The Company was originally formed in 1956 when science and manufacturing were key to the UK economy[1] and the memory of war time defence requirements were still fresh and the UK was a large-scale manufacturer of specialist electronic and mechanical scientific instruments.

The coat of arms[5] includes two key figures from the area of scientific instrument making, Sir Isaac Newton and Michael Faraday.

It is featured in a stained glass window[6] in the Company church St Margaret Lothbury.

[7] Members, although from diverse areas such as nanotechnology, mechanical engineering, genetics and astronomy, industry and academia, must be connected to instrumentation or measurement in some way to join.

The next is Freeman, usually someone who is early in their career; then up to Liveryman who are established in their profession and eligible to serve on the Court and progress to Master.