Great letter Stan! If I were a member of the SAE, I would echo your letter to the editor of Automotive Engineering.
Gene Mechtly. ---- Original message ---- >Date: Wed, 4 Jun 2008 14:08:35 -0400 >From: "Stan Jakuba" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [USMA:41030] Fw: letter to editor >To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> > > 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 > > >
