Structur3d Printing has launched its Discov3ry paste extruder, which allows 3D printers to process materials beyond rigid plastic. It can work with materials as diverse as silicone, play dough and Nutella, with its creators claiming it can easily be integrated with most of the 3D printers on the market.

"Discov3ry expands what is possible with virtually every 3D printer already out there, allowing for more creativity than ever before in 3D printing," claims Dr Charles Mire, chief executive and co-founder of Structur3D Printing. "We are excited to put it into the hands of the maker community because we know they'll come up with uses for paste printing that we haven't even thought of yet."

The technology – labelled by Structur3d as a 'pastruder', opens up the possibility of less expensive materials being used for additive manufacturing, while the ability to print silicone could also pave way for biomedical applications, such as 3D-printed hearing aids and prosthetics.