave. Continuum offers the world’s first ready-to-wear, completely 3D printed bikini, the N12, named for the material from which its made: Nylon 12.
- . With this technology, food can be designed and fabricated to meet individual needs on health condition and physical activities through controlling the amount of printing material and nutrition content.” It has started a revolution in cooking by
- Therefore, transglutaminase and bacon fat were added to simplify model fabrication. Moreover, Fanli Similar to a conventional Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM). The example of food, fabricated via this technique, are tested a variety of recipes to print sugar cookies. The result shown that the
- For the continuous jet printer, an ink is ejected continuously through a piezoelectric crystal by vibrating with a constant frequency. In order to obtain a desired flow ability of the ink, some conductive agents had been added. For a drop- on-demand printer, a valve is a controller ink to eject out from heads under designed pressure. The printing rates of drop-on-demand systems are generally slower than the continuous jet systems, beside the resolution and precision of produced images are higher [12]. Generally operates by using thermal or piezoelectric heads
- For binder jetting process, properties of powdered material and binder are important to the successful Small droplets of binder with diameters <100 μm are successively deposited on to the powder bed surface, which those are a drop-on-demand print head based on rater scanning pattern. After deposition of the liquid binder, the entire surface of the powder bed is exposed to a fixed amount of heat, which commonly use a heat lamp, for establishing an appropriated mechanical strength via partially cured binder within the generated layer to withstand the shear and gravitational compressive forces involved in the spreading and printing of subsequent layers. These steps are repeated for each layer until the whole feature was completed [13].
- . List of printability 3D printing technology applied for food design (pitayachayal et al., 2018)
- EBP (Unable to build sharp external corners, Anisotropic nature of a printed part), BJ (Limited material), IP (Post-processing may damage thin and small Features) ,
- We emphasize that printability, applicability and post• processing feasibility can be achieved by controlling the physical• chemical, rheological, structural and mechanical properties of the materials (Fig. 12). Knowledge of the essential constituents of food (carbohydrates, proteins and fat) and how their properties influ• ence AM technology is critical to guarantee quality in the end-use product.
- For Godoi et al. (2016), materials should be homogenous, have appropriate flow properties for extrusion and should support its structure during and after printing process. For Wang, Zhang, Bhandari, and Yang (2018), as a mixture, each component (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and water) can undergo changes that will influence the fusion and the plasticization of the food. Electron microscopy showed that the added NaCl had led to myofibrillar protein crosslinking, enabling free amino acids to bind to the proteins, shrinking the void spaces, and changing the structure of the gel into a fine-strand network (Wang et al., 2018). This effect is maximal, and holds constant, at 1.0 g NaCl/100 g surimi. Godoi et al. (2016) assert that AM tech• nologies can create new textures by intercalating layers of food proteins with layers of polysaccharide materials like alginate, applying tem• perature or mechanical stresses, or incorporating acid or base com• pound ingredients in the AM process to promote aggregation. Finally, Liu et al. (2017) posited that precise and accurate 30 food-based structures cannot be successfully printed without adding texturizers like hydrocolloids or gelable proteins, which has since been confirmed by Yang, Zhang, Bhandari, and Liu (2018) for 30 food printing with turkey meat
- According to Wlodarczyk-Biegun and Del Campo (2017), printable collagen-based solutions vary in concentration between studies, from 0.2 mg/mL up to 20 mg/mL in an ionic strength adjustment solution. Choice of concentration will depend on the mechanical properties targeted, such as maintaining tissue in• tegrity, or the viability characteristics of the seeded cells. For example, a 1 mg/mL gel can generate cohesive and reproducible structures, provided that pH is kept under control, as a high pH can clog the printhead nozzles. Pure collagen lacks the stability needed to form a 30 structure, so it has to be combined with other polymers. Furthermore, without inducing added crosslinking, collagen will form mechanically inferior hydrogels. Crosslinking is inducible by chemical reaction using formaldehyde or glutaraldehyde or by enzymatic reaction using trans• glutaminase (Wlodarczyk-Biegun & Del Campo, 2017). Inkjet, extrusion and laser-assisted bioprinting processes have all been mobilized for difficult-to-print collagen solutions (Inzana et al., 2014; Jakab et al., 2010; Wlodarczyk-Biegun & Del Campo, 2017). Extrusion processes can already work with multi-printhead and/or crosslinking system-coupled 30 printers (Hinton et al., 2015; Smith, Christian, Warren, & Williams, 2007). However, according to Murphy, Skarda!, and Atala (2013), and Wlodarczyk-Biegun and Del Campo (2017), the main difficulties with using collagen as an extrusion-process bioink are the gel time, which is long, and swelling, which was also flagged up by Munaz et al. (2016) who concluded that despite being easily constructed for 30 structures, collagen biomaterial molecules will eventually lose shape due to swelling or dissolution, which are the main limits to further use.
- Le Tohic et al. (2018), working with an untreated (i.e. non-extruded) cheese matrix, showed that the fat globules were round and homo• geneously distributed in a continuous protein phase. A comparable structure was observed in cheese melting at 75 'C, although with bulkier fat globules due to heat ramp-induced coalescence. Cheese ex• trusion-printed at 4 mL/min and 75 'C showed heavily altered micro• structure: the protein phase had become discontinuous and the fat globules had changed morphology-losing sphericity and gaining vo• lume-with the appearance of interstitial fat. However, the print parameters also have a visibly major effect, since fat globule size and distribution were more homogeneous after printing at 12 mL/min (75 'C), likely due to a higher shear rate in this condition. Protein-lipid interactions are though to explain the rheological changes observed to occur in 30-printed cheeses, i.e. a softer texture that is not as sticky due to the greater amount of surface fat released during the shear processes. Lille et al. (2018) examined the role of lipids during food printing processes by working on milk powder as a source of both proteins and fat. They tested two formulations presenting equivalent protein con• tents (21 % and 22%, respectively) in solutions of water with skimmed (0.4% fat) and semi-skimmed (9% fat) milk powder. They showed that the skimmed-milk formulation gave a highly-viscous and difficult-to• print paste that was too sticky to evenly deposit, and when the milk powder concentration was upped from 50% to 60%, printing became simply impossible, whatever the nozzle diameter used, whereas with the semi-skimmed formulation, even at 60% concentration, printability proved to excellent, both in terms of precision and of holding printed shape. [Lille et al. (2018)] explained that fat had acted as a lubricant in the extrusion system Godoi et al. (2016) are optimistic about the use of lipids in AM, given that their triglyceride composition and different melting points influence meat texture and, crucially, tenderness and flavour. 30 printing methods (especially extrusion) thus have the potential for fabricating custom-textured foods. Using different-chain-length fatty acids with different degrees of unsaturation should make it possible lock down melting points, which would improve layer-on-layer adhe• sion, enabling the constructs to better hold their shape, in pre- and post• processing.
- Kim, Bae, and Park (2018), using methyl cellulose as reference biomaterial to simulate the printability of various food-inks, showed that 9%, 11 % and 13% hydrocolloid concentrations were able to scaffold 28 mm-diameter cylindrical constructs with heights of 20 mm, 40 mm and 80 mm, respectively, without collapse. This study showed that pectin and sugar syrup concentrations directly influenced viscosity of the mixture, and that BSA stabilized and aerated the mix• ture. Vancauwenberghe et al. (2017) thus demonstrated the feasibility of 30 printing textured variable-microstructure foods. Starch, a commonplace food additive, has also been investigated. Liu, Zhang, Bhandari, and Yang (2018) led research on 30 printing low• starch to high-starch potato purees and found that a puree had to contain at least 2% starch to be printable. In this condition, the material showed an increase in elastic limit, and better extrudability. However, at 4% starch content, despite the material comfortably holding its 30 shape and structure, it had poor extrudability due to over-high visc• osity. Yang et al. (2018) also confirmed that complex sugars like potato starch are 30 printable. Their study, which paired lemon juice and starch (at 15 g/100 g), managed to determine the optimal print-process parameters-nozzle diameter, printhead speed and extrusion rate-that fabricating smooth-surfaced constructs with zero deformation.
- Lack of Simple, Inexpensive Consumer Printers 3D printers selling for less than $1,000 have limited capability, can be difficult to operate, may be unreliable, and may require hand assembly to use. While these defects will be eventually overcome, it may take considerable trial-and-error and time before an affordable consumer model is available. A 2013 article in strategy + business notes that “regardless of how cheap a 3D printer becomes, a manufacturing plant will continue to offer scale economies in the raw materials for printing the artifact.” The article also questions whether a consumer will use a 3D printer at home to make a plastic fork or chess piece if he or she can buy it from the local Walmart. Lack of Suitable Materials for Printing Printers that are currently available at consumer prices ($2,500 and less) rely upon fused deposition modeling technology and PLA and ABS plastics. This material is not sturdy and is limited in usability. Experts believe the next generation will need to utilize carbon composites and metals if it is to be useful to the average consumer. A 2014 article in UK’s The Telegraph scoffs at advocates of the new technology who proclaim such bright futures, noting that even successful home 3D printers “create models that look like they’ve been left on the radiator a few hours.” The writer goes on to note that while it’s all very well to upload weapon parts to the Internet, but without the means to do metal (a capacity consumer 3D printers do not yet have), “it is more likely to take your arm off than fire a bullet.” Need for Knowledge of CAD Design While downloadable files for different objects are available from sites like Thingiverse and Shapeways, they are generally technical and may not be compatible with every 3D printer. Because of the marketing hype surrounding the printers, they may be depicted as easier to operate than the experience of actual users. Tom Meeks, a contributor to the 3D Printer Users blog, notes the parallel between 3D printers and the Keurig coffeemakers system and the importance of consumer design and ease of use, noting that it took Keurig 16 years to gain the market acceptance it has today. And it should be recognized that there are a lot more coffee drinkers than potential 3D printer users. Marketing experts believe that the printers must be as simple to operate as conventional laser or dot matrix printers if they are to find wide acceptance. Slow, Messy, and Potentially Dangerous While perfect for one-of-a-kind or complicated, expensive objects, the printers are too slow for mass manufacturing. The materials used and their emissions during use, especially powders, can be messy and potentially toxic. Finally, current 3D printers using PLA plastic operate at very high temperatures (220 to 230 degrees). While these problems are not insurmountable, they will take time and investment to overcome.
- 3D Printing - Impact on Food Industry With its new found popularity and the potential to disrupt a variety of industries, 3D printing is now also finding vast acceptance in the food industry. The fundamental thought behind 3D printed food is the immense possibility of a tabletop 3d printer which can print affordable and tasty meals without an extensive need of cooking knowledge. Although in its nascent phase, 3D printing is poised to change the future of the food industry, and its impact is already being felt on a global scale. Impact on Health Many innovators in the 3d printing industry have come up with food printers that enable us to eat healthy and nutritious food more regularly. 3D food printers not only use fresh ingredients for a variety of recipes, but also allow stricter control over food portion sizes, thereby reducing overconsumption. Another advantage of these printers is that you can even regulate preservatives, additives and other chemicals added to your food, thereby leading to a healthier meal plan. Some of the examples of such 3D food printers include - Foodini, developed by natural machines is a 3D printer which allows you to browse recipes using your smartphone, and program the same into your machine. All you need to do is fill the printer's food capsules with fresh ingredients, and it will print the food for you Biozoon, a German company, has created a 3D printer that can transform fresh food ingredients into a healthy puree called Smoothfood. It is especially useful for people with medical conditions who find consuming whole food difficult Impact on the Environment Sustainable and less wasteful methods of food production are extremely important in this day and age. 3D food printers are capable of positively impacting the environment in a variety of ways such as - 3D food printers can reduce wastage by using only the required amount of raw materials to make food 3D printed meat, as being trialed by professors at the Maastricht University, Netherlands, stand to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 96%, while utilizing just 1% of the land, 45% of the energy and just 4% of the water as compared to conventional beef production Lesser transport costs since most of the food can be 3D printed locally, or at home Impact on Individualized and Alternative Sources of Food The rapid advances being made in the field of 3D food printing ensures that manufacturers and individuals can customize a food product with regards to flavor, nutritional value, ingredients, etc., such as - AlgaVia, a company from San Francisco, California has utilized microalgae to develop a protein powder with impressive functional attributes such as being non-allergenic, gluten-free and have a high source of dietary fiber. This, in turn, helps in making the fortification of vegan protein simpler, while ensuring rich tasting but reduced fat foods 3D printed food can also be precisely tailored to an individual's taste and requirement, such as food for athletes, pregnant women, etc. Barilla, the leading Italian pasta manufacturer teamed up with TNO, a Dutch scientific research firm to develop a 3D printer capable of printing a variety of differently shaped pasta, enabling customers to 3D print their own CAD files with different pasta designs quickly and easily