Simulation of Food Material Deformation in Three-Dimensional Food Printing Using the Moving Particle Simulation (MPS) Method

This study explores the applicability of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation using the Moving Particle Simulation (MPS) method to the deformation behavior of food pastes during extrusion-based 3D food printing (3DFP). Rice flour pastes with varying viscosities were prepared and printed into cylindrical shapes using a custom-built 3DFP device. Corresponding simulations were conducted with commercial MPS software Particleworks, incorporating experimental rheological measurements. Three viscosity models, Power-law, Bingham, and Herschel-Bulkley were compared. While the Power-law model underestimated shape retention for high-viscosity samples, and the Bingham model overestimated viscosity for low-viscosity pastes, the Herschel-Bulkley model closely reproduced experimental results across all conditions. These findings demonstrate that the MPS method, combined with an appropriate viscosity model, can accurately simulate shape deformation in 3DFP processes. The approach provides a promising tool for optimizing material properties and printing conditions in food manufacturing, potentially reducing the need for trial-and-error experimentation.