metric to inch on the fly

[kkominiarek]

quote:

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Did you guys know that you can convert inch values to metric and metric values to inch on the fly without changing the units?

 

If you are set for inches type 25.4mm into any dialog box field used for floating point input. We do the calculations and give the equivalent inch value. If you are working in metric you would type 1in and get 25.4.

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I have a print that has approx. 100 metric dimensions and 15 inch dimensions.

 

I am in metric and have all metric features drawn up, now I want to add my inch features. I tried the above....create-line-polar---angle/8.18degrees at length/3.375in.....this did not work....it put a 3.375 metric line in. (way to short)

 

Is it possible to draw a inch line while in metric mode?

[Fig sign]

better go to the inch mode do your work and return to metric

You can do it on the fly changing metric configuration to inch in screen->configure and vise versa

HTH

[Richard Thomas - Mastercam UK]

In Metric you could type in the length as 3.375x25.4 (same applies for any inch value)

[pip]

I'll go with Rich on this one, this is how I do it at work....

[mayday]

stick to 1 system of measure or the other. really dont matter.

quote:

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I am in metric and have all metric features drawn up, now I want to add my inch features. I tried the above....create-line-polar---angle/8.18degrees at length/3.375in.....this did not work....it put a 3.375 metric line in. (way to short)

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3.375 in metric mode= 85.725mm

the on the fly does not work when entering data in the prompt area

it only works in field box data entry

in prompt area use keyboard math functions

* / - +

[Eric S.]

One trick I use when I get a print that has alot of metric dimensions on it, is I create the geometry to scale in inch mode 1" = 1mm.

Then when it is done I'll scale the whole thing using .03937 for the scale factor. This converts it to the proper size in inches.

[Steve Biehl - Cimquest Inc]

Eric,

you should use 1/25.4, it is more accurate then .03937

[Eric S.]

My mastercam is set to 4 decimal places so it acuually works out to 0.0394 when 1/25.4 is entered. So far I have not run into a problem but I would expect that the larger the part is the larger the error would become.

[Steve Biehl - Cimquest Inc]

even though MC shows 4 or 5 places, it actually works out to something like 16 places. So when you type 1/25.4 it shows .03937 but is really using 0.0393700787401574 for it's calculation.

[chip]

quote:

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0.0393700787401574

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All those years I was way off!

[connormac]

I use the way Eric does it. I learned it from my wife. It works very well.

 

Kyle

[cadcam]

Cool Kyle your wife is a Mastercammer to?

[Eric S.]

Thanks Stephen I did not know that.

I had better start using 1/25.4 from now on

[kkominiarek]

thanks guys.......i use this method "3.375x25.4" all the time....i was hoping to save some keystrokes

[chip]

If I'm working on a part with all Metric numbers and I need to convert them... I use M (standard calculator memory) to store .03937. So when you multiply the metric number just hit MR (memory recall) and that might save you a couple of key strokes.

 

[connormac]

Jay,

Yes my wife programs with Mastercam. Also she programs Trumpf punch and lasers using their software.

 

Kyle

[Tom Flyer]

quote:

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0.0393700787401574

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Spock: "Computer."

Computer: "bee-up whirr beep."

Spock: "Calculate to the last digit, the value of Pi."

Computer: "Beeeeeee......" Pffffft.