MetroLaser, Inc. was founded by Cecil Hess and Jim Trolinger in 1988. The company strives to find the right cutting edge approach in solving our customers’ problems with technologies that can become fully commercialized and utilized. MetroLaser was awarded the National Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year award in 1995, and has been recognized for its laser-based measurement and diagnostic technologies for industrial, military, and space applications. Since its inception, MetroLaser has formed teaming agreements with over 20 universities as well as many industrial partners. This university/industry collaboration has provided MetroLaser with a wealth of new ideas, technical talent, advanced laboratory capabilities, and access to existing technologies, resulting in solutions to a wide range of problems and the development of new products.
At the end of 2013 MetroLaser spun off two companies: 1) Optical Measurement Systems (OMS) Corporation , and 2) Spectabit Optics, LLC. These two companies focus on the commercialization of products that were developed by MetroLaser. Specifically, OMS Corporation is pursuing the commercialization of MetroLaser’s laser vibrometer, which is now found in over 30 countries. Spectabit is pursuing the commercialization of schlieren systems for flow diagnostics.
MetroLaser will continue to pursue state-of-the-art research and development as well as the commercialization of optical diagnostics systems to measure flow velocity, temperature, chemical composition, surface temperature inside gas turbine engines, and non destructive inspection of composites and other components.
MetroLaser is an active participant in the SBIR and STTR programs and has converted several of these programs into successful commercial activities. SBIR research programs are always highly leveraged by ongoing, non-SBIR programs that provide knowledge and equipment that would not otherwise be affordable by the SBIR program alone. To date MetroLaser has been granted 15 patents in advanced lasers and optical diagnostics.