Kilopascal asked in USMA 17911 how any worker in an auto plant could think
that his product was not metric.

>2002-02-03
>
>About a week ago, I reported some findings on the use of metric in Texas.
>Also, I mentioned about my neighbour who works at Ford Motor company and
>claims metric is not used there.
>
>Pat Naughtin responded about metric in the auto plants in Australia.  But,
>I want to know from anybody who has some contact with people, average
>Americans who work for any of the automobile companies in the US.  And
>that would include companies like John Deere and Caterpillar who also are
>said to be metric.
>
>I want to know how Joe Six-pack, average American who has no clue as to
>what any of the metric units are is able to function is a supposed metric
>environment.  How does my neighbour function in a supposed metric
>environment and yet claim they don't use metric where he is at?  Is it the
>situation I experienced in Texas, where metric is everywhere and people
>manage to ignore it?
>
>I think one of the reasons there hasn't been much of a push to go metric
>is because it might be seen as decreasing American efficiency and
>increasing costs and aggravation.  There may be cost savings in going
>metric, but many American's will see it as wasteful, especially if they
>have to waste time constantly converting every metric value back to FFU.
>I doubt they will ever try to learn and understand metric.
>
>Any answers?
>
>
>John
>
>
>
>
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><DIV><FONT face=Arial>2002-02-03</FONT></DIV>
><DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
><DIV><FONT face=Arial>About a week ago,&nbsp;I reported some findings on
>the use
>of metric in Texas.&nbsp; Also, I mentioned about my neighbour who works
>at Ford
>Motor company and claims metric is not used there.</FONT></DIV>
><DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
><DIV><FONT face=Arial>Pat Naughtin responded about metric in the auto
>plants in
>Australia.&nbsp; But, I want to know from anybody who has some contact with
>people, average Americans who work for any of the automobile companies in the
>US.&nbsp; And that would include companies like John Deere and Caterpillar who
>also are said to be metric.</FONT></DIV>
><DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
><DIV><FONT face=Arial>I want to know how Joe Six-pack, average American
>who has
>no clue as to what any of the metric units are is able to function is a
>supposed
>metric environment.&nbsp; How does my neighbour function in a supposed metric
>environment and yet claim they don't use metric where he is at?&nbsp; Is
>it the
>situation I experienced in Texas, where metric is everywhere and people manage
>to ignore it?</FONT></DIV>
><DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
><DIV><FONT face=Arial>I think one of the reasons there hasn't been much of a
>push to go metric is because it might be seen as decreasing American
>efficiency
>and increasing costs and aggravation.&nbsp; There may be cost savings in going
>metric, but many American's will see it as wasteful, especially if they
>have to
>waste time constantly converting every metric value back to FFU.&nbsp; I doubt
>they will ever try to learn and understand metric.&nbsp; </FONT></DIV>
><DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
><DIV><FONT face=Arial>Any answers?</FONT></DIV>
><DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
><DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
><DIV><FONT face=Arial>John</FONT></DIV>
><DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
><DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
><DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV></BODY></HTML>


Metric is used by the design office.  Assembly line workers don't measure
anything.  They use the nuts and bolts that they are supplied.

My memory is that a tool and die manufacturer in Sheffield, England, said
that going metric had produced a 15% reduction in design time.  The (U.S.)
reported design time saving of as much as 5%

Joseph B.Reid
17 Glebe Road West
Toronto  M5P 1C8             TEL. 416-486-6071

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