RELIABILITY INCORPORATED EXHIBIT 4.1. THIRD AMENDMENT TO LOAN AGREEMENT THIS THIRD AMENDMENT TO LOAN AGREEMENT (this "Amendment"), dated as of December 31, 1997, is between RELIABILITY INCORPORATED, a Texas corporation ("Borrower"), and WELLS FARGO BANK (TEXAS), NATIONAL ASSOCIATION ("Lender"). RECITALS: A. Borrower and Lender (which was formerly known as First Interstate Bank of Texas, N.A.) entered into that certain Loan Agreement dated as of July 1, 1995, as amended by First Amendment to Loan Agreement dated as of March 10, 1997 and Second Amendment to Loan Agreement dated as of August 15, 1997 (collectively, the "Agreement"). B. Borrower and Lender now desire to amend the Agreement as herein set forth. NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises herein contained and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows: ARTICLE I Definitions Section 1.01. Definitions. Capitalized terms used in this Amendment, to the extent not otherwise defined herein, shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Agreement, as amended hereby. ARTICLE II Amendments Section 2.01. Amendment to Certain Definitions. (a) Effective as of date hereof, the definition of each of the following terms contained in Section 1.01 of the Agreement is amended to read in its respective entirety as follows: "Commitment" means the obligation of Lender to make Advances hereunder in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding up to but not exceeding $4,000,000.00 as such amount may be reduced as provided herein. "Termination Date" means 11:00 a.m.. Houston, Texas time on December 31, 1999, or such earlier date on which the Commitment terminates as provided in this Agreement. (b) Effective as of the date hereof, the definition of the term "Reduction Day" is deleted from Section 1.01 of the Agreement. Section 2.02. Amendment to Section 2.03. Effective as of the date hereof, the second sentence (which is also the last sentence) of Section 2.03 of the Agreement is deleted from the Agreement. 1 26 Section 2.02. Amendment to Exhibits. Effective as of the date hereof, Exhibit "A" to the Agreement (Note) is amended to conform in its entirety to Annex "A" to this Amendment. ARTICLE III Conditions Precedent Section 3.01. Conditions. The effectiveness of this Amendment is subject to the receipt by Lender of the following in form and substance satisfactory to Lender: (a) Resolutions - Borrower. Resolutions of the Board of Directors of Borrower certified by its Secretary or an Assistant Secretary which authorize the execution, delivery and performance by Borrower of this Amendment and the other Loan Documents to which Borrower is or is to be a party hereunder. (b) Incumbency Certificate - Borrower. A certificate of incumbency certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of Borrower certifying the names and signatures of the officers of Borrower authorized to sign this Amendment and each of the other Loan Documents to which Borrower is or is to be a party hereunder. (c) Certificates of Existence and Good Standing - Borrower. Certificates of the appropriate governmental officials regarding the existence and good standing of Borrower in the State of Texas. (d) Note. The Note executed by Borrower. (e) Third Amendment to Security Agreement. The Third Amendment to Security Agreement in the form of Annex "B" hereto, executed by Borrower. (f) UCC Search. A Uniform Commercial Code search showing all financing statements and other documents or instruments on file against Borrower in Harris County, Texas and the office of the Secretary of State of Texas. (g) Legal Fees. Payment of the reasonable legal fees and expenses of Lender's counsel. (h) Additional Information. Such additional documents, instruments and information as Lender may request. Section 3.02. Additional Conditions. The effectiveness of this Amendment is also subject to the satisfaction of the additional conditions precedent that (a) the representations and warranties contained herein and in all other Loan Documents, as amended hereby, shall be true and correct as of the date hereof as if made on the date hereof, (b) all proceedings, corporate or otherwise, taken in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Amendment and all documents, instruments and other legal matters incident thereto shall be satisfactory to Lender, and (c) no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and no event or condition shall have occurred that with the giving of notice or lapse of time or both would be an Event of Default. 2 27 ARTICLE IV Ratifications, Representations, and Warranties Section 4.01. Ratifications. The terms and provisions set forth in this Amendment shall modify and supersede all inconsistent terms and provisions set forth in the Agreement and except as expressly modified and superseded by this Amendment, the terms and provisions of the Agreement are ratified and confirmed and shall continue in full force and effect. Borrower and Lender agree that the Agreement as amended hereby shall continue to be the legal, valid and binding obligation of such Persons enforceable against such Persons in accordance with its terms. Section 4.02. Representations, Warranties and Agreements. Borrower hereby represents and warrants to Lender that as of the date hereof, and taking into account the provisions of this Amendment, (a) the execution, delivery, and performance of this Amendment and any and all other Loan Documents executed or delivered in connection herewith have been authorized by all requisite corporate action on the part of Borrower and will not violate the articles of incorporation or bylaws of Borrower, (b) the representations and warranties contained in the Agreement as amended hereby, and all other Loan Documents are true and correct on and as of the date hereof as though made on and as of the date hereof, (c) no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and no event or condition has occurred that with the giving of notice or lapse of time or both would be an Event of Default, (d) Borrower is in full compliance with all covenants and agreements contained in the Agreement as amended hereby, (e) Borrower is obligated to Lender pursuant to the terms of the Note, as the same may have been renewed, modified, extended, increased and rearranged, including, without limitation, renewals, modifications, increases and extensions made pursuant to this Amendment, (f) the liens, security interests, encumbrances and assignments created and evidenced by the Loan Documents are, respectively, valid and subsisting liens, security interests, encumbrances and assignments (except as provided in the Security Agreement) and secure the Note as the same may have been renewed, modified, increased or rearranged, including, without limitation, renewals, modifications, increases and extensions made pursuant to this Amendment, and (g) Borrower has no claims, credits, offsets, defenses or counterclaims arising from the Loan Documents or Lender's performance under the Loan Documents. ARTICLE V Miscellaneous Section 5.01. Survival of Representations and Warranties. All representations and warranties made in this Amendment or any other Loan Documents including any Loan Document furnished in connection with this Amendment shall fully survive the execution and delivery of this Amendment and the other Loan Documents, and no investigation by Lender or any closing shall affect the representations and warranties or the right of Lender to rely on them. Section 5.02. Reference to Agreement. Each of the Loan Documents, including the Agreement and any and all other agreements, documents, or instruments now or hereafter executed and delivered pursuant to the terms hereof or pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, as amended hereby, are hereby amended so that any reference in such Loan Documents to the Agreement shall mean a reference to the Agreement, as amended hereby. 3 28 Section 5.03. Expenses of Lender. As provided in the Agreement, Borrower agrees to pay on demand all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by Lender in connection with the preparation, negotiation and execution of this Amendment and the other documents and instruments executed pursuant hereto and any and all amendments, modifications and supplements thereto, including, without limitation, the costs and fees of Lender's legal counsel, and all costs and expenses incurred by Lender in connection with the enforcement or preservation of any rights under the Agreement, as amended hereby, or any other Loan Document, including, without limitation, the costs and fees of Lender's legal counsel. Section 5.04. Severability. Any provision of this Amendment held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable shall not impair or invalidate the remainder of this Amendment and the effect thereof shall be confined to the provision so held to be invalid or unenforceable. Section 5.05. Applicable Law. This Amendment and all other Loan Documents executed pursuant hereto shall be deemed to have been made and to be performable in Houston, Harris County, Texas and shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas. Section 5.06. Successors and Assigns. This Amendment is binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of Lender and Borrower and their respective successors and assigns, except Borrower may not assign or transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of Lender. Section 5.07. Counterparts. This Amendment may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Section 5.08. Effect of Waiver. No consent or waiver, express or implied, by Lender to or for any breach of or deviation from any covenant, condition or duty by Borrower shall be deemed a consent or waiver to or of any other breach of the same or any other covenant, condition or duty. Section 5.09. Headings. The headings, captions, and arrangements used in this Amendment are for convenience only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Amendment. Section 5.10. ENTIRE AGREEMENT. THIS AMENDMENT AND ALL OTHER INSTRUMENTS, DOCUMENTS, AND AGREEMENTS EXECUTED AND DELIVERED IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AMENDMENT EMBODY THE FINAL, ENTIRE AGREEMENT AMONG THE PARTIES HERETO WITH RESPECT TO THE SUBJECT MATTER HEREOF AND THEREOF AND SUPERSEDE ANY AND ALL PRIOR COMMITMENTS, AGREEMENTS, REPRESENTATIONS AND UNDERSTANDINGS, WHETHER WRITTEN OR ORAL, RELATING TO THIS AMENDMENT AND THE OTHER INSTRUMENTS, DOCUMENTS AND AGREEMENTS EXECUTED AND DELIVERED IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AMENDMENT, AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED OR VARIED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OR DISCUSSIONS OF THE PARTIES HERETO. THERE ARE NO ORAL AGREEMENTS AMONG THE PARTIES HERETO. 4 29 Section 5.11. Agreement for Binding Arbitration. Borrower and Lender agree to be bound by the terms and provisions of Lender's current Arbitration Program, which is acknowledged as having been received by Borrower and which is incorporated by reference herein, pursuant to which any and all disputes regarding the subject matter hereof or of any Loan Documents shall be resolved by mandatory binding arbitration upon the request of Borrower or Lender. Executed as of the date first written above. BORROWER: RELIABILITY INCORPORATED By: /s/ Larry Edwards Larry Edwards President LENDER: WELLS FARGO BANK (TEXAS), NATIONAL ASSOCIATION By: /s/ Bennett Douglas Bennett Douglas Vice President 5 30