Janice R. Andrews
A group from the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) has created the first edible and scannable 3D-printed QR code. Their innovative extrusion system design allowed their 3D food printer to quickly switch between different types of filament, which allowed for this invention. The group, which consists of Michinao Hashimoto, Mervin Jian Yi Ng, Cheng Pau Lee, and Nicole Min Yu Chian, has created new opportunities in the field of 3D food printing.
The SUTD team’s printer stands out for its adaptability even though food-based 3D printers are not totally new, with models like the Cocoa Press 3D Printer already making an impact on the market with its chocolate printing capabilities. A broader variety of food-based filaments, each with varying compositions and pressure needs, may be handled by it. The drawback of this adaptability is that it necessitates changing nozzles for various filaments.
In order to address this problem, the team created a nozzle that is especially made to smoothly transition between filaments with different pressure requirements. This invention improves the accuracy of the printed goods while also streamlining the procedure. The seamless and effective transition between several materials made possible by the use of a single nozzle enables the creation of more complex and precise patterns.
The team successfully produced a number of products using a variety of materials, including a working and edible QR code, to demonstrate the possibilities of their printer. This QR code exhibits the ideal fusion of technology and culinary art as it can be scanned for information before to consumption. Their research and development process was fully revealed in a recent edition of Future Foods, which also included their findings and thorough descriptions of the nozzle design.
Dr. Lee outlined the many uses for their research, pointing out that it may be applied to assist people with certain dietary requirements or for more lighthearted and engaging uses, like the edible QR code. This development offers both useful and enjoyable uses at the nexus of food and technology, opening up new creative possibilities.
