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Eastar copolyester from Eastman Chemical Company can offer manufacturers a cost effective solution decreasing the assembly time. Italian medical device maker Datamed reduced overall manufacturing costs of its BLOP4 probe by using Eastman’s Eastar copolyester. Datamed’s BLOP4 is designed to measure blood saturation and hematocrit values for extracorporeal blood circulation. The BLOP4’s disposable plastic cuvette, made with Eastar copolyester, snaps conveniently into the device.
“ Eastar copolyester meets the exacting medical requirements, such as hemocompatible properties, transparency and chemical and mechanical resistance,” said Giampiero Porro, manager of development and innovation at Datamed. “Eastman’s Eastar copolyester enabled us to submit the cuvette to a solvent bonding process necessary to connect it to the PVC tubing.”
Eastar copolyester shows scratch and impact resistance and demonstrates excellent compatibility with the BLOP4’s PVC tubing. The solvent bonding delivers a key cost saving for this device, more than 30,000 of which have already been produced since it was first introduced.
Although the assembly system proved to be a key issue from a cost standpoint, moreover, the Eastman Eastar copolyester MN211 shows better performances during the sterilization processes for these devices, compared to other available polymer types, Porro said. Polymers such as polycarbonate, for example, may become dangerously brittle and this may cause some decay in the mechanical strength, especially when one considers the shelf life required for these products.
Eastar copolyesters are brilliantly clear polymers that have excellent impact strength, chemical resistance, dimensional stability and low shrinkage rates. The Eastar copolyester used in the BLOP4 also contains a mold release agent.
"Eastman has always been impressed with the performance characteristics of Eastar copolyester,” said Thijs Jaarsma, global market development manager for Eastman Chemical Company's medical market. "We are thrilled that our customer is impressed as well, while being able to reduce their manufacturing costs." |