High school students use 3D printer to reinvent the ketchup cap

Shawn Knight

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A pair of students from Liberty North High School have come up with a solution to an age-old problem using modern day technology. As part of a national program called Project Lead The Way, Jonathan Thompson and Tyler Richards have reimagined the ketchup cap to prevent it from dispensing the watery substance that forms when a bottle sits unused and the tomato paste separates.

The idea stemmed from the students’ love of ketchup. The only problem is that when you squirt it onto a bun, the runny water often soaks into the bread and you’re left with a mushy mess.

The two brainstormed ideas, sketched out a number of prototypes and ultimately decided on a mushroom-shaped design that holds back the water while letting the tomato paste flow through. The cap was designed in a CAD software before it was 3D printed. It’s a simple but ingenious idea that makes me wonder why condiment manufacturers haven’t thought of a similar solution thus far.

The teens plan to get a provisional patent for the invention and with any luck, they’ll be able to make some money off their creation.

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Thanks for making me hungry Techspot :p

That's cool, I have been wanting to see some real cool innovations using 3D printers. I really want to get my hand on one of these devices in the near future to try my hand at my own home crafting.
 
Nice, except that 3D printing emits toxic fumes, and the resulting material isn't healthy for being in direct contact with food. In all, I wouldn't let kids near 3D printers.
 
I wish they'd reinvent something else as well, personally I cannot stand tomato sauce (or ketchup if you speak American) so it'll never benefit me. :)
 
Nice, except that 3D printing emits toxic fumes, and the resulting material isn't healthy for being in direct contact with food. In all, I wouldn't let kids near 3D printers.

Way to be a negative nanny there.

1. Every manufacturing process emits toxic fumes, thats why there are no factories in residential areas in the first place. I'm sure they are working in a ventilated room and there is protective gear available.

2. The products made from 3d printers are for testing and not for mass production and actual use with food.
 
Their ingenious idea still no match from mine!!! I will use this 3D printer to create a prototype of 20nm Maxwell GPU or maybe 10nm GPU with Volta or Pascal architecture.. also I will use it to create 7nm CPU successor of Skylake.. Then I called it Skywalker! :D
 
And then when the ketchup bottle is almost empty, you'll have extra ketchup in that portion of the cap (as I'll assume people turn it upside down when it's almost empty)....

So I guess it'll work best if you always keep it full...
 
I've never seen that much water come out of any Ketchup I've used... because I shake the bottle before use. *shocker*
 
Why aren't they using Organic Ketchup? Doesn't have Corn Syrup junk in there. Pure Organic Cain Sugar. Everything use have real sugar until someone said sugar was bad for your teeth! Then Corn Syrup and High-F junk was used.
 
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