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The Wax

April 15, 2004

President Ford Loves The Metric System 1.6m Much.

nisttama.gifIn 1975, President Ford signed the Metric Conversion Act of 1975 whereby the United States would switch all its weights and measures over to the metric system. The goal was to bring America closer to the rest of the world in trade and commerce. Federal agencies would be transferred over by 1992, and furthermore the government would support programs to better educate the youth about the glory and honor of the metric system.

The Congressional findings were as follows:

  1. The United States was an original signatory party to the 1875 Treaty of the Meter (20 Stat. 709), which established the General Conference of Weights and Measures, the International Committee of Weights and Measures and the International Bureau of Weights and Measures.
  2. Although the use of metric measurement standards in the United States has been authorized by law since 1866 (Act of July 28, 1866; 14 Stat. 339), this Nation today is the only industrially developed nation which has not established a national policy of committing itself and taking steps to facilitate conversion to the metric system.
  3. World trade is increasingly geared towards the metric system of measurement.
  4. Industry in the United States is often at a competitive disadvantage when dealing in international markets because of its nonstandard measurement system, and is sometimes excluded when it is unable to deliver goods which are measured in metric terms.
  5. The inherent simplicity of the metric system of measurement and standardization of weights and measures has led to major cost savings in certain industries which have converted to that system.
  6. The Federal Government has a responsibility to develop procedures and techniques to assist industry, especially small business, as it voluntarily converts to the metric system of measurement
  7. The metric system of measurement can provide substantial advantages to the Federal Government in its own operations.

Source: National Institute of Standards and Technology

I'm not sure what's changed since they made this assessment. My friend pointed out that car manufacturers would have a hell of a time making the switch, as would American Football and their yards. No, don't get me wrong, yards are cute, but....

Seems like it's an ongoing idea. I like it.


Posted by davidissimo  ::  Permalink  ::  Comments [8]  ::  

Comments Section

Maybe I'm really slow, but why would car manufacturers in particular have a hard time making the switch? What do they measure now in the English system that they couldn't just as easily measure in metric? Do we think that Toyota, Honda, Mercedes, BMW, etc. design and build their cars using English measurements?

Posted by: alex at April 16, 2004 01:18 AM

American cars are designed and built in metric. Specs such as engine displacement, wheel base, etc are translated to English measurements for consumers, but internally everything is done in metric. I was working at Ford in the early 80's supporting their CAD systems, and it was during that time that Ford was converting from English to metric. There were a number of technical issues we had to consider during this conversion, but the conversion to metric was completed around 20 years ago.

Posted by: tom at April 16, 2004 10:04 AM

So the automotive industry would just need to change a few face plates on dashboards, I stand corrected, but how about the Department of Transportation?

I can't imagine the cost of having to replace the entire nation's road and highway system signs. We're talking destination signs and mile (or shall I say kilometer) markers.

That would be a huge undertaking.

Finally all those Nor'Easters who give incredibly inaccurate detailed directions by distance, how do we retrain them?

Posted by: Davidissimo at April 16, 2004 01:36 PM

I should have mentioned for alex's benefit that the metric conversion was very costly for the autos. Besides the technical issues in the CAD systems I mentioned, there were enormous costs in retooling. Metric tools and English tools don't quite match up - just try to find a metric wrench that works on a 7/16 bolt. Changing all the drawings, specs, reams and reams of other documentation, machinery, retraining designers, engineers, mechanics, etc, to think in metric was an enormous undertaking.

David, besides road signs, think about gasoline pumps. Think about tire pressure guages, which will have to be recalibrated from ppi to kilopascals. etc. Lots to do.

Posted by: tom at April 16, 2004 04:38 PM

I very much appreciate Tom's comments, and it's great to hear from someone who really knows what he's talking about from the inside. But I guess I meant: why the auto industry in particular? As opposed to, say, the airline industry? Or FedEx and the USPS, which currently measure mail in oz.? Or the dairy industry (pints, quarts, and gallons of milk becoming liters)? In fact many kinds of packaging would have to change.

As much as I support the metric system, I think it's a bigger undertaking than just a few road signs...

Posted by: alex at April 16, 2004 05:25 PM

Of course we know there are other industries that would need an overhaul. The initial discussion mentioned that the decision to switch to the metric system was to bring us closer in trade and commerce, implying the import and export of goods from the U.S. to other countries.

The auto industry was a friend's (as mentioned) suggestion. I thought that the roadway changes are something that would effect us all because they are governmentally managed. A private company would have to undertake the change to go from ounces to grams, but the roads would probably effect John Q. Public's pockets. That being said, I understand that other industries would be effected, but I can't get into all examples, so I picked one.

Posted by: davidissimo at April 16, 2004 05:50 PM

I think the costs to whatever industry are entirely irrelevent to this debate. The important point is that kilometers and kilograms are meaningless to me, while I have a very good sense of a mile and a pound. So we should stick with the English system. QED

Posted by: Robin at April 19, 2004 10:49 AM

Thanks for the link to this page

Posted by: ebony at June 21, 2005 12:04 PM

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