I TOOK A CLOSER LOOK IN OUR
WHAT'S NEXT SEGMENT.
REPORTER: YOU CAN MAKE
PRACTICALLY ANYTHING WITH A 3-D
PRINTER, ALL YOU NEED IS
FILAMENT THE PLASTIC FEED-STOCK
THE PRINTER USES TO MATERIALIZE
YOUR ITE
AND TYLER MCNANEY INVENTED
FILABOT, A MACHINE TO RECYCLE
PLASTIC INTO FILAMENT.
>> WE'RE WORKING TOWARD BEING
ABLE TO RECYCLE THE WIDEST RANGE
OF PLASTICS, SO LIKE SODA
BOTTLES, MILK JUGS, REALLY ANY
PLASTIC YOU PUT IN YOUR
RECYCLING BIN WE WANT TO BE ABLE
TO TURN INTO A 3D PRINT.
REPORTER RIGHT NOW HIS MACHINES
WORK WITH THE KINDS OF PLASTIC
USED FOR LEGGOS, REMOTE CONTROL
CASES, YOGURT CONTAINERS, EVEN
CERTAIN LUGGAGE AND OFFICE
ITEMS. AND, OF COURSE, ANY 3-D
PRINT THAT DIDN'T COME OUT THE
WAY YOU PLANNED.
>> JUST PUT THE PLASTIC IN A
GRINDER, AND THEN PUT IT IN THE
FILABO
>> YOU PUT THE PELLETS IN AN
THEN THERE'S A SCREW INSIDE THAT
PRESSURIZES IT, PUSHES IT
FORWARD TOWARD THE HEAT ZONE
WHICH IS THE ORANGE, AND UNDER
THERE THERE'S A HEATER THAT'S UP
TO WHATEVER MELT TEMPERATURE OF
THE PLASTIC; IT HEATS IT UP AND
THEN SQUIRTS IT OUT THE NOZZLE.
REPORTER: TYLER AND HIS TEAM
ASSEMBLE AND PACKAGE THE FILABOT
IN BARRE AND CONTINUE TO WORK ON
DESIGN.
AS 3-D PRINTERS BECOME CHEAPER
AND BETTER AND MORE COMMON, HE
SAYS FILABOT HAS SEVERAL SELLING
POINTS
>> IT ALLOWS FOR REALLY ANYONE
TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT
CLOSED-LOOP RECYCLING RIGHT
WHERE THEY ARE.
REPORTER: SO IT HELPS THE
ENVIRONMENT AND SAVES MONEY.
BUT HE ALSO SAYS IT ALLOWS
PEOPLE TO CUSTOMIZE THEIR
FILAMENT.
>> WE HAVE A PLASTIC THAT WE
WORK WITH RIGHT NOW THAT HAS 80%
BRASS IN IT AND IT'S REALLY
HEAVY; IT FEELS LIKE THE METAL
AND YOU CAN POLISH IT AND MAKE
IT LOOK LIKE THE METAL.
REPORTER: HE SAYS A COLLEGE USED
A FILABOT TO MAKE DIFFERENT
SHAPED TABLETS TO TEST HOW THE
SHAPE AFFECTED DISPERSION IN THE
BODY
HE SAYS THAT ABILITY TO MAKE
YOUR OWN KIND OF FILAMENT HAS
LOTS OF BIG NAME COMPANIES BUY
FILABOT HE SAYS NASA, GOOGLE-X,
FORD AND TOYOTA ARE ALL
CUSTOMERS AS WELL AS THE
PENTAGON.
HE'S PLEASED WITH WHAT HE'S DONE
SO FAR, BUT, I'M NOT DONE YET.
HE'S PLANNING FOR MORE MODELS
THAT WORK WITH MORE MATERIALS IN
AN INDUSTRY THAT HE BELIEVES
WILL CONTINUE TO MATTER MORE AND
MORE
WITH WHAT'S NEXT, DAVID
