A 3D Printer Design and Fabrication for Chocolate

Recently, 3D printers have been introduced to the food industry and have attracted many attentions. In this paper, the design and fabrication of a 3D printer for chocolate is presented. First, some important properties of chocolate are introduced. Then, the design of the printer and its mechanical components are studied. Likewise, electrical components such as motors and sensors are introduced. After that, the device manufacturing process and troubleshooting steps are discussed. Experimental tests on the device are discussed. According to the results, the rheological properties of chocolate are modified by adding hydrocolloids and the final results are depicted. Finally, the device reaches a suitable performance for the production of 3D parts and is ready for production and research applications.