A chocolate printer that allows sweet lovers to create their own custom-made 3D treats is to go on sale tomorrow at a cost of ￡2,500.
一款巧克力打印機(jī)將于明天上市，只要支付2500英鎊，甜蜜戀人們可以為愛人打造自己的3D效果巧克力甜品了。

The machine squirts out chocolate and, via computer instructions, allows the user to build any shape they like out of the food. But makers Choc Edge - founded by Dr Liang Hao, from the University of Exeter - have missed the Easter rush.
這款機(jī)器可以噴出巧克力，用戶通過電腦下達(dá)指令把巧克力做成自己喜歡的任何形狀。巧克力打印機(jī)由?？巳卮髮W(xué)郝亮博士創(chuàng)建的Choc Edge公司生產(chǎn)，不過它的上市錯(cuò)過了復(fù)活節(jié)購物狂潮。

Although they hope the printer, which will go on sale on eBay, will be snapped up by retailers. Britain's biggest chocolatiers Thornton's have already said they are interested.
不過盡管如何，設(shè)計(jì)者們還是希望這種新產(chǎn)品能被零售商搶購一空，這款3D巧克力打印機(jī)將在eBay上推出。英國最大的巧克力制造商桑頓公司已明確表示對(duì)這款打印機(jī)感興趣。

Because of the eye-watering cost, however, few individuals are likely to buy one. But the device could one day allow people to design their own 3D objects after submitting their designs on a website.
因?yàn)閮r(jià)格昂貴，個(gè)人購買巧克力打印機(jī)的可能性很小。但是在將來設(shè)計(jì)者可以通過在網(wǎng)上提交設(shè)計(jì)方案的方式會(huì)設(shè)計(jì)出自己的3D造型成品。

Dr Hao came up with a prototype last year and has only just perfected it so that it can now go on sale.'We've improved and simplified the machine, so now it is really easy to use,' he told the BBC. 'You just need to melt some chocolate, fill a syringe that is stored in the printer, and get creative printing your chocolate. '
郝博士去年研制出一臺(tái)原型，但直到現(xiàn)在才為上市做好了充分的準(zhǔn)備。 “我們對(duì)機(jī)器進(jìn)行了改進(jìn)和簡化，現(xiàn)在它簡單易用，”他在接受BBC采訪時(shí)說?！澳阋龅木褪侨芑恍┣煽肆Γ缓髮⑵溲b入打印機(jī)中的注射器，當(dāng)然還需要你的創(chuàng)意，一幀巧克力作品就可以出爐了?！?/div>

3D printing is a technology where a three dimensional object is created by building up successive layers of material.The technology is already used in industry to produce plastic and metal products, but this is the first time the principles have been applied to chocolate.The research has presented many challenges. Chocolate is not an easy material to work with because it requires accurate heating and cooling cycles.
3D打印是一種通過建立連續(xù)物體層來產(chǎn)生三維體的技術(shù)。這種技術(shù)已被應(yīng)用于工業(yè)中生產(chǎn)塑料和金屬制品，推廣到巧克力加工卻是首次。研制過程不乏挑戰(zhàn)。巧克力不易加工，它需要精準(zhǔn)的加熱和冷卻循環(huán)。

Dr Hao said: ‘What makes this technology special is that users will be able to design and make their own products. From reproducing the shape of a child’s favourite toy to a friend’s face, the possibilities are endless. It could be developed to help consumers custom-design many products from different materials, but we’ve started with chocolate as it is readily available, low cost and non-hazardous.
郝博士說：“這種技術(shù)的獨(dú)到之處在于，用戶可以自行設(shè)計(jì)、制造產(chǎn)品。它可以仿制出孩子喜愛的玩具模樣，還可以讓巧克力看起來像你朋友的臉，可謂是創(chuàng)意無限。利用這款機(jī)器，用戶還可以使用不同的原材料設(shè)計(jì)出不同的產(chǎn)品。我們以巧克力為研究的開端，因?yàn)樗菀撰@得、成本低、無害?！?/div>

‘There is also no wastage as any spoilage can be eaten.’ Dr Hao added: ‘Eventually we may see many mass-produced products replaced by unique designs created by the customer.’
“既使做壞了，也照樣能吃不會(huì)浪費(fèi)。”郝博士補(bǔ)充說：“最后，我們可能會(huì)看到用戶的獨(dú)特設(shè)計(jì)取代大批量生產(chǎn)的產(chǎn)品?！?/div>

EPSRC chief executive Professor Dave Delpy said: 'This is an imaginative application of two developing technologies and a good example of how creative research can be applied to create new manufacturing and retail ideas. By combining developments in engineering with the commercial potential of the digital economy we can see a glimpse into the future of new markets - creating new jobs and, in this case, sweet business opportunities.'
英國工程和自然科學(xué)研究委員會(huì)的首席執(zhí)行官戴夫·德爾菲教授說：“這是對(duì)兩種發(fā)展中的技術(shù)富于想像力的應(yīng)用，也是如何將創(chuàng)造性研究用于開發(fā)新制造業(yè)和創(chuàng)新零售觀念的好范例。通過綜合利用與數(shù)字經(jīng)濟(jì)的商業(yè)潛力相適應(yīng)的設(shè)計(jì)創(chuàng)新，我們看到了新的市場(chǎng)前景：產(chǎn)生新工作崗位，在巧克力打印機(jī)這個(gè)案例中我們稱之為甜蜜商機(jī)?！?

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