Friday, September 3, 2010

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For more information contact:
Ben Wells, President, +1 781-259-8667
Shari Worthington, PR Counsel, +1 508.755.5242

Wells Research Expands OpticStudio Line of Lens Testing Systems with Fully Automatic System

San Francisco, CA (January 26, 2010) -- Wells Research and Development (WRD), developer of innovative, modular instruments for optical testing, today announced the OS400B™, the newest version of the company's OpticStudio™ family of lens testing systems, at Photonics West. The OS400B is a fully automatic, modular system capable of handling a wide variety of lens sizes, up to 100 mm aperture. A computer is included, with PixelScope™, the company's image analysis software.

The OS400B collects through-focus MTF (Modulation Transfer Function) data at multiple field points in just a few seconds. The system also plots field curvature, distortion, and chief ray angle, and is capable of measuring EFL and BFL (back focal length).

The base OS400B system includes a 600 mm collimator with 80 mm clear aperture, suitable for testing lenses with apertures up to 75 mm. An optional 900 mm collimator with 100 mm clear aperture is available. On the low end, the system is capable of testing lenses with clear apertures as small as 150 microns. The 1280 x 960 pixel image analysis microscope has a numerical aperture of 0.4, making it suitable for lenses as fast as F1.25. MTF up to 1000 lines per mm can be measured.

The OS400B's rotation stage has greater than 180 degree travel, allowing testing of extremely wide angle lenses. The X and Z motorized stages each have travel of 40 mm., and are precise, with sub-micron repeatability.

The OS400B includes Version 5 of the company's PixelScope™ image analysis software. The system provides several reticles, including a USAF target and a narrow cross for MTF measurement. The system also includes a small form-factor computer and 19 inch monitor.

"Because the OS400B is modular, it is possible to quickly reconfigure the individual instruments to handle a wide variety of optical devices," stated Ben Wells, President of Wells Research. "This is valuable when many different lens designs must be qualified or evaluated each year. On the other hand, the high throughput means it is possible to use the OS40B for 100% testing even when many thousands of assemblies must be tested each month."

The OS400B offers a number of unique features not found on other commercial lens benches:

• The OS400B is modular and can be operated in two modes. In the first configuration, the image analysis microscope pivots with the lens under test. This configuration is more suitable for small lenses with a low chief ray angle, and EFL up to 200 mm. Most lenses designed for use with CCD or CMOS detectors fall into this category. The other configuration is a conventional "nodal slide" in which the lens-under-test pivots around a vertical axis while the collimator and image analysis microscope remain in relatively fixed positions. In this configuration lenses with EFL up to 1. 5 meters can be accommodated with the optional 2 meter optical rail.
  
  
• The back-light for the reticle uses a small diameter integrating sphere to give uniform lighting. The system includes four (4) quick-change LED sources (R,G,B,W) with other wavelengths available. The back-light can also be used with an optional halogen source, allowing operation out to 1 micron wavelength. An optional bracket allows the reticle section to be removed and used for testing at finite conjugates.
  
  
• The CCD camera can be moved from the microscope to the rear of the collimator. A close-up lens turns the collimator into a telecentric camera. This permits precise measurement of pupil size, as well as plotting pupil shape and location change vs field angle.

System Configuration & Availability

The standard OS400B includes a 1 meter optical rail (1.5, 2, and 3 meter lengths optional), 600 mm collimator with 80 mm clear aperture, four (4) quick change LED light sources, and four (4) quick change reticles. The motorized rotation stage is suitable for lenses weighing up to 10 kg. The system includes a precision, 3-jaw, universal lens holder with Y axis adjustment capability. The image analysis microscope has an NA of 0.4, and utilizes a high resolution 1280 x 960 USB2 CCD camera. The CCD camera includes a closeup adapter which converts the 600 mm collimator tube into a telecentric lens for measuring pupil size. The system includes a small form-factor computer and monitor.

The OS400B is available for purchase now. Prices start at $30,000.

About Wells Research and Development

Wells Research and Development (WRD) has developed innovative, modular instruments for optical testing since 1996. The company's OpticStudio™ line includes manual and motorized lens testing systems to perform detailed measurements on a wide range of lenses and optical modules. Combining ease-of-use, accuracy, flexibility, and affordability, the company's "LEGO set" approach applies modular hardware and software to a wide range of optical applications. Additional services include analysis, design, and proof-of-concept prototypes development of optical and mechanical subsystems. For more information, see http://www.wellsresearch.com.

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