Hello, world!
I recently discovered that 3D printers are available for students and staff to use, and the timing could not have been better. Around the same time, we had just placed an Etsy order for five custom cookie cutters, which got me thinking: could we create our own custom cookie cutters with 3D printing in the future?
Naturally, I had to test it out.
The cookie cutter prototype during early stage 3D printing in the Shapiro Design Lab
This project became a fun proof of concept. It was not necessarily something ready for immediate use, but it was a great way to explore what might be possible. While the print was in progress, I had a wonderful conversation with the staff member assisting me. They walked me through several important considerations, including food safety, trademark usage, materials, and what would be needed to make a printed object usable in a real kitchen setting.
One of the biggest takeaways was that the printer material being used is not considered food safe. So, if we ever want to use a 3D printed cookie cutter for actual baking, we would need to explore options like applying a food safe resin or sealant.
Block M cookie cutter print being finalized on the 3D printer
I also learned more about trademark guidelines. For example, using protected marks like the Block M comes with restrictions. In this case, the print was acceptable because it was only a proof of concept and not something intended for production or distribution.
Overall, this was a great learning experience and a fun introduction to what 3D printing can do. While there are still some details to work through before creating custom, food safe cookie cutters, this experiment opened the door to some exciting possibilities.
A black U-M logo block M cookie cutter printed at the shapiro design lab
Who knew a cookie cutter could teach so much about design, materials, safety, and trademarks?