Metric Publications - Archived Documents
These documents are available only in electronic format.
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| Metric Program Publications |
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A Metric America: "A Decision Whose Time Has Come"-For Real (NISTIR 4858) (1992)
The Metric Conversion Act of 1975 (amended in 1988) and a 1991 Presidential Executive Order provide both the rationale and the mandate for transition to the use of metric units. Federal agencies are developing and implementing metric transition plans, cooperating on mutual concerns, and working with industry and user groups to establish realistic schedules for change. |
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Metrication: An Economic Wakeup Call for U.S. Industry (NISTIR 5154) (1993)
As the international standard of measurement, the metric system is one key to success in the global marketplace. International standards have become an important factor in international economic competition. Non-metric products are becoming increasingly unacceptable in world markets that favor metric products. Procurement is the primary federal tool for encouraging and helping U.S. industry to convert voluntarily to the metric system. Besides the perceived unwillingness of the customer, certain regulatory language, and certain legal definitions in some states, there are no major impediments to conversion of the remaining non-metric industries to metric usage. Instead, there are good reasons for changing, including an opportunity to rethink many industry standards and to take advantage of size standardization. Also, when the remaining industries adopt the metric system, they will come into conformance with federal agencies engaged in similar activities. |
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A Metric for Success (NISTIR 5425) (1994)
The federal agencies are working to partner with industry to ease adoption of the metric system. The goal is to help U.S. industry to compete more successfully in the global marketplace, increase exports, and create new jobs. The strategy is to use federal procurement, financial assistance, and other business-related activities to encourage voluntary conversion. Based upon the positive experiences of firms and industries that have converted, federal agencies have concluded that metric use will yield long-term benefits that are beyond any one-time costs or inconveniences. It may be time for additional steps to move the National out of its dual-system comfort zone and to continue the progress toward metrication. Report includes "Metric Highlights in U.S. History." |
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The Metric Path to Global Markets and New Jobs:A Question-and-Answer and Thematic Discussion (NISTIR 5463)
The logic for use of the metric system in the United States is strongestwhen metric use is viewed as an element of our national economicinfrastructure, as an investment in efficiency, and as a necessityfor international competitiveness. The Q&A format provides answersfor some of the most often asked metric questions. The thematicdiscussion offers brief answers to often discussed topic areas.
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Report to the Congress "A Metric America - A decision whose time has come" (NBS SP 345) - This is the first U.S. Metric Study conducted by the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards, July 1971. |
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A History of the Metric System Controversy in the United States (NBS SP 345-10) - U.S. Metric Study Interim Report conducted by the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards, August 1971. |
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ContactMP
For technical questionsconcerning the Metric Program, contact us:
Laws & Metric Group,Weights and Measures Division, NIST, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 2600,Gaithersburg, MD 20899-2600
Phone: (301) 975-4004, Fax: (301) 975-8091, Email: TheSI@nist.gov
Date Created: August 13, 2002
Date Last Modified: October 4, 2006
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