We were founded by an instrumentalist with a doctorate in biochemistry whose passion is to develop, produce, and upcycle spectrophotometry systems that extend researchers’ opportunities for worthwhile science.
Founded in 1974, first sale in 1976, incorporated in 1982.
Instrumentalist: Most scientists are not instrumentalists. Dr. Richard (Dick) J. DeSa is, was, and always will be one whose fingerprints are all over the hardware. He understands it, loves it, improves upon existing designs, and has the highest standards for what constitutes good. Not by accident, his instruments have the least possible “hardware,” as he is also a programmer, publishing the first data acquisition/ instrument control software paper following his post-doctoral years with the developer of the “stopped-flow” in 1969. His years as a successful, funded, and tenured biochemistry faculty member at University of Georgia ended in 1980 when he decided to give himself fully to his preferred calling as a designer and producer of best spectrophotometry systems.
Developer, Dr. Richard J. DeSa, with an Olis CLARiTY
Develop: Everything about OLIS sings of research & development. Over the decades, hundreds of unique products were developed for researchers who asked for more than a me-too products. Some of these instruments sold in quantity, perhaps in the hundreds. Countless others were and remain unique.
Produce: We hand-make nearly all of our instruments, cutting and polishing the metal, hand-wiring electronics boxes, aligning monochromators, hand-packing DPSCs, and more. It takes more time to produce a hand-made instrument. But, they are exactly what you ask for and last forever.
OLIS Machine shop
“About three years after this paper in 1976, John Wampler and Dr. DeSa installed this same data collection system on a Cary 118 and one for the Gibson Durrum Stopped Flow apparatus in my lab at Rice University. They worked flawlessly. It was the second time I used on of the DeSa data collection systems.”
John Olson, Rice University
August 2020
Upcycle: Like the best of most things, great spectrophotometers retain their superiority across the decades. Our job is to free this performance from old electronics, old motors, old computerization. We might use nearly everything – as with the solid-state HP 8452/ 3 series – or only the monochromator and chassis – as with the Cary 14/ 17 and early OLIS models.
Spectrophotometry systems: DeSa gave his company the name “On-Line Instrument Systems” to reflect that he was not interested in component-level work but achieving but fully operational “systems.” The “on-line” part denoted on-line with computers, which was a novelty in 1974.
The HP 8453 can be upcycled to include modern computerization, allowing for years of service.
Extend researchers’ opportunities – DeSa’s passion is to expand and improve tools for competitive researchers. His goal is freedom from limitations inherent in products made to satisfy the lowest common denominator. The investigator should be focusing his efforts on wise experimental decisions and analyses, not against restrictions imposed by equipment. Many who teach advanced lab courses also find our equipment and software ideal, both for the breadth of work that can be pursued and the stalwart robustness of OLIS hardware and software.
Worthwhile science – What constitutes “worthwhile”? Measurements that allow one to ask and answer more worthwhile questions. Measurements that reduce or eliminate the tedious and routine. Measurements that move your work forward, that save money and time and consumables and frustration. Measurements that result in best, even breakthrough results, is icing that many have attained; see Blake, for instance.
The CLARiTY 3 allows to fast, easy and accurate collection of measurements.
Join the extensive and still growing list of satisfied CLARiTY Owners!
Naming of OLIS Products
Consumers have been trained to expect a new name or model number every year or every product change. Here at OLIS, we keep a given name in perpetuity while quietly improving everything that surrounds the essence of performance.
Our product names identify key design parameters. The oldest examples are the first instruments we developed in 1992. It’s amazing to consider the advances which these fabulous instruments have undergone over the decades, but we never once considered changing their names.
The RSM 1000 is a Rapid-Scanning Monochromator based spectrophotometry system that collects 1000 scans per second (or 1000 points per millisecond).
The OLIS USA stopped-flow is a Useful, Simple, and Affordable stopped-flow.
So, where some companies change names to get away from negative reputations or as a fresh marketing material, we have the will and the agility to improve whenever it benefits. We don’t wait for the next version. We do it now.
You can be confident that everything with the OLIS name that you purchase today is the most contemporary and up-to-date product you could chose, whether the name was given in 1992 or 2020.