Originally Published EMDM November/December 2002
INDUSTRY NEWS
IDES Enhances Plastics DatabaseIDES Inc. (Laramie, WY, USA), a resource for plastic materials information, has introduced a new version of its Prospector Pro software. The latest release completes the plastic-product development chain by offering solutions and services for finding, evaluating, and purchasing plastic materials, according to the firm.
"Improved searching in the new Prospector Pro eases the pain of identifying potential resins," says Mike Kmetz, president of IDES. "Our sourcing features now include detailed supplier and distributor contact information, requests for quotes, samples ordering, and resin purchasing direct from leading resin distributors," he adds. While there are many polymer selection systems available, Prospector Pro offers more than just technical data for resins, notes Kmetz.
The IDES database allows users to search by application, processing method, UL 94 flammability, and distributor. It includes more than 40,000 resin grades from more than 390 international suppliers. IDES has added several improved search capabilities, including a custom folder in which users can save their search parameters.
Prospector Pro also includes mechanical design data for a range of materials, which can be exported to Excel or HTML text formats. In addition IDES offers resin-testing services for customers who are unable to find the specific information required for a particular analysis.
Once users have located an appropriate material for a new product design and analyzed its engineering capabilities, Prospector Pro can source the material. For each plastic in the database, Prospector Pro provides contact information for the primary resin supplier and various distributors, a request for quotes to be sent directly to the resin suppliers, an on-line samples order form, and on-line purchasing through GE Polymerland.
If users cannot find the specific material they are looking for, engineers at IDES will locate its data sheet for them. The new information will then be added to the IDES database and published on Prospector Pro within 2 to 4 weeks.
The new Prospector Pro material tool can be found on-line at www.ides.com/products/ppro.html?1.
Copyright ©2002 European Medical Device Manufacturer
