MD&M East and PLASTEC East showstoppers

Hundreds of exhibitors showcased products and services for OEMs across a range of industries at the co-located MD&M East and PLASTEC East events at the Javits in New York, NY, last week. This slide show features a selection of highlights, from injection molded parts for medical devices that improve practitioner and patient safety to a just plain cool 3D-printed submersible.Eastman copolyester improves safety profile of medical stopcock and connectorsIt almost didn’t happen, but Elcam Medical (Baram, Israel) unveiled a new medical stopcock and connectors made with Tritan copolyester from Eastman Chemical Co. (Kingsport, TN) at MD&M East last week. “We weren’t sure that we would be ready in time for the show,” said Elcam Product Manager Eldad Ohayon. “We just started six months ago, but now the molds and products are ready. We just need to run a few more tests and we will be able to bring these products to market,” he said. Show attendees had a sneak preview of the products.The devices are designed to respond to industry demand for drug- and lipid-resistant products to help enhance patient safety, according to Elcam, a supplier of disposable medical products to OEMs. The integrated four-way stopcock with T-handle and short-nut luer-lock end connection are fabricated with Eastman’s Tritan material, which minimizes cracking when exposed to drugs, lipids and disinfectants and enhances clarity, allowing for increased detection of air bubbles, while resisting discoloration and yellowing during sterilization.Resistant to a large number of medical fluids, including oncology drugs, drug carrier solvents and lipids, Eastman's Tritan copolyester is free of bisphenol A, a growing preference among many clinicians and patients, notes Eastman in a press release.Moreover, the connectors are designed to meet the ISO-80396-7 and ISO-80396-6 international standards, which aim to eliminate the misconnection of epidural connectors in the field.“Elcam was proactively seeking to create new stopcocks and connectors with a specific emphasis on patient safety,” said Ohayon. “This required a highly resistant and durable material, and Eastman Tritan copolyester was the ideal match. This collaboration brings new possibilities for advancement in the medical field.”