Path plannig software

[Food24 0]

Hello all, 

this is Food24, a researcher that recently is paying attention on the employment of 3D printing for food manufacturing. 

I and my research group have about 3 years of experience in the creation of 3D printed edible objects. This is a very interesting technology that many companies are trying to use for food personalization. 

Although I have performed several experiments modulating variables such as speed printing, travel speed, flow, layer height, etc., gnerally we have some discrepancies due to the fact that the software are optimized for thermoplastic materials and nothing is for food which have many differences in mechanical properties (viscosity, adhesivity, flowability, etc.). 

One of the most important problem are oozing and stringing created during printing and non printing movements. But these are ahard to solve by tuning rectraction, etc. 

I'm very interested - and I want to ask anyone - if there are some software that we can use to design the path of printers in the way to avoid some specific movements creating defects. 

I read something use the software FILOU NC 16 but i was not capable to find it. 

May you suggest me software by which I can 'literally' design the movement of the printer? 

 

All the best, 

Food 24. 

 

[geert_2 557]

If you are going to print stuff like syrup and mayonnaise, I think you should consider developing a nozzle with a shut-off valve? Maybe this could be done with a tiny electromagnet and a lever? Or some sort of tiny rotating ball-valve, or so? On bigger nozzles (ca. 5mm?) this should be possible, I think.