Dunedin, FL (July 31, 2009) –Ocean Optics, the industry leader in miniature photonics, has achieved ISO 9001:2008 certification applicable to the design and manufacture of electro-optical equipment. 

The company’s quality management system was audited by National Quality Assurance, U.S.A. and found to be in compliance with the provisions of the ISO 9001:2008 standards.  ISO 9001:2008 certification ensures that a company has met a comprehensive set of standards dictated by the International Standards Organization (ISO) covering all aspects of the business: design, development, sales, manufacturing, and service.

The audit evaluated Ocean Optics’ procedures for quality assurance, production, continuous improvement, performance to customer expectation, internal audits, contract review and purchasing.  The audit preparation was a company-wide initiative led by Donna Salamida, ISO Implementation Manager.

“Everyone at Ocean Optics had contributions to make-both great and small,” said Salamida. “The team work paid off and our customers will be the first to benefit.”

“While we’ve always made the quality of our products and meeting customer expectations a priority, we welcomed the opportunity that certification presented to benchmark our processes versus known industry best practice. This caused us to improve and upgrade many aspects of our business in handling all aspects of the customer,” said Ocean Optics President Rob Randelman “Continuously improving not only the product offering, but the entire customer experience is one key to driving lasting sustainable growth for our company.  Earning the ISO 9001:2008 certification assures our customers of the commitment we have to serving them well.”

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QE65000 used in detection units being tested for public security applications
Dunedin, FL (July 15, 2009) – Ocean Optics, the industry leader in miniature photonics, has supplied ten QE65000 scientific grade spectrometers to the Third Research Institute of the Ministry of Public Security, Shanghai.  The spectrometers have been integrated into demo units of the AY01-01 Rapid Liquid Contraband Detector which uses Raman spectrometry to detect a number of liquid and crystal contraband substances.

Currently deployed in various airport locations and border crossings with Vietnam, the QE65000 enables the AY01-01 to detect explosives, drugs, dangerous chemicals and other hazardous liquids or transparent crystals.  The device is currently capable of differentiating between up to 200 different compounds, with the speed and accuracy of Raman spectroscopy.  Its use is expected to expand beyond airports and borders to large public gatherings such as conferences and sporting events. Unlimited language options make it suited to global use.

When choosing a spectrometer for the AY01-01, performance, speed and accuracy were the Institute’s highest priorities.  As it will be used by security and event personnel to screen thousands of people in a short period of time, it was critical that the device be very fast, simple, and convenient to operate with minimal training. 

The highly-sensitive QE65000 modular spectrometer can achieve up to 90% quantum efficiency (defined as how efficiently a photon is converted to a photoelectron) with high signal-to-noise and rapid signal processing speed.  Its high-speed electronics have been designed for considerable flexibility in connecting to various modules and external interfaces through USB 2.0 (backwards compatible to USB 1.1) or RS-232 communications.  It is a popular choice for Raman analysis and other low-light level applications such as fluorescence, DNA sequencing, thin film reflectivity and astronomy.

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