On 9/1/2012 4:56 AM, notbob wrote:
> Well, not quite yet, but you can be sure it's right around the
> corner.
>
> Perhaps most of you are not aware of 3D printing yet. That's where a
> computer controlled 3-axis nozzle extrudes some kinda glop in layers
> to build up a 3D object. The glop is usually some kinda hard setting
> resin that will produce a solid object. Now, imagine some kinda food
> glop. Not too difficult to imagine, as there is plenty of it out
> there, already. Think soft-serve ice cream or Cheez Whiz on a 3-axis
> bed, only the glop sets up hard, or at least firm. It might look jes
> like this:
>
> http://creativemachines.cornell.edu/node/194
>
> Frankly, I don't look forward to a KA or Cuisinart food printer, as it
> means we will be making more and more of our foods into some kinda
> spam-like sludge to force though a buncha interchangeable nozzles.
> But, I suspect it's gonna be pushed on us, rather we want it or not.
> In fact, it's rumored there's already a iPhone app that will phone in
> a custom 3D burrito. Not too far fetched to imagine. An all glop
> burrito. Taco Bell's offerings are pretty much there, already. Jes
> need some lettuce glop.
>
> Come to think of it, we already have a 3D food printer. It sits on a
> porcelain water filled mount. Not much control, though. My 2D drink
> jet printer works much better. I can write my name!
>
> nb
>

I think we'll be seeing all kinds of amazing, beautiful, food products
made by 3D printing. One of these days, we'll print our own guitars.

The hearing aid industry has been printing custom hearing aid shells for
about 20 years. These days, most everybody does it that way. OTOH, at
least one manufacturer has rejected printing 3D shells. They prefer to
do it the old fashioned way by using investment casting. Oddly enough,
they do an excellent job.