Sugar Lab is a company that in 2013 developed the technology of 3D sugar printing, in a technological process similar to CJP – full-color 3D gypsum printing, where the loose material is bonded layer by layer with a sprayed binder. Soon after its market debut, the startup was taken over by 3D Systems, which at that time bought virtually every innovative company in the additive technology industry (and not really knowing what to do with it next …?). Despite the great promises and even greater expectations from the confectionery industry, in 2015, after the change of authorities in 3D Systems, the project fell into oblivion and remained one of the many technological curiosities. However, this has recently changed – as reported by TechCrunch, co-founders of the company – Kyle von Hasseln and Meagan Bozeman, decided to buy their technology from 3D Systems and is now trying to reinvent the company and the Currant 3D printer that prints three-dimensional objects from sugar.
The company was founded when Kyle von Hasseln first hacked an old Z Corporation 3D printer (owned by 3D Systems since 2012) to print cupcake decorations on it. The results were so promising that von Hasseln founded Sugar Lab – a company that describes itself as a “digital bakery” focused on food-safe 3D printing.
“I realized right away that 3D printing with extruded food paste is too slow and inaccurate to be widely adopted in the culinary world. This awareness prompted me to immediately switch to a different 3D printing method, where thin layers of dehydrated food powder are bonded layer by layer with a stream of water from the print head – allowing precise, high-speed full-color printing,”said Kyle von Hasseln. “This invention, now called 3D Currant, solves a fundamental problem in 3D-printed food space: mass adoption.“
In May of this year, the newly formed company recovered its technology from 3D Systems and is now trying to raise money to bring its products to market. Sugar Lab says its 3D printers are capable of printing complex food products in full color, with the ability to scale the technology to high-volume production. 3D printers can print several ingredients – including dried fruits, vegetables, spices and vegetable proteins. Sugar Lab now has one of the first NSF-certified commercial-scale 3D food printing solutions.
According to TechCrunch, the company’s ultimate goal is to take 3D printed food from novelty to “ubiquitous essential” – giving chefs new powers to experiment and create new types of food.
Source: www.techcrunch.com
Photo: www.currant3d.com (press materials / all rights reserved)