"Spehro Pefhany" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 19 Sep 2007 19:13:29 -0400, the renowned Gerald Miller
wrote:

On Wed, 19 Sep 2007 22:19:22 +0100, Mark Rand
wrote:



It will happen, given time. Why? Because US manufacturers also buy and
sell
from other countries. When Imperial components cost more than metric
ones
because of lower production volumes and additional inventory costs, then
the
American manufacturers will be at a competitive disadvantage. When a
customer
has to buy non-standard tools to fit US fasteners, it becomes an item in
the
purchasing decision. So eventually, Metric production will creep across
the
US. As it does, sticking with imperial measure will become less and less
attractive. Add to this, undergraduates being taught science in metric
measure
will take that with them and will see Imperial measure as clumsy. And so
it
goes.

It's already happening isn't it? The auto industry is IIRC using more
metric
components even on US vehicles. Of course The foreign branches of the US
auto
manufacturers have been making pretty well entirely metric vehicles for
a
couple of decades now.

If the north american manufacturers don't adjust their mix to what
people want, they won't be around much longer anyhow.
Gerry :-)}
London, Canada

If you build the whole thing offshore you'll probably want to use
metric components unless your market requires Imperial fasteners or
compatibility with legacy parts is required. On custom parts, it
doesn't matter whether the threads are metric or Imperial, but the
standard part will likely be cheaper if you go with a standard M3 or
whatever rather than a 6-32.

I see designing in metric* as one of the keys to keeping the front end
of the manufacturing process "here". The back end is already gone, and
it ain't coming back.

* actually an example of designing to whatever components are most
available and economical at the manufacturing point, no matter how
uncomfortable that may be, rather than sticking with what is familiar.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
--
"it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward"
Info for manufacturers:
http://www.trexon.com
Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers:
http://www.speff.com

I am on the team developing a robotic device which we hope will help find
and destroy IEDs in our fight against terrorists. We are having a ball going
through all the catalogs with specifications in both systems trying to match
one to the other. For example a motor for sale boasts 65 Newtons while
another catalog boasts a motor with 10/inch/lbs torque at 180 RPM. I can
visualize ten pounds at the end of a rod attached to the shaft rotating at
180 RPM but damned if I can visualize the Newton thing. So why bother? I'll
go for the inch pound solution since it is visible. Let the rest of the
world wrestle with non-visializable dimensions if they want. Five ft. two
and eyes are blue... how many cms around the waist? and what cup size?