Finding the right system

A formal domain analysis was done on the Food Printing domain and other domains that a food printing system might benefit. This was done to understand why food printing system exist and what kind of food printing technology is currently available. 

Since this project is about enhancing an existing food printing system, We decided to to enhance the capability of the EVEBOT print pen, an inkjet food printer. The enhancement was to turning the EVEBOT print pen into a Binder Jetting 3D printer used for rapid 3D manufacturing and prototyping. 

However, after conducting a functional test of the EVEBOT print pen, we found severe technical challenges due to the limitation of the EVEBOT print pen that makes it unfeasible to create a binder jetting printer. Thus, we decided to scrap this system and rethink of a new system. 

An automated fruits labelling system. As current fruits labels is a sticker paste onto the fruits. By creating a system to print edible ink onto the fruits itself, We can reduce the environmental impact cause by those stickers. 

However, fruits come in different shapes and sizes. The EVEBOT is originally design to only print on flat surfaces. This is one of the technical challenges we have to solve. 

Besides the technical challenges, the notion that this system will reduce the environmental impact is greenwashing the system. Because we are unaware of the environment impact cause by the manufacturing of the EVEBOT print pen.

Thus, we decided that the technical risk is too high and the need for such a system could not be justify. 

After further analysis of the EVEBOT print pen, we found that one of the limitation of the EVEBOT is that it is unable to print on curved surfaces without touching the surface. To solve this limitation, we conceptualised an automated system where it allows the EVEBOT to print on any non-flat surfaces without touching the surface.  

However, we are unable to find a object that not flat and the surface can't be touch. The only object we can think of is cake, but such a complex system just to print on the curved surface of a cake is not justifiable.

Thus, we decided to reduce the complexity and come up with a simpler system which solves the same problem. 

All the pass system iteration help us come up with this system. which both enhances the capability of the EVEBOT print pen and improve the consistency of decorating at the side of the cakes for large corporate orders.