Bio-Ink Extrusion Control for Scalable Artificial Meat Texture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing artificial meat are inefficient for large-scale production and fail to accurately reproduce the texture and cross-sectional shape of actual meat, limiting consumer acceptance.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that store and monitor bioink, allowing for the extrusion of large amounts of bioink through an extrusion device, including a monitoring module to maintain predetermined conditions and an extrusion module to discharge bioink, thereby producing artificial meat with texture and shape similar to actual meat.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If 3D printing technology is used to extrude bioink, then artificial meat can be produced with controlled shape, but production speed is slow and large-scale production is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the bioink supply into multiple storage containers (first container and second container) that can be independently managed and extruded through separate extrusion devices, enabling parallel processing and increased overall production capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between different storage containers based on real-time monitoring of bioink states. When one container's bioink is exhausted or deteriorates, the system automatically transitions to another container, ensuring continuous high-speed production without interruption
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional extrusion methods are used, then production process is simple, but the texture and cross-sectional shape of artificial meat do not resemble actual meat
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different conditions to different portions of bioink by storing them in separate containers with potentially different environmental parameters (temperature, humidity, etc.), allowing optimization of local properties to achieve desired texture and shape characteristics in the final product
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring module continuously detects the state of bioink in each container and provides feedback to the control unit, which adjusts extrusion parameters in real-time to maintain optimal texture and shape reproduction throughout the production process
3Reliability
If bioink is stored without monitoring, then storage system is simple, but bioink state deteriorates affecting production quality
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring module autonomously detects and reports the state of bioink in each container without requiring manual intervention. The system self-manages the monitoring process, automatically identifying when bioink needs to be replaced or when extrusion parameters should be adjusted
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual inspection and management of bioink with an automated monitoring module that uses sensors and detection mechanisms to track bioink state, reducing human labor and increasing reliability through consistent automated observation
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus for producing artificial meat using bio-ink is provided. The apparatus may comprise a plurality of modules and at least one processor configured to control the plurality of modules, wherein the plurality of modules include a monitoring module and an extrusion module, and the at least one processor is configured to control the monitoring module to maintain a predetermined condition of the bio-ink, and control the extrusion module to extrude and discharge at least a portion of the bio-ink.