ADE Receives Multiple Orders From Japanese Wafer Maker for 300mm Wafer Flatness Systems.

Business/Technology Editors

WESTWOOD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 15, 2001

ADE Corporation (NASDAQ:ADEX), the leading supplier of wafer measurement and inspection systems for the silicon manufacturing industry, announced today that it has received orders for five model 3220 Advanced Flatness Systems from a leading Japanese wafer maker to be installed in a new 300mm silicon wafer plant through the end of this year. These latest orders for the 300mm wafer metrology tools continue to demonstrate ADE's industry leadership in the bare wafer metrology market and, in particular, the strength of its new product offerings as the 300mm market begins its predicted growth.

The 3220 AFS system is the latest in ADE's line of noncontact capacitance-based wafer geometry measurement systems. These multifunctional silicon sorters simultaneously report SEMI standard wafer shape, flatness and thickness results for silicon wafer quality and process control applications. The 3220 Advanced Flatness System features complete edge grip handling for 300mm wafers with up to four input/output cassettes and supports full factory automation including optional FOUP's, FOSB's and AGV access.

ADE Corporation is a leading supplier of superior metrology and inspection systems for the silicon wafer and computer disk manufacturing industries. The Company's systems analyze and report product quality at critical manufacturing process steps for yield enhancement and provide quality certification data that is relied upon by semiconductor and computer disk manufacturers to maximize productivity and minimize cost of ownership. The Company's systems also are used in the fabrication of integrated circuits. To learn more about ADE the company invites you to visit our Web site at http://www.ade.com.

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements that are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties associated with the strength of the semiconductor and hard disk markets, wafer pricing and wafer demand, the results of its product development efforts, the success of ADE's product offerings to meet customer needs within the timeframes required by customers in these markets, further increases in backlog, our visibility, and the Companies predictions of future financial outcomes. Further information on potential factors that could affect ADE Corporation's business is described in the each company's reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2000.