Wells Research & Development

Wells Research Strategic Partnership with Thorlabs

Thorlabs Announces Strategic Partnership with Wells Research and Development for New Lens Testing System, OpticStudio™

Lincoln, MA (April 4, 2003)-Wells Research and Development (WRD), a developer of innovative instrumentation for challenging optical measurement and alignment tasks, today announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Thorlabs, Inc., a leading manufacturer of advanced optical products for the commercial and research marketplaces. Together, the two companies will launch the new OpticStudio lens testing system.

Developed by WRD President, Ben Wells, OpticStudio is designed to quickly assess the performance of a wide range of lenses. The system combines a simple, step-by step, measurement process with a flexible array of accessories that can be configured to handle almost any commercial lens testing application. OpticStudio will be manufactured by Thorlabs and marketed through their 450-page catalog of optics and opto-mechanical equipment. The system can also be purchased through the http://www.thorlabs.com and http://www.wellsresearch.com Web sites.

"OpticStudio provides highly reliable testing at a fraction of the price of automated systems," said Ben Wells, President, Wells Research and Development. "In order to most effectively bring this product line to market, we are combining Thorlabs' expertise in optical instrument manufacturing and marketing with WRD's innovative modular design. Together, we will provide the measurement community with a quick and cost-effective way to answer the tough questions that arise when selecting and using optical components -- Is this particular lens suitable for my application? Does this lens perform the way I expect?"
About Thorlabs, Inc.

Thorlabs, Inc. specializes in the building blocks for laser and fiber optic systems. From opto-mechanical components to telecom test instrumentation, Thorlabs' extensive manufacturing capabilities produce high-quality, well-priced components and devices for next-day delivery. Founded in 1989, the company remains a leader in the development and creation of advanced optical products for the commercial and research marketplaces. The company is headquartered in Newton, New Jersey, and has offices in Grünberg, Germany, and Tokyo, Japan.
About Wells Research and Development

Wells Research and Development (WRD) develops custom optical instrumentation for challenging measurement and alignment applications. Founded by Ben Wells after a distinguished career in engineering and management at Polaroid and Teradyne, the company combines expertise in optics, precision mechanics, software, and motion systems, WRD focuses on applying modular hardware and software to a wide range of optical applications. The company's OpticStudio™ is a manual lens testing system that performs detailed measurements on a wide range of lenses. Additional services include analysis, design, proof-of-concept models, and prototypes of optical and mechanical subsystems. For more information, see http://www.wellsresearch.com.

For further information, contact:
Ben Wells, President
Wells Research and Development
15A Lewis Street
Lincoln, MA 01773 USA
+1 781.259.8667, Fax: +1 781.259.8009
Email: ben@wellsresearch.com
Web: http://www.wellsresearch.com

PR Office:
Shari Worthington, President
Telesian Technology Inc.
49 Midgley Lane
Worcester, MA 01604 USA
+1 508.755.5242, Fax: +1 508.795.1636
Email: sharilee@telesian.com