Development of a 3D printer for food printing

• Main Author: Par, Leon Jenn Suen
• Other Authors: Li Lin
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2019
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Mechanical engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/78427
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

3D printing can create and customize the shape of the food which includes the texture of the printed food as well as the nutritional content desired. As the process of printing is mainly automated, it saves time and manpower required to produce food, it also minimizes the food wastage that typical traditional cooking process usually make. In this report, extrusion-based 3D food printing is studied with the use of a desktop 3d printer with a pneumatic type extrusion unit at room temperature. Design and experimentation includes the development of an offset nozzle to remove the obstruction caused to the printed paste. Modification of the printer to allow multiple printing in one operation such that the capacity of the printer can be maximised. Multiple testing were done to demonstrate the capability of the printer to print simple shapes as well as to show how the paste will hold up and maintain its integrity.