FARO Laser Tracker Brighter Than Ever

LAKE MARY, Fla., Aug. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- FARO Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: FARO), the market-share leader in the portable coordinate measurement machine (PCMM) field, announced the release of its latest generation of FARO Laser Trackers with many enhancements over the previous model.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000522/FLM035LOGO )

"Our Tracker's existing SuperADM and SelfComp technology -- as well as the 230-ft. range and .001" accuracy -- made it the standout choice in the laser measurement market," FARO CEO and President Simon Raab said. "The latest advances demonstrate our ability to make great products even better, which allows our customers to do the same for their products and processes."

SuperADM is an advanced technology that allows users to easily reacquire the laser beam "on the fly" when the line of sight is interrupted during measurements. SelfComp enables users to press one button and be assured of the highest possible accuracy within five minutes -- many times faster than that of the competition.

Highlights of the new Tracker include: ADM Smart Auto-Adjust, which improves ADM accuracy by automatically adapting to conditions affecting measurement drift; Fast Laser Lock re-locks the laser in less than one minute for maximum portability; and the Advanced Target Search routine has also been modified to handle multiple target types of varying intensity. "The new technology is very thorough," FARO Laser Product Manager Chuck Pfeffer said. "It never missed a target during our extensive testing."

Other upgrades include improved SuperADM and "wakeup routine" efficiency, increased accuracy of the reset-position distance and level, and others.

In addition, a new, IBM G40 laptop now ships with all SI Laser Tracker Control Stations. The computer has a brilliant, 15" screen that can be seen in bright outdoor or shop environments, and will be configured with 1 GB RAM and integrated wireless networking.

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About the FARO Laser Tracker

Developed by FARO Technologies, the Tracker can measure large or distant objects (within a 230-foot range) to an accuracy of 0.001 in. To use the system, an operator places the Tracker base on a tripod, and measurements are taken as the target reflector is touched or dragged along the surface to be measured. It projects a beam that the reflector bounces back to the base unit. Simultaneously measuring two angles and the distance to the target, software within the FARO Tracker records the 3D position of each point. If the beam between the Tracker and target is interrupted, its SuperADM feature allows it to reacquire the beam without returning to a reference point. The sending/receiving unit can be mounted in any position, and in almost any environment from factory floors to virtually any remote operation. They are used to align such diverse equipment as ore crushers in gold mines and assembly robots in auto body plants.

About FARO

FARO Technologies, Inc. and its international subsidiaries design, develop, and market software and portable, computerized measurement devices. The Company's products allow manufacturers to perform 3-D inspections of parts and assemblies on the shop floor. This helps eliminate manufacturing errors, and thereby increases productivity and profitability for a variety of industries in FARO's worldwide customer base. Principal products include the FARO Laser ScanArm, FARO Gage, Platinum and Titanium FaroArms, Control Station measurement system, the FARO Laser Tracker, the Advantage FaroArm and Advantage Tracker, and a CAM2 family of advanced CAD-based measurement and reporting software. FARO Technologies is ISO 9001 certified and Guide 25 approved. Learn more at www.faro.com.

SOURCE  FARO Technologies, Inc.
    -0-                             08/18/2004
    /CONTACT:  Darin Sahler, Global Public Relations Officer, +1-407-333-9911,
ext. 1137, or sahlerd@faro.com/
    /Photo:  NewsCom:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000522/FLM035LOGO
             AP Archive:  http://photoarchive.ap.org
             PRN Photo Desk, 888-776-6555 or 212-782-2840/
    /Web site:  http://www.faro.com /
    (FARO)

CO:  FARO Technologies, Inc.
ST:  Florida
IN:  AUT MAC STW CPR
SU:  PDT

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7162 08/18/2004 10:20 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com
"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding FARO Technologies Inc's business which are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report or Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year.