Coming next week to the Big Apple, PLASTEC East is part of the East Coast’s largest annual advanced design and manufacturing event, which also includes co-located trade shows devoted to medical device manufacturing, packaging and automation. Whether you are sourcing components, suppliers, or equipment or seeking knowledge on developments in smart manufacturing or medical materials, there are multiple reasons to attend the event. Here are just three.

Source like you mean it

Hundreds of suppliers with expertise in everything from injection molding and extrusion to additive manufacturing and collaborative robotics offer a plethora of solutions to the toughest manufacturing challenges. The newest developments in materials will be showcased by exhibitors such as Shin-Etsu, Colorite and RTP, while plastics processors such as Raumedic, Saint Gobain and Accumold will demonstrate their problem-solving acumen for OEMs from a range of sectors including medical, automotive and consumer goods.

PlasticsToday has highlighted some of the products and services that will be on display, including a handheld device for measuring the preparedness of a material’s surface for adhesion. Catch all of our show previews by visiting the PLASTEC East page.

Rewarding design excellence

The Medical Design Excellence Awards is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Since its inception, the program has recognized medical products that advance patient care and diagnostics and provide more-efficient healthcare delivery technologies. One of its defining characteristics is that it rewards not just the OEMs that market the devices but often the suppliers that contribute to their design, development and manufacture, including design bureaus and plastics processors.

This year’s crop of finalists were announced in April and are profiled here by PlasticsToday's sister brand MD+DI. As you scroll through the nine categories, you may notice that, in many cases, plastics helped to make these medtech breakthroughs possible. One example is the Gryphon Anchor from DePuy Synthes, pictured here, which facilitates shoulder and hip repairs. Teleflex Medical and GW Plastics are among the suppliers credited for the production of the device.

The winners of gold, silver and bronze awards as well as the best-in-show product will be announced during a special ceremony at the event on June 12. The awards presentation will be held in rooms 1E15-1E16 at 5 PM; come by early starting at 4 PM for a cocktail reception.

Get schooled

Three education hubs devoted to medical technology, smart manufacturing and packaging bring together experts from industry, research and academe to provide insights on leading-edge developments in artificial intelligence, wearable technology, the industrial Internet of things, collaborative robotics, sustainability and much more during the three days of the show. The full list of educational opportunities can be viewed here.

Worth noting is a panel discussion on medical polymers, which will explore trends as well as challenges and opportunities related to these materials. The importance of polymers research in medical applications can’t be overstated: As one of the panelists, James Semler of medical technology company BD, noted, this field will “advance medical devices and human health over the next decade.” Read more of his observations and those of his fellow panelists in an article previewing this session, “Medical polymers: Trends, challenges and opportunities.”

In addition to conference-level content, the Tech Theater on the show floor will host suppliers speaking to such topics as autonomous quality control, package testing and the cornerstones of a successful product launch.

PLASTEC East comes to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York, NY, on June 12 to 14. You don’t want to miss it!