Optimization of the 3D printing process of chicken meat products through response surface methods approach

This study explores how key operational settings of a food 3D printer affect the formation of printed structures using minced chicken paste. The printing material was prepared by blending chilled chicken breast with table salt and then cooled prior to use. To evaluate the impact of printing parameters, three output metrics were analyzed: printing time, product weight, and visual quality of the printed product. Among the studied parameters, nozzle movement speed and infill density were found to primarily influence the printing time – higher speeds and lower infill levels reduced the time. Product weight was most sensitive to flow rate and infill density, both contributing to an increase in weight as their values rose. Print quality benefited from higher flow rate and infill density, while excessive nozzle speed and diameter led to quality deterioration. The optimal parameters combination was determined as follows: nozzle speed of 58.7 mm/s, flow rate of 54.7 mm3/s, nozzle diameter of 1.2 mm, and infill density of 50%, achieving a desirability score of 0.89. These findings can support the fine-tuning of food 3D printing systems for producing customized meat-based products with improved process efficiency and product consistency.