Anyone to support this letter to ed? The SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) used to publish its Automotive Engineering mag. in SI (only) a decade ago. Situation deteriorated to dual units, often I-P first. The deterioration was caused, as told, by an anti-SI letter campaign of some 6 or 8 letters (mostly from retirees). Apparently, that few letter can change a publishing policy. Undoubtedly, there was a background work by someone - the person who might have instigated all them letters!. Anyway, each letter counts.
----- Original Message ----- From: Stan Jakuba To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 08 Jun 04, Wednesday 12:08 Subject: letter to editor Dear Editor: I want to compliment you and Mr. P. Wright on the contents and the use of units in the "F1 Moves Toward Hybridization" article (AE, May 2008, pg 60). It summarizes the status and options in the energy storage devices well and it uses SI units throughout. In particular, I appreciate the lack of the annoying conversions to other units with the energy and power values. I wish, in the future, all articles dealing with energy, power, densities, etc. were in SI (only). Using SI units and prefixes makes comparisons among energy numbers in any industry, be it automotive, oil, agricultural, or power, immediate. They eliminate the need for conversions among the plethora of energy units (Btu, kWh, therms, joules, etc.) along with the not-so-rare conversion errors. Values in SI let us compare among capital outlay such as $/W or $/m², costs such as heat in fuel or electricity (both in $/GJ), the amount of space taken in W/m³, area power density in W/m², annual road vehicle consumption in joules (EJ), annual average power in watts (GW), energy contents in J/m³ or J/kg, vehicular energy consumption in J/m, etc. Once everyone use SI, we'll be better positioned for cooperation in evaluating alternative energy options. In all fields of engineering, by using SI we will soon remember the unified reference values for power, energy, space, cost, rates, densities, etc. because the numbers will be repetitious and ubiquitous. Cross-disciplines communication becomes easier. The multi-meaning numbers "billion", "milliard" and similar words causing confusion today will become clear when replaced with the giga, mega, or whatever appropriate, prefix. SAE is now SAE International. Let's use the international system of units to help SAE members communicate easier outside the US as well as among ourselves. Stan Jakuba SAE member. '70 S I Jakub Associates 43 Westbrook Rd West Hartford CT 06107 Tel: 860 521 7924
