3D chocolate printer hails from the UK

Can you say that the world is divided into two groups – those who love chocolates, and those who don’t? For our readers who fall under the former, here is some delicious news – UK scientists from the University of Exeter have managed to churn out a 3D chocolate printer, letting you print layers of chocolate instead of ink or plastic. This is one household appliance that I would definitely love to have at home, although I do wonder how am I supposed to keep all the ants at bay away from my computer…

Currently in its prototype stage, there are some retailers who area interested in bringing the device to the broader market. Chocolate is a first for the 3D printer industry, where previous efforts dealt with just plastic and metal. Lead scientist Dr Liang Hao told BBC News that the idea is similar to other 3D printing techniques, beginning with a flat cross-section image, followed by a 3D shape – “layer by layer, printing chocolate instead of ink, like if you were layering 2D paper to form a 3D shape.”

Each time a layer is done, it will solidify, where the machine will then go ahead and proceed with the next layer. If this catches on in a big way, expect Valentine’s Day gifts to come in an array of 3D chocolate designs.

Edwin Kee
Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: 3D, 3d printer, printer