SAE-TSB-003-Rules-for-SAE-Use-of-SI-(Metric)-Units

SAETechnicalStandardsBoardRulesprovidethat:“ThisreportispublishedbySAEtoadvancethestateoftechnicalandengineeringsciences.Theuseofthisreportisentirelyvoluntary,anditsapplicabilityandsuitabilityforanyparticularuse,includinganypatentinfringementarisingtherefrom,isthesoleresponsibilityoftheuser.”SAEreviewseachtechnicalreportatleasteveryfiveyearsatwhichtimeitmaybereaffirmed,revised,orcancelled.SAEinvitesyourwrittencommentsandsuggestions.QUESTIONSREGARDINGTHISDOCUMENT:[phone]FAX:[phone]TOPLACEADOCUMENTORDER;[phone]FAX:[phone]SAEWEBADDRESS(Metric)UnitsForeword—SIdenotesTheInternationalSystemofUnits(LeSystèmeInternationald’Unités).SIwasestablishedin1960,undertheTreatyoftheMeter,byResolutionsandRecommendationsoftheGeneralConferenceonWeightsandMeasures(ConférenceGénéraledesPoidsetMesures,CGPM)andtheInternationalCommitteeforWeightsandMeasures(ComitéInternationaldesPoidsetMesures,CIPM)onTheInternationalSystemofUnits.TheabbreviationSIisusedinalllanguages.In1969,theSAEBoardofDirectorsissuedadirectivethatSAEwillincludeSIunitsinSAEStandardsandothertechnicalreports.Duringtheensuingseveraldecades,SAEmetricpolicyevolvedandimplementationprogressed.TheSAE’scurrentmetricpolicyis,OperatingBoardsshallnotuseanyweightsandmeasuressystemotherthanmetric(SI),exceptwhenconversionisnotpractical,orwhereaconflictingworldindustrypracticeexists.PrincipaldrivingforcesforSAEmetricationwere:worldwidemovementtometricunits;enactmentofUnitedStatesFederalmetriclegislationandtheresultantnationalmetricationactivity;theinternationaltrendinindustryandbusinessthroughouttheworld,andthegrowinginternationalscopeofSAE.Currently,thewidespread,strongsupportforinternationalstandardsharmonizationisanotherkeymotivatingfactorintheglobalmetricationmovement.TSB003(formerlySAEJ916)hasbeenupdatedperiodically,toreflectSAEmetricpolicyevolution—aswellasdevelopmentsinthespecific,formalcontentofSI;andinthecorrect,consistentusageandapplicationofSI...whichsometimesisreferredtoasthemodernversionofthemetricmeasurementsystem.ThecontentofTSB003isconsistentwithinternationalandU.S.nationalauthoritativeresourcedocumentsforSI—suchas:NISTSP330;IEEE/ASTM/ANSISI10;theU.S.FederalRegisterNotice,MetricSystemofMeasurement;andISO1000.ForadditionalinformationonSI,seeSection2ofthisdocument.Throughoutthisdocument,SIisintendedtoincluderecognizedSIunits,asestablishedbyCGPM,andalimitednumberofotherunitsthat,formally,arenotSIunits.Thereasonisthat:SIformsthefoundationofinternationalstandardization;butitisrecognizedworldwidethatcertainexceptionsarerequired.Forexample,thedegree(ofplaneangle),theminute,andthehour,arenon-SIunits.ItisthepurposeofthisdocumenttoprovideguidanceandfurtherreferencesonSImetricpracticeforSAEuse;and,also,togiveguidanceconcerningacceptableuseofnon-SIunitsinSAEpractice.CopyrightSAEInternationalProvidedbyIHSunderlicensewithSAELicensee=FederalExpressCorp/2000000100NotforResale,10/11/201001:23:01MDTNoreproductionornetworkingpermittedwithoutlicensefromIHS--`,```,,,,```,``````,,`,`,`````-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---SAETSB003RevisedMAY1999-2-TABLEOFCONTENTS1.Scope........................................................................................................................................................22.References...............................................................................................................................................32.1ApplicablePublications.............................................................................................................................32.2RelatedPublications.................................................................................................................................33.Definitions.................................................................................................................................................44.SAEMetricPolicy.....................................................................................................................................45.MeasurementUnitsApprovedforSAEUse.............................................................................................46.UnitsNotApprovedforUse......................................................................................................................57.RulesforUseofSIUnits..........................................................................................................................58.Notes......................................................................................................................................................10APPENDIXAMethodsforApplyingSIinTablesandGraphs...................................................................................11APPENDIXBAp