Get the 'Scoop' on the Latest 3D Printed Innovation

The trend of 3D printed foods is on the rise and as we continue to enjoy these warm summer days, there is nothing quite like a delicious ice cream cone to help you cool off! In fact, this past Sunday on July 20, many people enjoyed an ice cream cone in celebration of National Ice Cream Day! So, in honor of National Ice Cream Day and because, well, who doesn’t love ice cream, we thought we’d get the “scoop” on the latest and greatest invention that combines the innovation of 3D printing and the sweet taste of our beloved ice cream!
Recently, three students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) invented a homemade ice cream printer that extrudes soft serve ice cream that immediately freezes and can be layered on a cooled plate.

The team of three MIT students has created a modified 3D printer that has the ability to produce customized ice cream shapes. This means that if the process is done correctly, people will be able to have their desserts to order in the near future. This innovation has been achieved due to the use of a Solidoodle printer, in addition to a Cuisinart soft-serve ice cream machine. Through these two pieces of technology, the team was able to invent designs within a 15-minute window.

As of right now, the process goes a little something like this: in order to have the ice cream hold its shape and stay cold, the 3D printer is placed inside of a small freezer while the printed mixture is sprayed with a liquid nitrogen solution. After many failed attempts, the 3D printing invention finally successfully printed a star-shaped dessert.

Here’s a quick video that shows this “cool” 3D printed innovation in action!