Company History

Hesse Instruments was founded by Dr Axel Hesse in Osterode in 1992. Originally operating as a two-person team, the engineering firm aimed to advise customers in various practical areas of materials testing and to develop software with accompanying measuring technology for thermal analysis instruments. Among other things, solutions were created for dilatometers, fire resistance under load apparatus, hot bending apparatus, the evaluation of Weibull statistics, and the Leitz heating microscope.

In 2000, Dr Hesse acquired the heating microscope formerly manufactured by Leitz (or Leica from 1998 onwards) – a world-famous instrument that had proven its worth over many decades. The instrument underwent a thorough technical overhaul and was made available worldwide in an updated form as the EM201 heating microscope from 2001. Development continued steadily over subsequent years.

In 2015, Hesse Instruments launched the new EMI III heating microscope software, which is now installed as standard in new EM301 instruments and sold around the world. Following in the footsteps of the EM201, the EM301 is the only current successor to the renowned Leitz heating microscope.

Today, we are a small, dedicated team with skilled engineers and technicians. We use our knowledge and experience to create high-quality products – for the long-term satisfaction of our customers.


Development at a glance

1992Hesse Instruments is founded.
From 1998 to 2000

Implementation of materials science projects

Development of software and accompanying measuring technology for:
  • trailing thermocouples
  • hot bending apparatus
Development of software, measuring technology and furnace control units for the automation of:
  • fire resistance under load apparatus
  • dilatometers
  • simultaneous thermal analysis instruments
  • single-granule testing instruments
  • fourfold dilatometers
  • Leitz heating microscopes (image analysis systems)
Development of a tube furnace featuring a molybdenum disilicide heating element with an extra-high heating rate for Leitz heating microscopes
From 1998Sales of image analysis systems for Leitz heating microscopes
  • Modernisation of existing instruments
  • Fitting out of new instruments in cooperation with Leitz
2000Acquisition of drawings and rights for the Leitz heating microscope
From 2000Development of the EM201 successor to the Leitz instrument
2001The EM201 heating microscope goes on sale worldwide.
From 2001Continuous further development of the EM201, including:
  • tube furnace with rhodium heating element for temperatures of up to 1750°C
  • tube furnace with molybdenum disilicide heating element for temperatures of up to 1700°C
Modifications of the EM201, including:
  • furnace with increased measuring cell diameter of 30 mm
  • high-temperature apparatus for analysis of electrical conductivity
  • furnace with increased measuring cell diameter of 42 mm and adapted optics
2015The EM301 heating microscope goes on sale worldwide with the EMI III heating microscope software.
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