Wells Research & Development

Wells Research Introduces OS200

New Modular Lens Testing System Simplifies Complexity of Testing Process

Lincoln, MA (May 25, 2005)-Wells Research and Development (WRD), developer of innovative, modular instruments for optical testing, today announced OS200™, the newest version of the company's OpticStudio™ family of lens testing systems. The OS200 is a modular system that can quickly be configured to test a wide range of camera lenses, relay lenses, and telescopes. Designed for maximum flexibility, the OS200 can be used to test lenses and optical assemblies at a fraction of the price of single function, commercial test equipment. New hardware and software features have been added that enhance the system's ability to simplify the complexity of the testing process. Additions include a smaller, lighter, high resolution video camera; a larger, more robust rotary stage that handles centered loads up to 10 kg; and a larger XYZ stage assembly that allows for precise adjustments.

The new OS200 system also features Version 2 of the company's PixelScope™ image analysis software. The latest edition incorporates a new Optical Configuration window that eliminates the need for the user to compute magnification values, scaleable plot windows with pan and zoom to enhance the observation of a particular area of interest, a 2D Feature Finder and a "Prefinder" for multidimensional measurements and larger capture ranges, and a Notebook to quickly and easily document the testing process.

"The high cost of dedicated, single function test equipment often forces the engineer into a painful make vs buy decision," said Ben Wells, President of Wells Research and Development. "The OS200 is a different concept. Its modular design allows testing of a wide range of lenses with a single system. This provides ground-breaking price-to-performance that brings optical MTF (Modulation Transfer Function) testing to a much wider audience."
Compact, Integrated System

The OS200 is a complete, Pre-Configured lens testing system that includes CCD video camera, image analysis software, optical bench, and light source. A compact, desktop unit, the system includes a number of enhancements designed to provide highly reliable testing:

A smaller, lighter, 12-bit CCD camera provides both standard 640 x 480 resolution and optional XVGA (1024 x 768). The filter window is easy to remove and clean, and supports exposure times up to 10 s.
A larger rotary stage easily handles centered loads up to 10 kg. A 1/10th degree vernier provides for precise angular settings. An integral axial dovetail locates nodal points.
A more robust XYZ stage assembly permits more precise adjustments, to 1 inch. An optional digital micrometer provides 1-micron resolution on the focus axis.
A new optical rail can be mounted either horizontally or vertically.

Image Analysis Software

The OS200 features the latest version of Wells Research's PixelScope image analysis software. Version 2 includes a powerful array of functions for evaluating lens parameters.

An Optical Configuration window simplifies setup and eliminates the need for the user to compute magnification values.
Scaleable plot windows with pan and zoom enhance the observation of a particular area of interest in the image.
A 2D Feature Finder allows precise measurement of feature location in both X and Y simultaneously, simplifying alignment tasks. The new Prefinder mode supports a larger image capture range.
The new Notebook is a rich-text editor that can be used for recording output values when documenting tests.

Other features include the ability to plot output vs time for monitoring drift, tools that allow users to create charts in Microsoft® Excel, and the ability to save the values of each pixel to a file.
Customized Solutions Available

The OS200 is Pre-Configured with all the components required for infinite conjugate testing (camera lenses), finite conjugate testing (relay lenses), and afocal instruments (telescopes and beam expanders). For unusual test and alignment problems, Wells Research can augment or replace components of the OS200 from the company's extensive toolkit of instrument options and software. Turnkey measurement systems are delivered quickly and at a reasonable cost.
Modular Design Protects User Investment

Unlike dedicated production fixtures, the OS200 does not need to be replaced when new applications arise. "The ability to quickly reconfigure and add instruments makes the OS200 a solution for today's test needs and a solid starting point for tomorrow's," stated Ben Wells. "Because the system can be configured to verify its own performance, users can have confidence in the accuracy of measurements."
Configuration

The standard OS200 configuration includes a video image analysis microscope with 4x and 10x objectives, mounted on a precision XYZ stage. The 1-meter optical rail includes mounting pedestals for the optical instruments, a self-centering lens mount, and a handy set of hex screwdrivers. A 200mm focal length, 25mm diameter collimator provides testing at infinite conjugates. Two sources are supplied for testing at finite conjugates: an F/8 high brightness image source and an F/1 wide-angle source. All sources may be used with the 4 reticles and 3 narrow band filters supplied with the system. PixelScope 2 software runs on Windows 2000 or Windows XP systems.
Pricing & Availability
OS200 is part of the OpticStudio family. It is priced at $10,500 for the basic system and can be purchased from Wells Research and Development, http://www.wellsresearch.com. Delivery is 30 days ARO.
About Wells Research and Development

Wells Research and Development (WRD) develops innovative, modular instruments for optical testing. The company was founded by Ben Wells, after a distinguished career in engineering and management at Polaroid and Teradyne. The company's OpticStudio™ is a manual lens testing system that performs detailed measurements on a wide range of lenses. 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, 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