3d printing education can be a sweet thing indeed, as three MIT students recently proved by building a machine that creates 3D printed ice cream.
Kyle Hounsell, Kristine Bunker and David Donghyun Kim built the device
as part of their graduate project at MIT’s Department of Additive
Manufacturing.
The way the 3d ice cream printer worked is that a standard ice cream machine was connected to a modified 3D printer. The printer used liquid nitrogen to keep the ice cream chilled so that it would hold its shape as it was created layer by layer, The whole contraption was placed in an upright freezer so that the ice cream would not melt as it was being printed. By balancing accuracy with speed, the students were able to produce ice cream in any shape desired in about 15 minutes.
Besides getting a good grade on their project, the MIT students foresee a market for 3d printed ice cream as a novelty item for the kids. Who would not want a bowl of chocolate swirl ice cream in the shape of an animal, a rocket ship, a star, a crescent moon or one’s big sister’s head? The idea is that one would order ahead, before arrival at the local Basken Robbins or else as dessert at a sit down restaurant.
The process needs to have a little refinement before it becomes commercially available. But pretty soon, the sweet, soft, cold confection will be available in an ice cream truck coming through your neighborhood.
The way the 3d ice cream printer worked is that a standard ice cream machine was connected to a modified 3D printer. The printer used liquid nitrogen to keep the ice cream chilled so that it would hold its shape as it was created layer by layer, The whole contraption was placed in an upright freezer so that the ice cream would not melt as it was being printed. By balancing accuracy with speed, the students were able to produce ice cream in any shape desired in about 15 minutes.
Besides getting a good grade on their project, the MIT students foresee a market for 3d printed ice cream as a novelty item for the kids. Who would not want a bowl of chocolate swirl ice cream in the shape of an animal, a rocket ship, a star, a crescent moon or one’s big sister’s head? The idea is that one would order ahead, before arrival at the local Basken Robbins or else as dessert at a sit down restaurant.
The process needs to have a little refinement before it becomes commercially available. But pretty soon, the sweet, soft, cold confection will be available in an ice cream truck coming through your neighborhood.
