Lenovo's Chocolate 3D Printers

[Brian_Krassenstein]

This last week, tech-giant Lenovo presented at the first annual Lenovo World Conference in Beijing, China. On had were several concept gadgets in which the company hopes will expand their product lineup outside of tablets, PCs and laptops. To the surprise of many on-hand, the company revealed several 3D printers capable of printing with foods such as chocolate. Although details were not made available as to potential pricing or date of availability this certainly was an interesting move for the company. More information on these concept 3D printers displayed in China last week can be found here: http://3dprint.com/69627/lenovo-shenqi-3d-printer/


Below is a picture of one of the machines. Let's hear your thoughts on this move by Lenovo to potentially enter the 3D printing space.

[Bassna]

I want that little machine :O

[curious aardvark]

you buy the machine and I'll send you some decent chocolate :-)

One thing most people don't realise about lenovo is that they are the company that used to make ibm laptops/thinkpads etc.
Probably the most reliable laptops ever.

Find an old ibm portable and turn it over. On the bottom it will say made by lenovo.
So unlike a lot of the big electronics companies (apple, to quote the example in the article) lenovo have a very long track record of making quality products.

Be interesting to see what price point they aim for.

[Bassna]

Depending on the price of it, it could be well worth picking one up. I could see that making the money back for the machine if it run's well. Everyone love's food

And send me some chocolate anyway ;P

[Bassna]

I just seen them talking about this printer on the front page of Yahoo. Included a link to your guy's article about it also in it

I still have not seen a price point on this printer, does anyone have an idea?

[Wolfie]

Rofl. I predicted this on at least two occasions back in February:

Pretty much the same as Feign. Pointless in the grand scheme. But... and its a big one... if it could print other food products such as chocolate, cheese, fondant (used for cake and confectionary toppers), etc, then well, maybe. But thats a big maybe.

http://3dprintboard.com/showthread.p...ll=1#post48285

Could you carve a detailed chocolate wedding cake topper that looks exactly like the actual bride and groom? I darn sure couldn't. But a 3D printer capable of extruding chocolate could! It would be easy and profitable. The 3d scan could be done at the same time as the wedding photos are taken, they are posed and lit already aren't they? So, imagine someone working with the photographer to produce the 3D scan of the couple. Then maybe scan the lace on her dress or veil close up. Imagine printing that exact pattern of lace out of fondant for the tiers on the wedding cake. The wedding industry is a money making machine from the planners, to the coordinators, catering, cake makers, photographers and locations. They are all making bank. 3D printing services could tap into that big time since they can produce something that would be either impossible or extremely costly without a 3D printer. Imagine a cake maker being able to offer something like that while their competitors can't yet. If that isn't incentive for innovation, then I don't know what is.

These things CAN happen. And I am betting dollars to doughnuts that someone is or has been working on those things or ones just like them.

http://3dprintboard.com/showthread.p...ll=1#post48372


And... Here it is Lenovo for the win.

[shankinson]

We owned a chocolate printing company that the printer was supplied by Chocolography. (Kodak plotter retrofitted to print with ink on a white icing surface) Very pricey piece of equipment and company kept changing its business model. Problem with using a "food" product is that you'll be classified as a food processing company and will have to follow strict FDA guidelines, labeling and other rules. We closed the chocolate company after being 5 years in business because of the re-classification of our company business by our state. You'll notice that all the 3D food printers do not have an available date for USA distribution. Still would love one!