Additive Manufacturing for Process Engineering

To feed the increasing population society needs to meet the higher demand for proteins. Animal protein production is considered with high water consumption, land use and greenhouse gas emissions. Extrusion technology is a promising and sustainable method to refine plant-based proteins.

Using extrusion meat analogues with fibrous structure, which are said to improve the mouthfeel, can be produced.

Within the extrusion process cooling of the extrudate plays an important role. For this purpose, additively manufactured cooling nozzles can be used.  

To optimize the geometry of production equipment, process data such as temperature and pressure is needed. Additive manufacturing can help to incorporate sensors and probes into production equipment. Using the design freedom of additive manufacturing sensors can be positioned at places which can’t be reached using conventional manufacturing. The quality and significance of the measurement can be improved by improving the positioning of a sensor. Process variables can be measured in locations that were previously not accessible by measurement. The improved measurement data quality in turn enables process conditions and component geometry to be further improved.  

Cooling plays an important role in many processes. Sometimes a very uniform cooling temperature or cooling capacity on a component surface is necessary for the process. Then the coolant distribution in this component must be very uniform. Through simulation-supported optimization, parameters of the component geometry can be adjusted so that a targeted liquid distribution can be achieved. Following the digital component design, the geometry can then be printed and tested. Through additive manufacturing multiple functions such as cooling, throttling and measurement can be integrated into one part.