Re: English or Metric?
 

We try to use English as much as possible. We've also gone as far as standardizing screws. If you're not using a hex socket 6-32, you'd better have a good reason.

Re: English or Metric?
 

I am not sure what we use -- I dont pay attn.

One thing though, I dont understand why Americans have to randomly be different. Isnt it bad enough we are all "fat" and "rich" psh [I am far from both] But anyways back on topic... Since I have grown up mostly with english I use that most. But I wish I was better with metric. It is so much easier and it just makes so much more sense! I like the base number 10. Its simpler. Instead of 12 inches = 1 foot blah blah ew! Haha

Anyways. Thats just my opinion.

Re: English or Metric?
 

I totally agree with Ashley!

Re: English or Metric?
 

If it's metric we just drill it out and re tap it. One of our engineer mentor cringes every time we do it.

Re: English or Metric?
 

Well, your survey was lacking in a few options. We're certainly a US team and our last robot had BOTH English and Metric parts. The metric parts were in the chassis in that it was constructied of 20 mm T-slot aluminum members to save weight over the minimim, that I could find, 1 inch English sections. That required that we use 5 mm and 3 mm threaded fasteners in the chassis contruction and to fasten parts to the chassis. However, the rest of the robot was constructed using English unit materials since those are sooooooooooooo much easier and cheaper to come by in the US.

Re: English or Metric?
 

I used to be wild about 1/4-20 but I've seen the weight factor. : :eek:

Re: English or Metric?
 

While I agree the metric system is "techincally" better, we didn't have the English system just to be "randomly" different. There's a lot of historical and economic pressure keeping it alive.

Re: English or Metric?
 

Wow! 5/8 bolts???? How do you ever get the robot to come in under weight?

Re: English or Metric?
 

Ok, 3/8 still seems like an excessively large bolt for a FIRST robot. I have trouble justifying 1/4-20 in most instances but I have a supply of them to use up. :D

Re: English or Metric?
 

you mean it would cost too much to change to metric?

Re: English or Metric?
 

Well, just ask NASA and their international counterparts the next time someone made a mistake using miles instead of kilometers when calculating the distance to the moon, etc. (Which by the way happened not so long ago, can't remember exactly what happened but it came down to the fact that someone put a distance in miles in a calculation where kilometers were to be put in.)

On topic: I would personally favor the metric system, but I could live with it if there would be only ONE system.

I guess we just have to live with that.

Re: English or Metric?
 

IIRC it meant they didn't put enough fuel in ?

Re: English or Metric?
 

I guess my team is odd 'cause we use both .... :)

Re: English or Metric?
 

HOT is anything but odd.

Anyways,

Denman using the imperial system would cost a lot to switch and many americans i.e. the ones who don't build stuff on a regular basis or don't know the metric system, think that its a waste of time (which it definitely is not.) Also, the US tried switching before (at least thats what I've been told) but it just kinda fell through. Not to mention the Imperial system is based on 12 (a number the ancients considered magical because it could be divided by 2,3,4,and 6.)

Re: English or Metric?
 

Yeah. hink of it this way. There are many companies that use the American standard for all their parts. Car manufactures not being the least. Trying to change to a different standard would mean that the oder cars would be hard to support, using American instead of Metric, and all their current parts would be next to useless because they need to change. That's a ton of american bolts that now don't have a home. That is a ton of wasted money in the eyes of companies. The metric system is gradually more pervasive and I think that eventually the tides will change and it will be metric (or what ever they will call it). But I don't expect it to happen in my lifetime. But it might get better.