We have mostly metric equipment and tools, but we do have a few colloquial tools, both to repair older products, and for customers who require colloquial fasteners in their products.
All of our standard (off-the-shelf) products are all metric, but we do a lot of custom designs, where a few customers do ask for colloquial fasteners. The only thing they ever worry about are the fasteners that fasten our product to their equipment -- so internally we still do everything metric. Ours is an interesting industry: once one of our products (rugged keypad/display devices, i.e., terminals) is designed into a piece of equipment, the customer NEVER wants us to change anything, as it forces them to change their equipment. We are still selling a terminal we introduced in 1991, so I expect we will have to support our earlier non-metric products for at least another decade. One large customer in particular (one of the largest oil-and-gas exploration companies) requires all colloquial fasteners. They are not anti-metric, but much of their work is in remote areas, and their portable facilities are stocked with colloquial tools and fasteners. It is actually surprising to me they have not made the switch, as they work all over the world (almost certainly they have more facilities in metric countries than in the USA), but to date they have not. Jim ----- Original Message ----- From: [email protected] To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, September 26, 2011 3:36:46 PM Subject: [USMA:51158] Re: White House Petition Jim, you did benefit from going Metric, how many mistakes did your company make converting back and forth between Metric and American Imperial? None, because you went all Metric. There have been many failures because others did not only used one system but worked in two, and caused errors and lost of time and money, aka NASA, just to name the one famous agency. Another question, does your company have a wall of hardware and tools in both Metric and American Imperial? or just Metric? Bruce E. Arkwright, Jr Erie PA Linux and Metric User and Enforcer I will only invest in nukes that are 150 gigameters away. How much solar energy have you collected today? Id put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we dont have to wait til oil and coal run out before we tackle that. I wish I had a few more years left. -- Thomas Edison♽☯♑ -- Beijer Electronics, Inc. Jim Elwell | Technical Product Manager [email protected] 2212 South West Temple #50 | Salt Lake City | Utah | 84115 | USA | 801-466-8770 | Fax 801-466-8792
