ESI Announces the DiamondBlaze™ Product Line for Strengthened Glass Singulation

PORTLAND, Ore. --(Business Wire)--

Electro Scientific Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:ESIO), a leading supplier of innovative laser-based manufacturing solutions for the microtechnology industry, today announced the release of its new DiamondBlaze™ 5000 system for rapidly cutting chemically strengthened glass used in consumer electronics devices such as smartphones and tablets. The DiamondBlaze™ product line uses a novel micro-disruption™ process to quickly and cleanly cut large sheets of strengthened glass to size with low cost of ownership.

The DiamondBlaze™ 5000 facilitates the One Glass Solution and Fully Integrated Touch processes used in the manufacture of touch panels and displays for current and future consumer electronics products; these processes enable thinner, lighter and less expensive devices. With ESI's (News - Alert) laser based micro-disruption™ process, production costs are substantially reduced through increasedprocessing speed and part yield. In addition, the cleaner edges produced with the micro-disruption™ process reduce downstream processing, providing additional customer cost savings.

The DiamondBlaze™ 5000 benefits from decades of advanced systems design, engineered reliability and established worldwide customer support infrastructure. "Our advanced laser microfabrication systems have enabled customers to process a range of materials to exacting standards at high throughput for a number of years and are considered an industry standard for many of our customers. ESI's micro-disruption™ process is an enabling technology, allowing our customers to innovate and introduce at high volume novel displays based on strengthened glass processes, particularly for next-generation consumer electronics. We are very excited about this product and its enabling capability, and we are looking forward to providing this capability to our customers," said Dr. Michael Darwin, Vice President and General Manager of ESI's Interconnect and Microfabrication Division.

The DiamondBlaze™ 5000 is currently available for sale, supporting up to generation 3.5 glass. The DiamondBlaze™ 7000 will be available for sale later in 2013 and supports between generation 4 and 6 glass panels. Both systems support factory automation for ease of system integration into existing and future factory floors.

About ESI, Inc.

ESI is a leading supplier of innovative, laser-based manufacturing solutions for the microtechnology industry. Our systems enable precise structuring and testing of micron to submicron features in electronic devices, semiconductors, LEDs and other high-value components. We partner with our customers to make breakthrough technologies possible in the microelectronics, semiconductor and other emerging industries. Founded in 1944, ESI is headquartered in Portland, Ore., with global operations from the Pacific Northwest to the Pacific Rim. More information is available at www.esi.com.