AccScience Publishing / IJB / Volume 10 / Issue 5 / DOI: 10.36922/ijb.2787
RESEARCH ARTICLE

A preliminary investigation on the effect of ingredient flow speed in extrusion-based printing through experimental and theoretical approaches

Phoebe Xin Ni Leam1* Aakanksha Pant1 Jia An2 Chen Huei Leo2,3 U-Xuan Tan1,2 Chee Kai Chua1,2
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1 Pillar of Engineering Product Development University of Technology and Design, Singapore
2 Centre for Healthcare Education, Entrepreneurship and Research @ SUTD (CHEERS) University of Technology and Design, Singapore
3 Cluster of Science, Mathematics and Technology University of Technology and Design, Singapore
IJB 2024, 10(5), 2787 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijb.2787
Submitted: 19 January 2024 | Accepted: 18 April 2024 | Published: 6 August 2024
© 2024 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
Abstract

Despite the widespread use of Foodini three-dimensional (3D) printers for 3D food printing, there is a lack of analysis regarding the effect of the ingredient flow speed in current food printing research. In this study, we utilized experimental and theoretical approaches to investigate the effect of printing parameters in the 3D extrusion process. In particular, the dot extrusion (no slicing required) and model extrusion (inclusive of text, shapes, 3D models, and clip art that require slicing) modes of operation were studied. In dot extrusion, the experimental results suggest that the amount of food material extruded over a fixed time is constant and independent of the internal nozzle geometry. However, this only applies to food materials ≥20 mL, and there is a lack of control over the extrusion rate for the dot extrusion mode. Moreover, varying the ingredient flow speed did not change the extrusion time. In model extrusion, the resolution of the print was only affected by the ingredient flow speed, and varying the printing speed did not affect the print resolution. A mathematical model was introduced to understand the complex relationship between the printing process parameters and the extrusion resolution. The model is unique as it accounts for the material properties of the food ink and the printer-specific controls (i.e., ingredient flow speed). In this research, the experimental and theoretical approaches were considered independent investigations and provided complementary insights, unlike the conventional prediction–validation relationship. Therefore, the findings of this study can be used as an alternative framework to understand future food printers. Overall, the preliminary findings underscore the complexity introduced by a novel printer process parameter, namely ingredient flow speed. The study offers valuable insights into Foodini-based extrusion printing and serves as a foundational guide for further exploration in this evolving field.

Keywords
3D food printing
Mathematical model
Extrusion-based printers
Shear-thinning materials
Funding
The authors would like to thank SUTD Kickstarter Initiative SKI_2021_02_05 for the funding support
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
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International Journal of Bioprinting, Electronic ISSN: 2424-8002 Print ISSN: 2424-7723, Published by AccScience Publishing