The Metric System and the US

[mboteo]

And what about metric units...

And what about NTSC and PAL or Secam (to stay on the TV subject)?

And before anybody gets to subject of units. Why English and Metric. Why are we in the States still hanging on to the English system, while even the English are almost totally changed over.

S.

 

[Marc]

Re: and what about ...

Originally posted by mboteo

And what about NTSC and PAL or Secam (to stay on the TV subject).

Well, there goes my 'advertising' part of the equation - at least in this instance.

What are some of the pros and cons of each? I don't know much in detail about the development of these 3 standards. I know the US is NTSC (a US 'national standard'?), Europe is PAL (I think), and have no idea what Secam is.

 

[Kevin Mader]

Metric Units in the US

Sadly, we have been a Metric Nation since 1976, although you wouldn't know it.

We must be slow learners...

Kevin

 

[Marc]

Metric Units in the US

Yeah - there was some 'real' legislation about that time, wasn't there....

 

[Kevin Mader]

Metric Units in the US

Yes and evidently complicated legislation. Nobody gets it...

 

[mboteo]

Metric System in the US

How many more failed Mars landings do we need before we'll get it?

Amazingly enough I read an article in QM this month, claiming that using the metric system would loose on accuracy in metrology. I thaught I heard it all already. But to read this from a so called specialist in metrology....

Steven

 

[Kevin Mader]

Difficulty Buying Metric Gages

Steven,

Thule (the company I work for) is a metric company. Amazingly, it is quite difficult to get high precision gage blocks, gage pins, etc. Many of the items we use for our in-house calibration took 6-18 months to have manufactured since they aren't in-stock items. While the technology in metrology is the same, the difficulty is probably with in-house and farmed out calibration services.

Did the article mention anything along these lines?

Regards,

Kevin

p.s. sorry to deviate from the topic folks.

 

[BRoyal]

The Metric System

Gentlemen -- within the past week or so I read an excellent article on the manufacturing economics that stood in the way of conversion to the metric system. On the surface it seemed pretty reasonable. I will find it and post it.

 

[Kevin Mader]

Metric System

Thanks Ben!!

 

[mboteo]

Metric System

I agree that there will be an initial cost involved with moving over to metrics. Calibration houses just gonna have to follow. Luckily the big 3 are only interested in metrics.

But to bring up the issue of accuracy, as a reason for staying with the English system, will not fly with. That would be a too naive. Of course the rest of the world isn't even capable of touching the States' accuracy in engineering...

Steven