Just a few days ago, a pair of mathematicians from the University of Liverpool discovered a scientific way of slicing pizza. Now, another group of college kids have created a machine that makes pancakes. Say hello to the "Pancake CNC Machine."
At the Olin College of Engineering, Trent Dye along with three of his classmates created the "Pancake CNC Machine." Their creation served as their final project for their Principles of Engineering class. So what does their device do? It's pretty simple. The device prints pancakes onto the griddle, which are based on images entered onto the computer screen.
A condiment bottle that contains the batter shifts back and forth over the griddle through the aid of a drivetrain. The flow of the batter from the bottles was regulated by a control valve, which resulted in "clean lines of batter."
"You can make anything: cartoon characters, geometric shapes, a yin yang symbol," explained Dye in an exclusive report by the Boston Globe.
It took Dye and his classmates approximately nine weeks to finish the machine. This also involved three iterations for the machine's original design as well as a number of pancake batter recipes. As for their budget, the college kids had to create the machine out of a measly $250.
So did the kids make the grade with their contraption? Based on what one assistant professor from the mechanical engineering department had to say, it appears Dye and his classmates passed in flying colors.
"They did a really great job on the execution, and they took it to a level of finish that is fairly uncommon. And that's what makes the difference," stated Aaron Hoover.
Of course, it all boils down to whether the pancake from the machine tastes good or not. Kevin Crispie, one out of the four inventors, stated they might not be "great tasting pancakes", but they sure as heck look good.
