Cell-based
Steakholder Foods Completes Printer Upgrade
Image courtesy of Steakholder Foods Ltd.
Steakholder Foods Ltd. has completed the upgrade of its industrial-scale 3D bio-printer. The integration of electronic cards and printheads with a digital ink delivery system provides high-throughput printing for a variety of species through hundreds of printhead nozzles, with the potential to print tons of meat per month.
High-throughput 3D printing can be used to create complex meat structures at a commercial scale. The upgrade includes hundreds of nozzles that work simultaneously on a carousel to allow the high-throughput volume, with a modular structure that is expected to enable the addition of printheads per specifications of Steakholder Foods' clients.
The printheads are controlled and managed through a DropJet printed circuit board (PCB). In the final part of the upgrade, printheads were connected to Steakholder Foods' software that models and reads design files and creates the slicing that manages printing through the printheads. This software enables the printing of complex 3D structures with extreme precision. The system's adaptability is expected to allow the printing of almost any species, as the printer systems keep cells alive and undamaged during the printing process.
Future development is expected to include more automation capabilities, cost optimization and validations for commercialization. Additional development may also include modification and customization for partner needs.
According to Itamar Atzmony, vice president of engineering at Steakholder Foods, "This upgrade brings us one step closer to mass production, creating sophisticated meat and fish structures for the cultivated meat industry."
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