Does astronaut food have to be boring? With support from the soft solids research lab at Imperial College, this project was a first forray into using 3D printing to make wafer biscuits using pre-made paste, with the hope of one day allowing astronauts to eat their meals rather than drink them.
The finished 3D food printer
Multiple recipes for the biscuit wafer were tested....then swiftly eaten.
The printer was designed for versatility, and to be quickly duplicated. This was achieved by re-imagining the whole printer design for manufacture using a laser cutter, which is significantly faster than a 3D printer.
Exploded CAD model of a clamping mechanism made with laser cut sheets of wood
The final design allowed a fully automated process, which included cooking the wafer in an additional heating module at the back of the printer. A final additional layer of chocolate is printed at the end.
Video of the printer in operation (sped up version)
