Published on February 14th, 2018 | By: Faye Oney
Video: Engineering student creates 3-D printer that extrudes chocolate
[Image above] Credit: Evan Weinstein; YouTube
According to the History channel, more than 62% of Americans celebrate Valentine’s Day by sending greeting cards or flowers, giving candy or gifts, or dining out.
As for me, I prefer chocolate. In any amount. In any form.
And that’s why I chose this video for Valentine’s Day.
We’ve written about 3-D printing on Ceramic Tech Today. And we’ve also written about chocolate.
Now, a mechanical engineering student at the University of Pennsylvania—who happens to love chocolate—has designed a 3-D printer that extrudes chocolate into various shapes and sizes. Evan Weinstein, the inventor of the Cocoa Press, was a high school senior in an introduction to engineering class when he decided he wanted to build a 3-D chocolate printer.
He started the project back in late 2014 and documented progress on his blog.
Last fall, he demonstrated Cocoa Press at Maker Faire in New York City and earned three Editor’s Choice Awards.
Cocoa Press uses pressurized air to extrude the chocolate, and then cold air solidifies the chocolate once it hits the air. Weinstein demonstrates his Cocoa Press in the video below, explaining that the optimum temperature for printing is 30oC (86oF).
Credit: 3DigitalCooks; YouTube
Weinstein says in another video that he envisions his Cocoa Press as an “entertainment device” at parties, such as bar and bat mitzvahs and weddings. But perhaps someday we’ll be able to buy unusual shapes of chocolate made by Weinstein’s Cocoa Press. Like a giant chocolate vase filled with a bouquet of chocolate roses.
Here’s wishing you a wonderful Valentine’s Day full of love, surprises, and most important—chocolate!
Watch the video below to see Weinstein’s 3-D chocolate printer in action. You can also watch videos of the various steps in his development of Cocoa Press on his YouTube channel.