What happens if you put chocolate in a 3D printer? How To Cook That Ann Reardon

Summary

In this video, the creator embarks on an ambitious journey to 3D print chocolate at home, a task that proves far more challenging than expected. After facing setbacks with expensive commercial printers and DIY kits, they modify a Sovol SV06 printer for dual-use, enabling both standard filament and food extrusion. Through trial, error, and custom 3D modeling, they successfully achieve Nutella extrusion and make progress with chocolate, overcoming issues like motor torque, nozzle size, and heating limitations. The journey highlights perseverance, creativity, and problem-solving in the world of 3D printing for food.

Takeaways

• 😀 Chocolate is a versatile material for creating a variety of things, including artwork replicas and real-life objects like the balloon dog by Jeff Koons.
• 🍫 The best part of making chocolate creations is giving them away, especially if they are large and delicious, like a giant Mars Bar.
• 💡 3D printing in chocolate is an exciting concept, but it's hindered by the high cost of 3D food printers, which can reach prices of up to $8,000 USD.
• 🔧 Many 3D printers on the market are designed for compound chocolate, not real chocolate, which limits their use for chocolate printing.
• 💸 The cheapest 3D printing option for food involves adding an extruder to an existing 3D printer, but this requires complex modifications and can potentially damage the printer.
• 🚧 The process of building a 3D chocolate printer is challenging, especially for beginners who lack experience with 3D printing, as it requires technical skills and hours of trial and error.
• 🔌 A 3D printer like the Sovol SV06 can be modified to print food, but it requires additional equipment and modifications to work properly.
• 🥄 While a 3D printer can be used to create molds for chocolate, there are limitations when it comes to printing intricate designs, especially those with delicate holes or complex details.
• ⚙️ The assembly of a paste extruder model for 3D food printing requires careful adjustments and knowledge of 3D printing components, which can be daunting for beginners.
• 🛠️ After multiple attempts and failures with Nutella and royal icing, a custom-built extruder with a gear ratio of 1:8 was developed, which allowed for successful chocolate extrusion with the right settings.

Q & A

What inspired the speaker to want to 3D print with chocolate?

The speaker has a long history of making chocolate creations, including replicating famous artworks and sculptures. They are drawn to the idea of 3D printing with chocolate to take their chocolate-making to a new level, offering more intricate and customizable designs.

What is the main challenge the speaker faces when trying to 3D print chocolate?

The primary challenge is the high cost of 3D food printers, especially those capable of printing with real chocolate. Additionally, many printers only print with compound chocolate, and the speaker faces various technical difficulties in making their own setup work.

Why did the speaker choose to build their own 3D printer for chocolate printing?

The speaker wanted a cheaper and more customizable option. By building their own 3D printer setup, they hoped to combine the functionality of a filament 3D printer with the ability to print food, specifically chocolate, without spending thousands of dollars on specialized printers.

What issues did the speaker encounter when trying to use the 3D food printer they bought?

The speaker faced numerous problems, including difficulty getting the printer to work with various food mixtures, experiencing malfunctions like food explosions, and ultimately failing to print even 2D shapes properly.

How did the speaker attempt to use existing 3D printers for food printing?

The speaker explored adding an extruder to an existing 3D printer, which would allow it to print food. However, this required significant modifications, such as rewiring the printer, and even then, the results were often unsatisfactory or impractical.

What specific model of 3D printer did the speaker choose for their project?

The speaker chose the Sovol SV06 printer because it was affordable and had convenient wiring connections, which would allow them to easily swap out printer heads for both filament and food printing without damaging the printer.

What was the speaker's experience with modifying the 3D printer for food printing?

Modifying the 3D printer was challenging. The speaker had to carefully adapt parts, assemble various components, and deal with unexpected issues, such as adjusting motor settings and modifying the syringe holder to make the system functional.

What food did the speaker test with the modified printer?

The speaker first tested the modified printer with Nutella, as it was a thick, paste-like food that could be extruded through the nozzle. They also experimented with royal icing, but Nutella presented more challenges due to its viscosity.

How did the speaker address the issues of extruding thick foods like Nutella?

To address the issues of extruding Nutella, the speaker modified the gear ratio of the extruder, hoping to increase the torque required to push the food through the nozzle. They also experimented with slowing down the print speed and adjusting the flow rate.

What was the ultimate result of the speaker's 3D printing attempts with chocolate?

While the speaker faced many setbacks and challenges, including the chocolate setting too quickly in the syringe, they were able to achieve some success in extruding Nutella and chocolate through the modified 3D printer, showing that it is possible to print food at home with the right setup.