Eastman Chemical Co. launched an online medical technical center Jan. 23 on its corporate Web site.
The center provides data about materials, applications and processes geared to original equipment manufacturers and plastics processors serving the medical industry. An online chart makes property comparisons of various Eastman medical-grade resins, including physical properties, processing parameters and barrier capabilities. Guidelines give tips on producing high-quality parts from specific resins.
The site includes contact forms for those requesting more detailed information via email.
``Our site's new technical center demonstrates how material science can enhance medical science,'' said Glenda Eilo, global industry leader, in a news release.
Glenn Petrie, marketing manager for medical packaging and tubing, said: ``What makes this unique is how we tie the processing information to the products.
``One can learn about a specific process, whether it is injection molding or blown film, and also learn what products we would recommend for each process,'' Petrie said.
The center complements Eastman's innovation lab Web site, which primarily serves the design community, said Gary Hawkins, Eastman's technical platform manager for medical packaging and tubing.
The innovation lab includes plastics product information about 10 end markets, including medical, Hawkins said in a conference call.
Visitors can toggle between the medical and innovation sites to learn how certain Eastman resins were used in innovative health-care design concepts.
Kingsport-based Eastman conducted trials of the medical center prior to its launch to make the site more detailed and easy to use.