MAKER: A class project on the design and fabrication of a 3D printer for delivering food at the point-of-care for addressing food insecurity – Manufacturing for social purpose

Ajay Malshe; Salil Bapat

Download Paper | Permalink

Conference: 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Publication Date: August 23, 2022
Start Date: June 26, 2022
End Date: June 29, 2022
Conference Session: Technology Integration in Manufacturing Curriculum
Page Count: 12
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--41842
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/41842
Download Count: 369

Request a correction

Paper Authors

biography

Salil Bapat Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE)

visit author page

Dr. Salil Bapat is a research scientist in the School of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University. A Materials Scientist by training, his expertise includes advanced manufacturing with experience in bio-inspired surfaces and designs, tribology, additive manufacturing, materials characterization, thin film processing and semiconductor devices. Dr. Bapat holds a Ph.D. degree in Microelectronics-photonics from University of Arkansas with emphasis on ‘tribology and surface characterization’. He has master’s and bachelor’s degree in Materials Science and engineering with experience in semiconductors, thin films processing and materials characterization. He has been involved with his supervisor Prof. Malshe in teaching and assisting with introductory classes on materials, manufacturing and social innovations for the last 10 years in the capacity of teaching assistant, co-instructor and instructor. He is currently associated with the RISE lab, with research focusing on the convergent manufacturing and advancement of manufacturing into a diverse set of nontraditional and interdisciplinary sectors, including food engineering, agricultural engineering, and in-space manufacturing. Dr. Bapat is a Research Affiliate member of the International Academy for Production Engineering (CIRP) and has served on a technical editorial advisory board for ‘Tribology and Lubrication Technology’ magazine published monthly by the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE).

visit author page

author page

Ajay Malshe Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE)

Download Paper | Permalink

Abstract

This paper presents the results of the project-based education method adopted as a part of an undergraduate level additive manufacturing class for applicability towards a social problem. Additive manufacturing or 3D printing is a technology that allows the manufacturing of parts layer-by-layer in a bottom-up approach that has advanced to manufacture parts using various types of materials including metals, ceramic, and polymers. A relatively recent and still emerging area of research is to explore 3D printing techniques for food manufacturing or 3D food printing (3DFP), which was the focus of this project assignment.

Over the past few years, food insecurity is a widely recognized challenge across US college campuses. USDA defines food insecurity as “limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways”. Various reports indicate that about 20-40% of students face food insecurity and hardship during an academic year in 2-year and 4-year colleges with affordability and accessibility of nutritious meals being one of the primary reasons. Through the principles of additive manufacturing, 3D Food printing could offer a possible solution to food insecurity across the college campuses through 1) customization of nutritious food, and 2) ability to provide on-demand, on-site delivery of ready-to-eat food at point-of-care.

The class project specifically focused on the design, development, and prototype testing of a 3D food printer. The class was segmented into four groups with 5-6 students per group. Students were given detailed guidance in terms of a project rubric that discussed the motivation behind the project and outlined the boundary conditions that the food printer design should abide by. These included constraints such as print size, the requirement of an all-mechanical design (no electrical components), and a limit on the number of parts to be designed. Almond butter-based nutritious ink composition was the food ink to be printed for delivery. To encourage student engagement within the groups, each student oversaw a specific component of their group’s food printer design. Students were encouraged to utilize 3D printing resources on campus to print their designs and build a working prototype of their designs. After the formulation stage (by the end of six weeks), one lecture period per week was dedicated to the discussion of the class project where every group presented their progress update and receive appropriate feedback from their peers and the teaching team. The final presentation was in the form of a PowerPoint presentation along with an open house demonstration of the prototypes. Student feedback was collected mid-semester and at the semester end through surveys and questionnaires. The project was successful in delivering the hands-on component of the class where students applied their knowledge of additive manufacturing, material properties, and mechanical design (part of a course curriculum) for a societal benefit, through a hands-on experience.

Citation
Format

Bapat, S., & Malshe, A. (2022, August), MAKER: A class project on the design and fabrication of a 3D printer for delivering food at the point-of-care for addressing food insecurity – Manufacturing for social purpose Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--41842

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - This paper presents the results of the project-based education method adopted as a part of an undergraduate level additive manufacturing class for applicability towards a social problem. Additive manufacturing or 3D printing is a technology that allows the manufacturing of parts layer-by-layer in a bottom-up approach that has advanced to manufacture parts using various types of materials including metals, ceramic, and polymers. A relatively recent and still emerging area of research is to explore 3D printing techniques for food manufacturing or 3D food printing (3DFP), which was the focus of this project assignment. 

Over the past few years, food insecurity is a widely recognized challenge across US college campuses. USDA defines food insecurity as “limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways”. Various reports indicate that about 20-40% of students face food insecurity and hardship during an academic year in 2-year and 4-year colleges with affordability and accessibility of nutritious meals being one of the primary reasons. Through the principles of additive manufacturing, 3D Food printing could offer a possible solution to food insecurity across the college campuses through 1) customization of nutritious food, and 2) ability to provide on-demand, on-site delivery of ready-to-eat food at point-of-care.  

The class project specifically focused on the design, development, and prototype testing of a 3D food printer. The class was segmented into four groups with 5-6 students per group. Students were given detailed guidance in terms of a project rubric that discussed the motivation behind the project and outlined the boundary conditions that the food printer design should abide by. These included constraints such as print size, the requirement of an all-mechanical design (no electrical components), and a limit on the number of parts to be designed. Almond butter-based nutritious ink composition was the food ink to be printed for delivery. To encourage student engagement within the groups, each student oversaw a specific component of their group’s food printer design. Students were encouraged to utilize 3D printing resources on campus to print their designs and build a working prototype of their designs. After the formulation stage (by the end of six weeks), one lecture period per week was dedicated to the discussion of the class project where every group presented their progress update and receive appropriate feedback from their peers and the teaching team. The final presentation was in the form of a PowerPoint presentation along with an open house demonstration of the prototypes. Student feedback was collected mid-semester and at the semester end through surveys and questionnaires. The project was successful in delivering the hands-on component of the class where students applied their knowledge of additive manufacturing, material properties, and mechanical design (part of a course curriculum) for a societal benefit, through a hands-on experience.

AU  - Salil Bapat
AU  - Ajay Malshe
CY  - Minneapolis, MN
DA  - 2022/08/23
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - MAKER: A class project on the design and fabrication of a 3D printer for delivering food at the point-of-care for addressing food insecurity – Manufacturing for social purpose
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/41842
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--41842
ER  -