A 3D printer that can brew coffee? Snapmaker’s done it

As part of its RAPID + TCT presentation last week in Boston, Shenzhen-based 3D printer manufacturer Snapmaker invited visitors to come grab a cup of coffee—a cup of coffee made on a modified U1 3D printer that is. The hardware, dubbed the U1 x Cocoapress Edition, was made in collaboration with chocolate 3D printing specialist Cocoapress and was called the “first 3D printer that doubles as a fully functional coffee maker”.

After raising over $20 million through a crowdfunding campaign, Snapmaker launched its anticipated U1 3D printer this month. The desktop machine is based on a CoreXY motion system and comes equipped with a proprietary four-toolhead swapping mechanism to facilitate multicolor 3D printing. The U1 is also based on an open source software system, which introduces new possibilities to users.

To demonstrate this versatility and flexibility, Snapmaker teamed up with Cocoapress to swap out the printer’s 3D printing toolheads for coffee delivery toolheads. Set up next to a classic light-up “Coffee” sign, the U1 x Cocoapress Edition welcomed visitors to grab a cup, select their coffee preference (black or with their choice of nondairy creamer) and watch the mechanism go to work. Now, the 3D-printer-cum-coffee-maker isn’t trying to get anyone on board with the idea of “3D printed coffee”—that would be silly. What the marketing project does show, however, is the adaptability and versatility of the U1 3D printer architecture. In short, users can begin to imagine how they could customize their own U1 desktop 3D printers.

“We’ve always believed that the best tools remove friction between imagination and creation,” explained Blayne Sapelli, Snapmaker Creative Marketing Manager. “Cocoapress helped us realize we had also been removing friction between people and their morning coffee.”

Cocoapress, for its part, is a small company that specializes in chocolate 3D printing. Founder Ellie Rose started developing the technology in 2014 and now sells a commercialized chocolate 3D printer, the Cocoa Press, for making custom 3D chocolates. “Creativity is not only our core value but a tasty one as well,” said  Rose of the recent collaboration with Snapmaker. “We have always known this. We’re glad the world is catching up.”

As part of the collaboration between the two companies, the U1 3D printer reportedly comes equipped with a SnapSwap 5-Toolhead System, which can accommodate four filament toolheads and one Cocoapress chocolate extruder.

VoxelMatters co-founder Davide Sher recently received a U1 3D printer for testing. His early review of the system’s arrival and setup are positive, noting the system’s relatively quick setup and automated calibration. A first print—the pre-loaded file—also turned out very well, with good details, neat color lines, and minimal filament waste. Stay tuned for a full review of the 3D printer soon!