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ChefDoodler - 3D Printing with sugar?

cstanton

I backed the 3Doodler Kickstarter when it first came out. It was big, bulky and rather noisy. Three versions of the 3D printing pen came out, and it included mounts to be CNC controlled and mounted. It was genius, and probably under appreciated, but certainly copied. I've used it to fix 3D prints, patch devices and create prototype mock-ups where I don't have the time to fully 3D print something.

They've recently released the kickstarter for the ChefDoodler for 3D printing with 'sugar', aka isomalt.

The super early bird is about $59 for the first 500, then $79 after that, and various kits.

Does anyone else dabble with baking/cooking alongside their electronics escapades?

  • I don't much aside from simple cup-cakes, but a friend just purchased a location for a cake shop. Definitely going to point them toward this in case they are interested.

    I've suggested using metal stencils for dusting on designs (for then finishing off by hand), which is interesting too, when there are fixed designs. Apparently some stores have optical based systems, where they project a pattern to be hand-iced, like a halfway-house to 3D printing.

  • in reply to shabaz

    3D printed simple cupcakes Slight smile

    3D printed food appears to have taken a bit of a back seat in the news lately. It was all the rage about 10 years ago.

    3D Systems ChefJet - Which? first look from CES 2014

    I think they tended to be inkjet heads spraying alcohol on layers of icing sugar though rather than extrusion.

  • in reply to beacon_dave

    From what little I understand, cake shops can still be a good opportunity for retail, whereas a load of other food/cafe's are harder, due to unpredictable energy and ingredients costs. Apparently people will still want to celebrate their kids birthdays! 

    Personally I reckon fancy cupcakes as gifts etc is definitely also an opportunity, they don't seem to be as elaborate as US ones here, and tend to be quite plain! Elaborate nice-looking cupcakes feel like the ideal all-round gift.

  • in reply to shabaz

    I believe in the UK the obsession turned to fancy donuts instead.

  • in reply to shabaz

    People will still want to have their cake and eat it Slight smile

    I recall back in the 70's decorative icing was the in thing and you could buy a machine that was a bit like a motorised grouting gun which would extrude your icing mix through either a traditional nozzle for larger cakes or through a gobo like disc for smaller cupcakes. 

    You could probably modify a 3D printer to do something similar. A sensor that detects the centre and height of the cake base and then a food-safe extrusion system that pumps the icing mix as the head moves.

  • in reply to beacon_dave
    beacon_dave said:
    that pumps the icing mix as the head moves

    Mmm, machine-fed icing.

    Oh wait, you meant on the cake ?

  • in reply to cstanton

    I guess that could be the techy equivalent of licking the icing bowl.

    It's a win-win situation... If the design works, you get to eat the cake. If it doesn't work, you still get to eat the cake... 

  • It does look like fun, but I do not need any more sugar in my diet just now.

  • My step son bought the original 3D pens a few years back for making crafts and things like that.  In Canada they were sold at Michaels, which is an arts and crafts chain store.  So interesting that they are working a version for edible creations.