Andy
No math formula is needed.
You can do this with a 'brute-force' solution. By adding in 'alternate units', and scaling appropriately, you can do what you've asked.
If you need a +/- or such, you can put that on the prefix for the alternate dimensional units
curmudgeon
...is always a very touchy topic. An (overly) simplified method is to look at your next best alternative rates available. In other words, are you *borrowing* money? - -then use the rates that you get from your financing institution(s). Or are you looking at value of doing a project? - -Then...
First - -go look at what is in the plant now.
Second - - talk to the people that use the jigs/fixtures IN the plant (especially the foremen - - who hear the gripes, and usually have worked each of the areas)
Ask questions. What works right? What doesn't? What else is wanted/needed ?
Third -...
I *really* hesitate to suggest this, but is it possible that you can live with a 'template' for the ellipse? In other words, what accuracy is required?
Could a simple (metal, wood, paper ?) template suffice?
If so, you can have a discussion with your better shop-guy(s) and have one template...
and a couple more pennies....
If, on the other hand, your upper management is too short-sighted to understand that cluttered prints scattered hither and yon is a 'Bad Thing' - - then co-operate with them. Fully. Horribly.
Make sure the prints are hideously un-readable with the...
...Inspectors figure out the process for themselves.
Might I suggest that there is at least one other - -much less stressful solution?
C. Create *seperate* Inspection Prints for the Inspection department. You might easily do this by two methods (depending upon your internal needs).
First...
This may be waaaaay too simple, but check to see if your Outer walls are on the Defpoint layer, by any chance.
(Defpoints, if you didn't already know, doesn't show up on prints. By design)
Curmudgeon
I've used 0.2835 lbs per cubic inch for years for steel. But I've seen that various vendors use numbers that vary from 0.277 to 0.29 lbs per in^3
Your mileage may vary.
Curmudgeon
code blue,
Be sure you 'explode' the part(s) you copy to your new drawing. Otherwise, they will be a unit block, and the old layers will remain.
Curmudgeon
BillBirch
Sometimes, having a picture you can point to (like in a Chinese restraunt) can save a lot of time when discussing things 'across a language barrier'.
The catalogs are a handy item on the shelf -- especially when the computer system goes down.
Curmudgeon
...of the other engineers and draftsmen seemed to be concerned - -'oh, that just shows up..'
It took a while to determine the cause. Whenever an *ellipse* is created in AutoCAD (14 at least -- - - dunno about 2000 or 2002), a 'unit circle' block is needed (and created if it isn't already in...
caddepot has a few very good 3D (dxf) men and women.
(all are wire-frame, of course)
I garnered a good 'standing man' (in a work-uniform) with his sitting twin. Also, several odds and ends for females - - though most were apparantly done by wishful teenagers fantasizing about naked Playboy...
Excellent suggestion, peterson!
I've used McMaster-Carr for much the same purpose. Also, Grainger catalog is good general-purpose catalog(s), and they also have some 'local' stop-in stores. Yeah, they're pretty pricey also - - but sometimes you need that darn thing (whatever it is) yesterday...
An English-version Machinery's Handbook would be a good general purpose book, which you will be able to use for this purpose, and for it's 'normal' uses.
Curmudgeon
Viktor
Almost certainly better than talking to the sales reps - - try talking to the fellows in your shop. Find out who they listen to about machining, tools, etc. It may be that one quiet fellow working off to the side. It might be a vendor/rep that they've come to trust over several years...
...buried in cozy offices, or the unrealistic fantasies of managers with no engineering back-ground, continually striving to make sure that *first*, above all things, my designs didn't kill or injure people, and *second*, that they worked. I found myself crying when a single worker was killed...
As a somewhat over-simplified answer:
The mechanical advantage gained from a -set- of pulleys (such as a block and tackle) will most commonly be determined as follows:
'cut through' the center of all the cables - and count how many total cables (N) are being used (including the 'input' cable)...
You should NOT be attempting this job without the services of an (on-site or contract) HVAC engineer.
It would probably not be wise for myself (or others) to try to answer such a question without seeing the specific situation. Too many 'small' factors could have a big effect upon the issue...
KSF - it sounds like you have it in-hand, and that you are aware of the tightness of your constraints. As a matter of curiosity - let us know how the project goes, and what areas create(d) problems.
As words of advice - - do a dry-run walk-through or two with the actual crewmen you intend to...
