The point that I was making is that the world champion baseball team is always American, so is the world champion football team and the world champion [Indy] motor racing driver.
As an aside, are Berlusconi's antics getting much coverage in the US press? He features in the UK press regularly. _____ From: John M. Steele [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 29 January 2011 14:45 To: [email protected]; U.S. Metric Association Subject: Re: [USMA:49666] RE: auto manufacturing in SI May I point out that baseball is VERY popular in Cuba (a country we don't get along with) as well as Japan and several South American countries. But I would agree on your other examples. Basketball and hockey appear to have worldwide popularity, although we use a slightly different rink layout. _____ From: Martin Vlietstra <[email protected]> To: U.S. Metric Association <[email protected]> Sent: Sat, January 29, 2011 9:32:42 AM Subject: [USMA:49666] RE: auto manufacturing in SI Reversing the metrication process might be a mis-guided attempt to revitalise the US manufacturing industry by raising artificial barriers against outsiders. Raising such barriers will only inhibit export efforts. A few weeks ago, I explained to a fresh graduate in our office (in the UK ) what appears to me to be an inbuilt US isolationist mentality. I suggested that he comment on the most popular UK and US spectator sports: US sports: [American] football, baseball, Indy-style motor-racing. UK sports: Soccer, Rugby [ Union ], cricket, Formula One motor racing. The US sports mentioned never feature in international competitions, the UK sports do so regularly. I believe that this colours one's awareness of the outside world. Martin _____ From: Kilopascal [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 29 January 2011 14:05 To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:49658] auto manufacturing in SI I went to the link and as you note did find the general specs in obsolete units. But I didn't see any mechanical drawings with units on them to tell me what the internal units of the company are. I didn't see any indication as to what system of fasteners they were using. Do you have some further proof that they actually work in inches and thousandths of inches? You also say they are an assembly operation. Where do they buy their parts from? Do they subcontract their own designed and engineered parts, or do they buy components from other auto manufactures? If they do purchase from the outside others designs, then they are metric? How do they assemble these vehicles, with inch or millimetre fasteners? Since you brought up the issue, you may wish to contact them and ask them for sure as to what system they use internally? You don't need to sermonize about the wonderfulness of metric, but you can ask them to provide the specs in metric units too directly from their design drawings. On the other hand, I'm not fully convinced that there are not forces within the American auto industry that won't attempt to reverse 40 years of progress. Those who metricated those industries are either retired or dead and their replacements come from American society hostile to metrication. The new Dodge hemi recently reported on is a case and point. I believe the new generation of engineers and designers with no metric experience either from life or education (or lack of it) will "test the waters" by implementing in steps a return the "good old days" when American cars were all USC. It may be a slow reversion but it is possible that it is heading in that direction. John Steele said: Chrysler lagged behind the other two because it was far less international (at the time). Later, it put the companies in good shape for outsourcing, unlike Boeing. Most companies which have metricated have international design and manufacturing, not just sales or parts sourcing. That international manufacturing may be used either to support local markets or for import to the US (freight makes that a little expensive for heavy manufacturing which is why Japanese car companies have built plants in the US ) I can see why Chrysler is not as beholden to metrication as the others and may find it easier to revert and attempt to start a trend. Of course it may backfire on them. The same may be true with Boulder Electric Vehicle. If it is populated with engineers and assemblers with no metric experience, then they will do everything in obsolete units, even if it is a cost burden. They will just pass the costs on. If they encounter SI or have no choice but to incorporate a non-SI part or parts in their design, they will just translate the numbers. The only way to prevent this would be for companies that are metric to hire only those engineers and workers who can prove a working knowledge of SI units, either by testing or proved past experience, even if that means hiring only immigrants and no natives. [USMA:49658] auto manufacturing in SI Robert H. Bushnell Fri, 28 Jan 2011 14:35:23 -0800 2011 Jan 28 It has been said on this web site that automobile manufacturing changed away from inch-pound units many years ago. On Saturday Jan 22 the Denver Electric Vehicle Council visited Boulder Electric Vehicle Inc. to see their electric Delivery Van. Their specification is all inch-pound. They have no SI spec. They work in inches and thousandths of inches. www.boulderev.com <http://www.boulderev.com/> They make one a day. They are setting up to make 20 a day. They make the truck after the order is placed. They offer many models including a 15 passenger bus. The US Army is trying to get in line. They are mostly an assembly operation. They buy motors (80 kW), lights, steering parts, wheels, seats, everything. How can they do this if the auto industry is all SI? It looks to me like they have a good market in that users can work in a local market so they will not need a combustion engine. The range is 120 miles on one charge. This is plenty for plumbers, delivery and service people. Robert H. Bushnell
