Metric: Godsend or Evil?

[Charles Davis]

One of our Canadian friends started this in the Minorities topic, so thought I'd open a new thread.

I'm probably one of the few americans who agree that we should have converted to Metric 25 years ago. Pres. Jimmy Carter did few things right, but this idea was a good one.

It's just ridiculous. Most all engineering calculations are in metric (base 10 is a lot better than 12 inches to the foot, 2 feet to the yard, 220 yards to a furlong.....

Then you've got to morph everything into English units to get it manufactured. We're forever mixing and matching units now, which is maddening.

One of the big reasons we didn't convert is because so much is tied up in English tooling in the US. The cost to replace all that would be enormous (hey, maybe THAT's how we can stimulate the economy!).

CAD/CAM software makes this conversion process easier, but our Canadian friend is right, Metric is unstoppable.

[Bullines]

Charles brings up a good point. However, I have seen metric used predominately in certain areas in the States. I'm Canadian but I went to university in Michigan. For example in most of my math courses, such as Calculus, measurements were usually in inches, miles, etc... On the other hand, some courses, such as Chemistry, used metric (millileters, celsius, etc...) for measurements. Introducing metric to the US is definitely harder than it sounds and I don't know how much metric is pushed in elementary and highschool in the States. I do know that it is quite possible to learn metric fairly quickly. My parents are a good example since they didn't learn metric in school (Canada didn't always use metric). Another example is my girlfriend (she's American). She's picked up most of it but still has problems differentiating between miles and kilometers

[Bob]

I work in the medical field building all the things MD's use to make the average guy uncomfortable if not causing out and out pain. I use metrics all of the time and the only thing that gets me a little crazy is the mix of measurements on equipment. You need 2 of everything and it gets confusing if not out right impossible to keep track of the system being used not to mention the non sizes stuck in to make things work from one system to the other. But I think the metric system in and of itself is great it really makes things easy to figure out. Just push a dot from one place to another in many cases

[TOOLDEV]

Metric Rocks ......

Most Countries that used to be Imperial

have converted to mm. Canada due its dependence to the USA hangs between the two.

I beleive, in time to come, the "Global Village" will only work with one system,

Metric. The sooner that happens the better,

I am tired of having to stock taps, reamers,

screws, dowels etc. in two currencies.

I appologize to most of you who have grown up with the Imperial System, but I honestly feel it is time to get rid of it.

No bad feelings

Peter

[Bob]

Ya I agree the only thing that you might want to keep from the english system might be measurements used in sports like your average football field (American football)100 yards

[Bullines]

So far, the CFL (Canadian Football League) is sticking with yards, as well

[Brendan O' Regan]

I agree everyone should change over fully to the metric system in this day and age.

In Ireland we are all metric except for when i am dealing with my Americian customers. This means that i have to stock both metric and imperial tooling and measuring equipment.

When i get a new apprentice it is hard to train him/her to use the imperial system as he /she has been bought up for 17-18 years in school in metric.

[Guest]

As Bullines has indicated that we are using yards to measure our fields, there is a little correction factor for this as we use 110 yards for the whole field. Don't forget, our balls are bigger!

I have been used to both English/Metric for all my life as I use both everyday. As far as instruments for measurements, go digital... Let the tool do it!

My last question is how big is a cubit and what factor did Noah use to convert to millimeters?

Andrew Eh!

[Mariana Lendel In-House Solutions]

About 4 years ago, when I first had to deal with Imperial system I was very fustrated. I still have to "think" in metric to actualy "see" the dimension, but I guess you like what you are used to better. It will be nice to have one measurement system, but till than...

[awheeler]

I hate the metric system. I have used both in my engineering course and I (yes, it may be rather ecentric) refuse to do a problem in the metric sys. I always convert the "real" measurment or answer to metric. I visualize mm, cm, m, and km just fine. I often work with mm and cm and in the army firing distances are in meters and I have hoofed, in full gear, my share of km's to know exactly how long those are. However, though you all may be jumping over this cliff and expecting the USA to follow I for one refuse and the united states, if ever, won't be converting for many decades. Not only would we have to revamp our tools but all our vehicles, roads, text books. There are just to many diehards out here in construction and manufacturing that are not going to let it happen. The educated minority may think it is a good idea but to the layman (70% of our population)it is unnecessary idiocy. Sorry, rest of the world we'll stay up here on this cliff for the time being

[Bob]

Andrew McRae TOO MUCH HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! !

[ 08-01-2001: Message edited by: Bob ]

[Simtech]

Let's think about machine accuracy.

Imperial units: 0.0001" precision

Metric units: 0.001 mm precision (which is actually 0.00004")

Seems metric wins this one hands down!!!!

Luc

[Mark H]

Whats metric?

Simtech, are you saying that if I switch to metric, a CNC machine that has a repeatability of .0001" will now have a repeatability of .00004"?

Ok, kidding aside, it would be nice to have one system.

[ 08-01-2001: Message edited by: Mark H ]

[Bill]

Bullines, I travel the 402, 401, 403 several times a year and I sure wish they would change that 100 kmh to say something a little faster maybe 140. In Michigan it is 70 mp/h and I don't believe Ontario citizens know metric very well. I set my cruise at 80 mph on the 401 and they blow by me. I think they see the 100 and figure imperial

Kidding aside 62mph is pretty slow dontcha think?

[ 08-01-2001: Message edited by: Bill ]

[Guest]

Andrew McRae

Cubit: A measure of length used in the ancient world. It is approximately equal to the length of a person's forearm, ie the part of the arm from the elbow to the fingers.

The Romans used a cubit equal to 17.4 modern inches; the Egyptians used one of 20.64 inches.

Therefore, a Roman cubit would be 441.96 mm and a Egyptian cubit would be 524.256 mm.

[Guest]

mlindsey

The Egytians of old must have been huge and intimidating to the Romans with a set of wings like that. Thanks for the information, looked all thru machinery's 25th and couldn't find a conversion - maybe its time to upgrade.

To respond to the post from Omega Bill - the 100 KMH is actually Kanadian Miles Per Hour -

set the cruise to that and see if we all still try to pass. I logged 60Mm (60000km for those not used to the Mega Prefix) last year and never went less than 125kmh. Guess we only have a few short weeks of sunshine and nice weather that we are all in a hurry.

If you think metric/inch conversions are bad, try quoting a customer in US and Canadian funds in both english and french, Inch and Metric, all the while conforming to ISO and QS standards concurrently.

This is of course my CDN$0.02 (Which is equal to US$0.0126)

[BernieT]

This is the best thread yet !!!!!!!!!!!

What great laughs !!!!!! ROFLMAO

BerTau

[Simtech]

Mark H.

Thats right! Very inexpensive way to make your CNC machine mora precise.

I agree with you all, us up here in Canada have to quote in french/english, metric/imperial, USD/CND, and so on and so on ...

[JAMMAN]

I work in metric. I think it is easier. The other way is outdated. Nothing is idiot proof, there is one Italian guy that works here that still has me move the decimal over for him because he is used to working in CM and not MM. Go figure.

Jim

[Multax]

Old Testament linear measures

c. Span (outstretched hand from thumb to little finger): three handbreaths or half a cubit 9in/230mm (actually 228.6mm)

d. Cubit (elbow to finger-tip) 17.5/445mm (actually 444.5mm) The long cubit was a handbreath longer 20.4/520mm (actually 518.16mm) 6 cubits = 1 reed

New Testament linear measures

Cubit 21.6/550mm (actually 548.64mm)

David Alexander and Pat Alexander, ed., Eerdman’s Handbook to the Bible

(New York: Guideposts, 1973), 193.

Multax

[Kenneth Potter]

Shops in my area are scared stiff when it comes to machining in metric. They dont want to change.!!!! I have seen shops trying to hold toleraces of + - .0002th & making scrap up the yee yang doodle! Getting shops to go metric is like pulling teeth.

Kenneth Potter

[ngkim]

why i don't understand,the U.S being the most advanced nation still using the most outdated measurement system.why they hold the world record in the 100 metres???

[Guest]

Mark H and SimTech - We are starting into a debate between Precision, Accuracy, and Repeatability.

MarkH - The precision is the only thing that will change with the LDI now metric (Least Data Increment). The repeatability will still be within published limits as set by the machine tool builder. This example is laid out in most of the machine tool manuals and is interesting reading. An example to this is the grid snap settings, use a finer increment and the snap will give many more intermediate positions to which you can go. Same concept with the LDI in Metric being in the order of 1/2 of a tenth.

[Mark H]

Andrew McRae – No serious debates here, just some good-natured joking.

[Guest]

MarkH - Sorry for the previous post - forgot myself for a moment. Lets slag some of the QC guys... It doesn't matter how nice or to how many places we programme, they still won't be able to check it better than .001".

To them its right or wrong - being .00004" over on a CMM report is still wrong! Eventhough the part is 31" in Diameter and .030" Out of round. I had the "pleasure" of working with a guy that claimed that he had 30 years experience. I replied that he was full of crap and that he had 1 year of experience 30 times over!