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=  Measurement Systems =
 * This assignment provides an overview of systems of measurement as well as a fundamental base for of the conventions and standards of measurement in design. ****Please read the information provided below and answer the questions on the handout sheet provided. **

ASSIGNMENT- DUE DATE - MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13TH, 2010



//Source: National Institute of Standards and Technology //
 * A Brief History of Measurement Systems **

Weights and measures were among the earliest tools invented by man. Primitive societies needed rudimentary measures for many tasks: constructing dwellings of an appropriate size and shape, fashioning clothing and bartering food or raw materials.

Man understandably turned first to parts of his body and his natural surroundings for measuring instruments. Early Babylonian and Egyptian records, and the Bible, indicate that length was first measured with the forearm, hand, or finger and that time was measured by the periods of the sun, moon, and other heavenly bodies. When it was necessary to compare the capacities of containers such as gourds or clay or metal vessels, they were filled with plant seeds that were then counted to measure the volumes. With the development of scales as a means for weighing, seeds and stones served as standards. For instance, the "carat," still used as a mass unit for gems, is derived from the carob seed.

As societies evolved, measurements became more complex. The invention of numbering systems and the science of mathematics made it possible to create whole systems of measurement units suited to trade and commerce, land division, taxation, and scientific research. For these more sophisticated uses, it was necessary not only to weigh and measure more complex things it was also necessary to do it accurately time after time and in different places. However, with limited international exchange of goods and communication of ideas, it is not surprising that different systems for the same purpose developed and became established in different parts of the world - even in different parts of the same country.

**The Imperial System**  The imperial measurement system commonly used today is nearly the same as that brought by the colonists from England. These measures had their origins in a variety of cultures –Babylonian, Egyptian, Roman, Anglo-Saxon, and Norman French. The ancient (6)"digit," (3)"palm," (4)"span" and "cubic" units of length slowly lost preference to the length units "inch," "foot," and "yard."

Roman contributions include the use of 12 as a base number (the foot is divided into 12 inches) and the words from which we derive many of our present measurement unit names. For example, the 12 divisions of the Roman "pes," or foot were called unciae. Our words "inch" and "ounce" are both derived from that Latin word.

The "yard" as a measure of length can be traced back to early Saxon kings. They wore a sash or girdle around the waist that could be removed and used as a convenient measuring device. The word "yard" comes from the Saxon word "gird" meaning the circumference of a person’s waist. Standardizing various units and combining them into loosely related systems of measurement units sometimes occurred in fascinating ways. Tradition holds that King Henry I decreed that a yard should be the distance from the tip of his nose to the end of his outstretched thumb. The length of a furlong (or furrow-long) was established by early Tudor rulers as 220 yards. This led Queen Elizabeth I to declare in the 16th century, that henceforth the traditional Roman mile of 5000 feet would be replaced by one of 5280 feet, making the mile exactly eight furlongs and providing a convenient relationship between the furlong and the mile.

**The Metric System** The need for a single worldwide coordinated measurement system was recognized over 300 years ago. In 1790, in the midst of the French Revolution, the National Assembly of France requested the French Academy of Sciences to "deduce an invariable standard for all the measures and all the weights." The Commission appointed by the Academy created a system that was, at once, simple and scientific. The unit of length was to be a portion of the Earth's circumference. Larger and smaller multiples of each unit were to be created by multiplying or dividing the basic units by 10 and its powers. This feature provided a great convenience to users of the system, by eliminating the need for such calculations as dividing by 16 (to convert ounces to pounds) or by 12 (to convert inches to feet). Similar calculations in the metric system could be performed simply by shifting the decimal point Thus, the metric system is a "base-10" or "decimal" system.

Although the metric system was not accepted with enthusiasm at first, adoption by other nations occurred steadily after France made its use compulsory in 1840. The standardized structure and decimal features of the metric system made it well suited for scientific and engineering work. Consequently, it is not surprising that the rapid spread of the system coincided with an age of rapid technological development. By 1900 a total of 35 nations -- including the major nations of continental Europe and most of South America -- had officially accepted the metric system.

**Standards of Measurement in Technological Design**

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**What do we measure in Tech Design?** Of particular interest to the study of Technological Design are measurements used to define spatial relationships between objects and forms. Over time, and as seen in various cultures, different systems developed to measure length and distance. Proportion is employed to create aesthetics in design and are often based on specific mathematical relationships. Ratio and scale is utilized to alter the size of something to represent it smaller than what it really is. Measurement is an important aspect of design and uses particular standards and conventions to convey information. Without proper measuring tools and systems in place, it is impossible to create meaningful forms, buildings and plan spaces and communities.

** What is a Standard? ** Standards are typically controlled by governmental agencies and provide an established system for measurements. Conventions however, vary from each individual trade or profession. For instance, in manufacturing many products need to be developed very precisely to ensure the functionally of a machine part, while an architect can work with greater tolerances in designing a building. Each will have their own conventional methods of measuring that from a part of their industry.

**Do we use Impe****rial or Metric in Tech Design?** Both. While Canada adapted the metric system in the 1970's governments have had to include both imperial and metric to accommodate different standards inherent to certain industries. Machinery made in Canada can be made up of both metric and imperial parts. Materials such as rough timber, drywall. plywood, fasteners, pipes and tubing are all sold largely imperial units. However, when architects and designers apply for building construction permits, many municipalities require metric dimensioning on all construction plans and details. Being able to interpret both metric and imperial is an important part of technological design. While many students understand metric, imperial is less known. Below is a link to a reference sheet on how to read an imperial ruler. [|Reading an Imperial Ruler.pdf]

**What type of Units are common in Tech Design?** For Imperial measurements feet and inches are typically used. The conventional method of denoting measurements are: (Single quotations are used for feet, separated by a hyphen, and double quotation marks to denote inches)
 * 4' - 6" **

In Metric typically millimeters, centimeters and metres are used. The conventional method of denoting measurements are:
 * 4.6m or 460cm or 4600mm **

**What is Drawing Scale and how is it used in Tech Design?** <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">An architectural or engineering drawing scale is a measuring tool commonly used in design. It provides units of measurement based on conventional drawing scales. Drawing scale refers to the size of the drawing relative to full scale and is represented by a ratio. There are both metric and imperial scale rulers available. An example of a scale in Imperial is: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">**1/4" = 1'-0"** <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">This means every 1/4" measured on a drawing represents 1'-0" in full scale

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">In Metric, scale is denoted by a ratio relative to full scale. For instance: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">**1:50** <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">This means that the drawing is 50 times smaller than full scale.

**How to Architect series - SCALE**

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**How do I know what scale to use?** **<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-weight: normal;">As mentioned in the video above, the scale will be dependent on what sheet size you are working with. This will inform you how much you need to reduce your drawing to fit on the sheet. Selecting a scale also depends on what information you are trying to convey. The chart below provides a guideline for choosing appropriate scales for both metric and imperial based on the type of information you want to display. NOTE: Imperial and Metric scales are not always equivalent. The scales shown are conventional to those typically shown on an architectural scale. **
 * ~ Documentation ||~ Metric ||~ Imperia l ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Detail Drawings || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">1:1 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Full Scale ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Detail Drawings || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">1:2 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Half Scale ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Detail Drawings || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">1:5 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">3" = 1'-0" ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Partial Plans, Details || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">1:10 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">1 1/2" = 1'-0" ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Partial Plans, Details || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">1:20 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">3/4" = 1'-0" ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Partial Plans, Details || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">1:25 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">1/2" = 1'-0" ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Floor Plans, Elevations || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">1:50 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">1/4" = 1'-0" ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Floor Plans, Elevations || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">1:100 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">1/8" = 1'-0" ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Floor Plans, Elevations || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">1:200 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">1/16" = 1'-0" ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Site Plans || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">1:250 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">1" = 20'-0" ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Site Plans || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">1:500 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">1" = 40'-0" ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Site Plans || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">1:1000 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">1" = 80'-0" ||


 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">ASSIGNMENT- DUE DATE - MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13TH, 2010 **

**TDJ4M/Nature of Measurement/Measurement Systems**