Overview of Data Optics, Inc.

Dear Customer:

I wish to provide you with a brief overview of the history of our company. Data Optics has been manufacturing precision optical research equipment and optical test instruments for 50 years (2017). The company was founded by Thomas Herman, an engineer, and Edward Volinski, a machinist, who participated in the U.S. government's Side Looking Radar Project, administered by the University of Michigan (U of M) from approximately 1956 to the early 1960's. The Radar Lab was part of the Willow Run Laboratories, located in the Packard Hangar at the Willow Run Airport near Ypsilanti, MI.

At the completion of the project, which was a precursor to optical holography, the group was incorporated into the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) department at the U of M in Ann Arbor, forming the basis for the fledgling research into holography. The holography group developed a reputation for leading the development of holographic techniques. Two of those people, Juris Upatnieks and Emmett Leith, are often credited with significant contributions to the field with the first demonstration of an "off-axis transmission hologram", a technique that made holography practical.

While in the EECS department at the U of M, Tom and Ed built many of the earliest mechanical items required by this developing science, such as spatial filters, plate holders, liquid gates and custom film drives. They also worked closely with the environmental research group there to provide instrumentation for their airborne experiments and ground-based optical / computer data analysis.

Data Optics spun off in 1967 and soon after, the environmental research group was also spun off as the Environmental Research Institute of Michigan (ERIM). (Both the U of M EECS department and ERIM have had many other successful spinoffs since.) Starting with their understanding of the mechanical needs for interferometric and holographic applications, they set out to design and build a whole system of optical mounting and positioning products that were more stable and robust, but also more accurate in their positioning of the movable components. Thus Data Optics was born.

In the mid 1970's, Data Optics took over the manufacturing and sale of the Model C Optical Distortion Tester from Edward Boettner, a professor at the U of M, when he retired to Mesa, AZ. He had been selling the unique Ronchi-type tester since 1955 under the name of Ann Arbor Optical Co. Use of the device is widespread in testing optical elements as diverse as large telescope mirrors during polishing, and fighter pilot helmet visors and laser protective goggles for the military. So ingrained was the name of the Ann Arbor Optical Tester in the optical industry that it has remained alive even to this day under Data Optics.

In the late 1970's and early 1980's, Data Optics was involved with several photographic camera devices, including the design of the DuPont Microfiche Data Retriever and Camera. Data Optics products were used extensively within the unit and when Dupont stopped marketing the unit many years later, it became the Datatriever, a Data Optics product. Also in the 1980's, Data Optics was convinced by some of their customers to design and build a reprographic camera (sort of a Datatriever on steroids). These room size cameras were used to both record large architectural, printed circuit board and shipbuilding drawings onto high resolution 8"x10" film, and also to "blow back" the image from the film to its original size for reproduction. It is safe to say that the Data Optics camera line had a great reputation for the best performance due to Tom Herman's meticulous approach to the opto-mechanical design and the hand selection of components, but a small market share at the premium end of the market. Alas, this market disappeared at the beginning of the 1990's.

In the mid 1980's, Data Optics acquired the Super Gage line of precision linear measurement devices from Bausch and Lomb. This optical scale product, capable of measuring to 2/10ths of a thousandth of an inch over 12, 24 or even 36 inches, is a necessity in the printed circuit board industry for checking the output of digital film recorders and substrate materials. It is also very successfully used in measuring printing plates for the continuous forms printing industry and in measuring slit materials in engine filter manufacturing. Since then, the Super Gage product design has been updated with new microscopes, lighting attachments and a new longer model.

In 1993, with Ed retired and Tom's health deteriorating, the loss of market for the reprographic cameras, the protracted first Bush's recession and the recent election of Bill Clinton as President, David and Mary Shindell purchased the company, starting the long climb back to industry prominence. While stabilizing all existing products and bringing the company into the electronic age, we added several new products, such as the environmental isolation enclosures, active fringe control system and optical table extender / shelf.

In the mid 1990's, we started partnering with other small optics businesses like ours, rounding out our ability to supply a broad range of pinholes & air slits, Ronchi rulings & other fine patterns on glass, and microscope objective lenses for spatial filter applications. One of these new partners is Sasha Pearlman from Opto-Alignment Technologies who provides us with optical cleaning supplies (Opto-Wipes & Opto-Gloves) and a line of optical alignment & assembly equipment.

In the late 1990's, we started distributing the Specbos line of miniature spectrometers from JETI in central Germany. These are excellent, industry leading products with a greater applications focus and greater user friendliness than their competitors. For many photometric, radiometric, reflective, transmissive or absorptive applications, the user can install the hardware and software on a pc and be running calibrated measurements in minutes!

Also, about that same time, we developed a new product called the Silicon Eyeball, a digital, computer tethered camera for visualizing what is going on at the optics axis of a laser or photonics experiment. Really more intended for remote viewing than accurate or high definition photography, this little camera moves your "birds eye view" to where it matters the most - and where it might be the most dangerous or difficult to put your own eyeball!

In 2006 we added the products of the British company, Applied Scintillation Technologies. They make a unique digital camera and camera adapter for IR applications and phosphor-based laser detection targets usable for locating UV, VIS/NIR and IR beams, including lasers. These are available in several physical forms in addition to the three wavelength ranges.

In early 2011, we partnered with Picard Industries, who make very innovative products that use the USB interface to power and control devices that move optical elements in and out of the optical axis under simple computer control. Lenses, mirrors, filters, neutral density gradient wheels, beamsplitters and beam blocks can be animated with products that flip, rotate, move, push, twist and swing the optics into and out of the beam. These miniature devices are ideal for both the research laboratory and production environments.

Early in 2014, we were contacted by the chief optical designer of astronomical telescopes and astrographs at Officina Stellare in Milano, Italy. They make the absolute best telescopes for professional imaging and photographic use. Not only is the performance of each unit beautiful, but also the look of the product itself. In addition to standard products, they are heavily involved in meeting custom requirements that push their state of the art.

Throughout this time, Data Optics has been called upon to design and machine, with the utmost precision, prototype optical products and production assembly / test fixtures for many emerging and prominent companies. It is because of our depth of knowledge in optical applications and precision machining that we have excelled at this partnership with our customers. We take personal pride and apply the same degree of care toward each component we make - whether it is one of our standard products or something to fill a special customer requirement.

Your satisfaction as our customer is of the utmost importance to us and is given our personal attention at all times. If you would like to discuss any aspect of our precision optical research equipment or optical test instruments, or discuss our capability to design or machine a special part you need, please feel free to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

	Sales@DataOptics.com • 800-321-9026 • 734-483-8228 • 734-483-9879 (fax)