Food & Drink Process & Packaging Issue 20 2018 | Page 22

Precise temperature control for novel food production : NTC temperature sensors from Variohm EuroSensor ensure accurate modelling of food in the Procusini 3D food printer

The Procusini 3.0 is a 3D food printer , recently launched in its third and revised generation with NTC temperature probes from Variohm EuroSensor .
The manufacturer , Print2Taste GmbH , was founded in 2014 as a spin-off company of the Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences in Freising . Aimed at catering professionals , event-gastronomy and hotels , as well as specialist bakery and confectionery producers , the complete Plug-and-Play system consists of a printer , a portfolio of printable foods , a template library and the world ’ s first fully integrated 3D food printing web platform . At its heart , exacting temperature control plays a crucial role in the shaping of customised small batch food items or individual text and decorative 3D objects .
The NTC temperature sensor from Variohm EuroSensor is used as part of the Procusini ‘ s temperature control throughout the printing process . The foodstuffs are supplied in cartridges as solid materials and melted in the machine ’ s heating block by precise pre-set temperature regulation to maintain a constant temperature during printing . This process is fundamental to the Procusini 3D food printer , as the ideal combination
22 FDPP - www . fdpp . co . uk of temperature and the various food formulas used ensures that the food is fluid and can be delivered through the print head . To maintain stability of the three-dimensional shape produced , the material assumes a solid consistency at room temperature .
Variohm ’ s series II epoxy-clad NTC thermistors function as NTC resistorbased NTC thermistors , with resistance decreasing as temperature increases . Particularly suitable for temperature control and temperature measurement in electronic circuits , the thermistor accurately and proportionately tracks temperature variation . As part of its custom design service Variohm modifies its standard NTC thermistors for Print2Taste GmbH by extending and isolating the lead wires . With a measuring range of -40 ° C to + 125 ° C , they operate in a wide and practical bandwidth for the food industry .
A dual print head version of the Procusini 3.0 has also been recently introduced by Print2Taste offering the possibility to produce two personalized food items at the same time . The dual version is also equipped with temperature sensors from Variohm EuroSensor as part of its core tasks . Both machine variants offer automatic operation for efficient production without high personnel costs . Self-developed or stored objects in the data library can be sent directly to the printer with the customer integrating the smart device in their own Wi-Fi network .
Variohm EuroSensor offers a wide range of position , force , pressure , load , and temperature sensor technologies . The manufacturer , distributor and supply chain partner provides complete sales and support for demanding measurement applications across industry , construction , agriculture , motorsports , research and more .
Phone : + 44 ( 0 ) 1327 351004 graham @ variohm . com www . variohm . com