ELY, England, Sept. 1 -- The Thorlabs optical table unit has a range of standard optical tables and workstations. However, the request from Professor Ferenc Krausz and associates at the Max-Planck-Institute of Quantum Optics in Garching, Germany, took Thorlabs table design and manufacturing in a whole new direction. Thorlabs' 50-legged optical table, made for the Max-Planck-Institute of Quantum Optics. Professor Krausz's requirement was for 16 discrete tables that could be joined to form a high-performance, customized platform for his laser research. The dimensions of this Thorlabs-patented laser test bench was 46.5 m long and 1.25 m wide. Thorlabs Ely based their solution on its standard 460-mm thick, maximally damped StableTop product line, but had to customize it to take into account the multiple laser access ports to the underside of each table. Finally, the entire structure required 50 high-load capacity legs. The system was made so it could be assembled by the institute's staff in a short time. For more information, visit: www.thorlabs.com