3D Printer Enthusiasts Create Cake-Icing Machine

We might not quite be at the level of technological brilliance that allows us to sit at home on the computer, press the "print" button, and have a cake appear next to you in a few minutes. But that didn't stop a group of creative 3D printing fanatics from using similar technology to create a machine that autonomously prints icing onto a cake, allowing custom, advanced designs.

The group, which refers to themselves as CNCDudez, uses what it calls a "punch and extrude method" wherein a package of buttercream frosting is maneuvered around the cake, and squirted out in a very specific pattern so as to match the design laid out in the specified program. It kind of reminds us of the "Burrito 3D printer" we saw just a little while ago. There are actually fabrication machines that can create recipes and food using 3D printing technologies.

This trend of 3D printing components and processes being used for purposes other than material and product fabrication is certainly an interesting development. It's a symbol of just how mainstream the technology has become, in just a very short span of time. Anything that can be used in applications from sophisticated medical research to street-corner food vendors has a bright future.

[via Geek.com]