3D Printing of Matzoh and R&D Tax Credits

Matzoh is a symbol of faith has been eaten for many years and is a food that is eaten amongst the Jewish population and enjoyed by many others. Matzoh is a flat brittle piece of unleavened bread typically eaten during Pesach or Passover holiday. Bakers and restaurants are looking for new ways to make and serve matzoh. One can also add custom amounts of vitamins and minerals into the mix. If you are looking to provide a unique course for Passover dinner, why not have it 3D printed?

Using a 3D printer, one can control the nutritional properties of matzoh. Since most foods are made up of protein, carbohydrates, and fats, one can introduce their desired vitamins and minerals. In the 3D printer when making your matzoh, you determine how much flour, salt, and olive/canola oil you would like to add to the mixture. It is up to your taste buds. Most businesses that are conducting research into producing cost effective 3D printed matzoh products are eligible for research and development tax credits.

The Research & Development Tax Credit

Enacted in 1981, the federal Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credit allows a credit of up to 13% of eligible spending for new and improved products and processes. Qualified research must meet the following four criteria:

• New or improved products, processes, or software
• Technological in nature
• Elimination of uncertainty
• Process of experimentation

Eligible costs include employee wages, cost of supplies, cost of testing, contract research expenses, and costs associated with developing a patent. On December 18, 2015, President Obama signed the bill making the R&D Tax Credit permanent. Beginning in 2016, the R&D credit can be used to offset Alternative Minimum tax and start-up businesses can utilize the credit against payroll taxes.

3D printed chocolate

Eat your matzoh with chocolate? Not a problem. Belgian chocolate shop Miam Factory melts chocolate to shape 3D printed objects. The company engraves chocolate with messages and logos for clients. Usually orders come in from hotels, businesses and individual consumers.

OpenSCAD

During the holiday, a “Ka’arah” or seder plate is positioned on the table with six items, each reminding us of the Passover story. The plate consists of Zeroah, a roasted bone which reminds us of the Pesach offering that was brought to the Holy Temple of Jerusalem; the Beitzah, a hardboiled egg that reminds us of the festival of offering that was brought to the temple; a Maror, horseradish root whose bitterness symbolizes the bitter times suffered by the slaves in Egypt; the Charoset, which is a ground-up mixture of apple, walnuts and red wine that reminds us of how hard the slaves worked in Egypt; and the Karpas, which is a slice of onion, boiled potato and sprigs of parsley. We dip the Karpas into the salt water at the beginning of the seder, representing the salty tears cried by the slaves. Finally there is the Chazeret, romaine lettuce which is part of the bitter herbs and is eaten in a matzoh sandwich together with Maror.

OpenSCAD and Stratasys printers can create a vertical seder plate that can be used for a Passover dinner. The structure is small enough to fit on a table filled with large dishes and takes a more modern approach. The bowls contain Hebrew lettering for the food items that should be placed in each bowl for the seder. The seder plate is traditional in the Jewish religion and 3D printing enables the observant to design their own seder plate.

Thingiverse

There are some המצאות מוזרות, Hebrew for odd inventions out there. Go to Thingiverse.com and type in the search bar ‘weird matzoh holder;’ you will find a blue structure that has two cavities to hold the matzoh. This can be used for positioning the flattened bread on a table, making it easier to grab a slice to eat along with your dinner. If your tastes are more traditional, then print a holder that takes the shape of an inverse pyramid. This structure provides easy use and less mess as guests take their piece during the festive dinner.

Etsy

Feeling crafty, have a 3D printer and preparing for Passover dinner? It is quite simple, look on Etsy for a design and then transfer to your 3D printer and print. Many people are using 3D printers to print many shapes of matzoh such as matzoh portraits, dog bandannas, and even iPhone cases. 3D printing food gives the consumer the opportunity to be creative with their designs and use of different materials to produce the food. Be creative for Passover and create your own tiramatzoh by simply printing your matzoh from your 3D printer and then layering with your choice of various sweet fillings. Make a mouth watering dessert by adding layers of custard and pastry. Your guests will surely enjoy your creation.

Conclusion

Hosting Pesach dinner can be more personal and memorable with a 3D printer, enabling one to design and print their own matzoh and its accessories creating a שׁוֹפֵעַ or plentiful meal. Be the one to start the trend and 3D print your holiday meal. Today, businesses and individuals who engage in research and development of 3D printed matzoh are eligible for federal and state R&D tax credits.

Discuss this and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts below. 

Charles Goulding and Alize Margulis of R&D Tax Savers discuss 3D printed matzoh.