There has been a bit of a run on 3D printer stories of late, but this one is worth it. We have had small ones, open source ones, ones that use sunlight and sand but what about ones that print chocolate?
According to the BBC scientists at the University of Exeter have invented a chocolate printer. Why we don’t know, but they have. And hurrah for that.
Lead scientist Dr Liang Hao told BBC News that chocolate printing, just like any other 3D printing technique, starts with a flat cross-section image – similar to that produced by ordinary printers turning out images.
“Then you do a 3D shape – layer by layer, printing chocolate instead of ink, like if you were layering 2D paper to form a 3D shape,” he said.
Once a layer is completed, it solidifies, and the machine moves on to the next layer.
Dr Hao clearly has a bit of thing for chocolate.
“Now we have an opportunity to combine chocolate with digital technology, including the design, digital manufacturing and social networking.
“Chocolate has a lot of social purpose, so our intention is to develop a community and share the designs, ideas and experience about it.”