A Simple Idea: Build a Better Thickness Gauge

Oakland Instrument was founded in 1991 by two engineers, inspired by the simple idea that we could create a better plastic film thickness gauge.

Those two engineers had extensive experience in the plastics quality control test instrument industry, but were disillusioned by the business practices that plagued the industry. After years of experience working for, and observing other, companies in the industry that were guilty of poor business practices, the founders of Oakland Instrument decided to pioneer a change in the test instrument market.

We decided to form a company that provides technically innovative products and services while providing solid value, and to deliver those products through people who really understand the film extrusion and quality control processes.  We fulfill that mission by giving you product demonstrations, straight talk, and genuine advice about our products and your applications.  Test instruments for quality control.  Built around youTM 

We believe that innovation does not need to be mutually exclusive with providing customer value. We provide that value by giving you the things you want when working with an instrument company; and by not giving you things you don’t want.

Building on R&D

Oakland Instrument established itself as a technical innovator by capturing three patents for revolutionary advances in capacitance sensor technology including self-calibration electronics for film thickness measurement. Through these efforts during the 1990’s, Oakland Instrument became well recognized as "the leading supplier of computer-controlled benchtop gauges" within the plastic film extrusion industry. 

Leveraging our film application expertise and our proprietary hardware & software platforms, Oakland Instrument has become a respected plastic film and sheet test instrument company, offering computerized test instruments in the thickness/caliper, tensile test, force measurement, and coefficient of friction product areas.

Simultaneously, Oakland Instrument expanded its product line to become the only full-line manufacturer of test instruments for the blown and cast film extrusion industries.

Beyond the Niche

Capitalizing on our expertise in benchtop instruments for plastic films, Oakland Instrument is now focusing on expanding its advanced sensor technologies in the plastic film measurement area, plus extending our hardware and software platforms to address the unique needs of complimentary web-product industries including paper manufacturing, converted packaging, and non-woven textiles.