Ford 3D-printing Mustang out of chocolate and candy for Valentine's Day

Thu, 13 Feb 2014

Is your beloved in love with the new 2015 Ford Mustang? Do they like chocolate (that's a trick question – everyone likes chocolate)? Are they a bit of a futurist? Then this Hallmark holiday, you need to get them this Ford Mustang, 3D-printed in sweet, delicious chocolate.

Ford is teaming with 3D Systems' Sugar Lab in LA to produce the super-accurate pony car confections in both chocolate and sugar candy varieties. The process kicked off with a CAD rendering of the 2015 Mustang, which was then programmed into the 3D printer. After a bit of work from the machine, a four-inch long, two-inch tall Mustang was the result. Why the tieup with 3D Systems, though?

"We wanted to create something fun to show that while 3D printing made these edible Mustangs, manufacturing-level 3D printing was used in the development of Ford's all-new sports car," said Paul Susalla, Ford's supervisor of 3D printing.

While Ford commissioned the chocolatey Mustangs, buying some for your sweetheart might be tougher. This is a one-off deal for now, although Ford is in talks to license the Mustang candy, should it find a solid reception.

Ford has put together a surprisingly interesting video of the 3D printing process, which we've embedded below. There's also an official press release, as well as a full gallery of the process.

For Valentine's Day, Ford Shows Its Love Affair with Mustang by 3D-Printing the Iconic Sports Car in Candy

? Ford creates first-ever miniature 3D-printed chocolate, sugar candy and plastic toy Mustangs to celebrate Valentine's Day, hoping the sweetest ride in America tastes as sweet in edible form
? Ford teamed with 3D Systems to showcase the applicability of the printing supplier's newest product – a chocolate 3D printer – on the all-new Mustang
? 3D printing was used to quickly prototype parts for the all-new Mustang, including hood vents, air vents, interior panels and components for the pony's new 2.3-liter EcoBoost®

DEARBORN, Mich., Feb. 14, 2014 – Fall in love with chocolate and candy Mustangs this Valentine's Day. To celebrate, Ford Motor Company today revealed all-new miniature chocolate and peppermint candy Mustangs made with a 3D printer.

This is the first time Ford has 3D-printed a miniature vehicle model that you can snack on.
"3D printing is one of the hottest buzzwords in the news today and it's great to see more consumers learning about the technology and its applications," said Paul Susalla, Ford supervisor of 3D printing. "We wanted to create something fun to show that while 3D printing made these edible Mustangs, manufacturing-level 3D printing was used in the development of Ford's all-new sports car."

Ford teamed up with 3D Systems and its edible branch, The Sugar Lab, in Los Angeles, to make mini chocolate Mustangs. 3D Systems' treats also include 3D-printed sugar candies in such flavors as white peppermint and sour apple.

The process began with a CAD model of the all-new Mustang from the Ford design studios. 3D Systems programmed the digital version of the pony car into its new printers designed to create edible treats. After only a few hours, a 4-inch-long, 2-inch-tall Mustang-shaped confection emerged.

Though the 3D-printed chocolate Mustang was made for this one-time-only special Valentine's Day celebration, Ford is in talks to potentially license the application.

"Ford Mustang and chocolate is a recipe for success," said Mark Bentley, Ford product licensing manager. "It is so exciting to see how these technologies enable a new way of telling a brand story."
For more information about Ford's use of 3D printing, click here.
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All-new Mustang and 3D printing

During development of the new Mustang, Ford used 3D printing to make numerous prototype parts, including:

? Interior components such as air vents, panels and siding, and dashboard applications
? Engine parts such as cylinder head, intake manifold and engine block for the 2.3-liter EcoBoost® engine
? Exterior parts such as the fascia and grille, taillights and hood vents
All-new Mustang launch

The all-new Mustang will launch in a staggered cadence around the world, with the first cars being available in the United States in fall 2014, Europe in early 2015, and China and other Asia Pacific markets over the course of 2015.

By Brandon Turkus