Chew on This! Wacker CAPIVA Lets You 3D Print Gum in any Shape

Chewing gum is a treat most of us have enjoyed since childhood with little thought to how it is made or what it is made of, but as so much is changing today due to progressive technology like 3D printing—those interested in making a variety of different edibles can have more creative control over both manufacturing and ingredients. More conventional extrusion processes have produced gum in the past, responsible for the typical shapes we are used to such as strips and small flattened rectangles, or delicious sugary cubes.

Now, Wacker—an international manufacturer and supplier of materials—is opening up a new world of chewing gum production to everyone, with CAPIVA, offering a range of different applications for chewing gum that can be 3D printed.

“Names, logos or lifelike miniature figurines… From now on, chewing gum can be formed in a variety of customizable shapes. WACKER has developed a novel product formulation specifically for printable gum, with software and hardware optimized for this sophisticated food matrix. This new technology prints gum in a wide range of colors, shapes and flavors – individually personalized,” states WACKER.

As with so many new materials accompanying the world of 3D printing today, CAPIVA allows for more simplicity and speed in production, along with offering users and other manufacturers around the world the opportunity to make products that may not have been possible previously.

Their gum base not only means you can 3D print gum and do so efficiently, but these materials allow for better performance and even flavor is improved, with less of an ‘off-taste,’ according to the WACKER team. There is less ‘stickiness’ in the overall product, and WACKER states that their product has been approved in ‘North America, EMEA and many APAC countries including China.’

The CAPIVA line offers everything from pre-mix to resins that enhance gum further—also meant to accompany Wacker’s other chewing gum resins like VINNAPAS, offered for over 60 years. The premix residue is easily removed from machinery and works with a variety of different molds such as starch powder, silicone, and different plastics. You can create an infinite number of shapes for your chewing gum, and the product can be used with most normal candy making machinery too. The products are also compatible with sugar-free processes as well as those that are water or fat based. There is much greater latitude available in the types of flavoring you can choose for your high-tech chewing gum too.

In 3D printing such chewing gum products, amazing detail can be created as you can see in the video below featuring tiny elephant shapes being made—even allowing for the elephant’s trunk to be created in detail. The process is fascinating to watch, and like the rest of us, you may find yourself hankering for some gum to chew!

You can find out more about WACKER here, along with reading about all their products and downloading detailed product sheets. What do you think of this news? Let us know your thoughts! Join the discussion of this and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com.