[stude8]

I've been in business with a CNC production shop in the states for over 40 years. In that time 99% of the drawings we've received have had dimensions in inches. Now we're starting to get metric drawings. What approach do you take in your shops? Do you do the simple conversions first and then work with English measurements or what? Just curious. For us it's a real time waster.

I remember about 1980 something all the road signs were going to be changed. Uh that's too hard for us so change them back. And they did!

Thanks
Drake

[gfacer2]

I've started doing more and more in metric. If I can import them in metric I stay metric (of course I'm in Canada and we are a little more metric here). My new Chinese CNC is also metric and all in all, it's actually a little easier. Unless you had some European engineer convert an existing imperial part to metric in the first place, then I just convert it back.

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[Superman]

I've been in business with a CNC production shop in the states for over 40 years. In that time 99% of the drawings we've received have had dimensions in inches. Now we're starting to get metric drawings. What approach do you take in your shops? Do you do the simple conversions first and then work with English measurements or what? Just curious. For us it's a real time waster.

We are metric, it's a real pain to get US drawings in INCHES ( especially when we have to apply metric tooling to imperial dims ( ie 3/16" internal rads)

I'm guessing you are converting the design to a computer model ? ie using a CAD system ( which one ? )
They are only numbers

A couple of options
1- CAD system is in INCHES, create the part using the metric numbers....when complete, scale by 1/25.4 (0.0393701)
2- change CAD system to METRIC, create part using the metric numbers, change CAD system to INCHES ( should ask if you want the model scaled, say yes )
3- if a "3D model" exists. Open/Import into INCH configuration

The most painful is to change each dim to inch then apply it to a CAD drawing
- many errors will arise due to rounding ( yours & the drawing's) , mis-typing etc

[InMesh]

Ah the old Imp to metric trick I use my lathe in imperial and metric and say one tenth is 4 thou 59 years of age I'm in both worlds forever .As a business it must be frustrating as we push more and more into the Asian euro way metric is going to take over eventually,in the way back world Germany I believe origonaly had the Imperial system.

[G59]

In Canada, you've had over 40 years to adjust.

Metric is so much easier. What gets me is to this day shops still want drawings done the old way even though all the big companies, Ford, GM, Dodge, Boeing etc.. accepted and adopted the "NEW" metric system, way back in the 80's. Just face it, it's the international standard nowadays. No point resisting anymore.
Buy tools that measure in metric and when you upgrade your machinery, choose metric otherwise It's only going to get worse for you.
Nothing worse than converting ANSI drawings over to metric. Always have to round off. I hate it.

I remember about 1980 something all the road signs were going to be changed. Uh that's too hard for us so change them back. And they did!

That's so typical......LOL

[rockcliff]

Yes, 40 years to adjust, and 40 years later,,,,,,, LOL we still build our homes from imperial sized wood, 2'x4's and 4'x8' sheets of plywood, and it's way cheaper to build from imperial sized steel, like 2x2 tubing etc.

if you build stuff, Metric cost more, and is more time consuming, no way around it.

[G59]

if you build stuff, Metric cost more, and is more time consuming, no way around it.

Metric hardware is so much cheaper. 6mm x 30mm socket head cap screws grade 10.9..............cheap. Cable glands in metric sizes........1/3 the price. Same with many, many other things. Bearings for example, try to get that in imperial. If you do, it's only the numbers that are, as the bearing was made in metric.
As for lumber, that's only a matter of time. The main reason for it, look who's buying all our lumber. That tells you the whole story right there.

Its an old system that will eventually die.
Metric is much easier and cheaper to work with same accuracy or better than American standards. The "better" is only because you remove the interpretation error factor. You know, one inch, one hundred and fifty five thousands and two ten thousands. Or one inch, one hundred and fifty five thousands and two tenths. Metric, just say it like you read it.
Even the Brits have adopted it. Kinda makes me wonder about my neighbors to the south.

[rockcliff]

I would respectfully disagree, sure bearings and some other minor hardware might be cheaper in metric sizes, but when 99.9% of your raw material is sold in imperial sizes, it becomes way more expensive to machine and manufacture in some metric finished sizes,

Try to buy some 50x50mm tube in Canada, or how about some 100x50mm flat bar, good luck with that,

I can easily design, measure, and build in both metric and imperial, it makes no difference to me personally

If I was building stuff in Germany of coarse it would be all metric, but sorry, here in Canada or the USA, it's still much better and way less expensive overall to be imperial (inch) "

[G59]

but sorry, here in Canada or the USA, it's still much better and way less expensive overall to be imperial (inch) "

Well conform now or eventually you'll forced to. That's just the way the ball rolls.

Try to buy anything other the the "layman's" goods in ANSI and you begin see which way things are headed. ANSI is old and the rest of the world has switched to metric. It's only a matter of time when it becomes too expensive to keep the old "farenheit" scale going.

Just my two cents worth.

[gfacer2]

It's dying the world's slowest death if it is. Yes in a generation or 2, if the US market changes, it will slowly shrink.

I was only talking about working in metric. Plastics has been over 50% metric for ages but we still use nominal measurements in imperial half the time.

I do think one needs to be better at handling both measurements for work though.

We used to tell people with metric drawings to come back with them converted but that doesn't cut it anymore.



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[G59]

The only reason ANSI is still popular in the US is the same reason Donald Trump will be next President. Gotta keep Bubba happy so keep it simple and no change.
LOL

[InMesh]

There is another thing here all the brass bronze bar and sheet is still in imperial off my Supplier I guess it's made in the US .