Standard wire gauge (SWG) to mm and mm2 converison calculator, chart and how to convert.
The n gauge wire's cross sercional area An in square millimeters (mm2) is equal to pi divided by 4 times the square wire diameter d in millimeters (mm):
An (mm2) = (π/4)×dn2
British Standard Wire Gauge is a unit for denoting wire size given by BS 3737:1964. It is also known as the Imperial Wire Gauge or British Standard Gauge. Use of SWG sizes has fallen greatly in popularity, but is still used as a measure of thickness in guitar strings and some electrical wire.
| SWG # | Diameter (mm) |
Area (mm2) |
|---|---|---|
| 7/0 | 12.700 | 126.6769 |
| 6/0 | 11.786 | 109.0921 |
| 5/0 | 10.973 | 94.5638 |
| 4/0 | 10.160 | 81.0732 |
| 3/0 | 9.449 | 70.1202 |
| 2/0 | 8.839 | 61.3643 |
| 0 | 8.230 | 53.1921 |
| 1 | 7.620 | 45.6037 |
| 2 | 7.010 | 38.5989 |
| 3 | 6.401 | 32.1780 |
| 4 | 5.893 | 27.2730 |
| 5 | 5.385 | 22.7735 |
| 6 | 4.877 | 18.6793 |
| 7 | 4.470 | 15.6958 |
| 8 | 4.064 | 12.9717 |
| 9 | 3.658 | 10.5071 |
| 10 | 3.251 | 8.3019 |
| 11 | 2.946 | 6.8183 |
| 12 | 2.642 | 5.4805 |
| 13 | 2.337 | 4.2888 |
| 14 | 2.032 | 3.2429 |
| 15 | 1.829 | 2.6268 |
| 16 | 1.626 | 2.0755 |
| 17 | 1.422 | 1.5890 |
| 18 | 1.219 | 1.1675 |
| 19 | 1.016 | 0.8107 |
| 20 | 0.914 | 0.6567 |
| 21 | 0.813 | 0.5189 |
| 22 | 0.711 | 0.3973 |
| 23 | 0.610 | 0.2919 |
| 24 | 0.559 | 0.2452 |
| 25 | 0.5080 | 0.2027 |
| 26 | 0.4572 | 0.1642 |
| 27 | 0.4166 | 0.1363 |
| 28 | 0.3759 | 0.1110 |
| 29 | 0.3454 | 0.0937 |
| 30 | 0.3150 | 0.0779 |
| 31 | 0.2946 | 0.0682 |
| 32 | 0.2743 | 0.0591 |
| 33 | 0.2540 | 0.0507 |
| 34 | 0.2337 | 0.0429 |
| 35 | 0.2134 | 0.0358 |
| 36 | 0.1930 | 0.0293 |
| 37 | 0.1727 | 0.0234 |
| 38 | 0.1524 | 0.0182 |
| 39 | 0.1321 | 0.0137 |
| 40 | 0.1219 | 0.0117 |
| 41 | 0.1118 | 0.0098 |
| 42 | 0.1016 | 0.0081 |
| 43 | 0.0914 | 0.0066 |
| 44 | 0.0813 | 0.0052 |
| 45 | 0.0711 | 0.0040 |
| 46 | 0.0610 | 0.0029 |
| 47 | 0.0508 | 0.0020 |
| 48 | 0.0406 | 0.0013 |
| 49 | 0.0305 | 0.0007 |
| 50 | 0.0254 | 0.0005 |
Converting between SWG and gauge size can be confusing. This complete guide to SWG conversion charts and gauge size calculators will make conversions easy. Learn everything you need to convert wire gauges and sheet metal thicknesses.
Standard wire gauge (SWG) is a British imperial standard for wire used extensively in the UK and British Commonwealth countries. It is not commonly used in the US, which has adopted the American Wire Gauge (AWG) system. Converting between the two systems is necessary when working with materials from different countries.
This guide covers everything you need to know about SWG sizes, SWG to metric conversions, SWG conversion charts, and using SWG conversion calculators to convert gauge sizes. Read on to learn how to easily convert SWG, gauge numbers, inches, and metric measurements.
Understanding SWG conversion is important for working with wire and sheet metal from British suppliers. The SWG system may be unfamiliar to those used to the AWG standard.
Learning the SWG system allows you to:
With the help of this guide and conversion tools, SWG sizes are easy to understand and convert to any system.
The Standard Wire Gauge system dates back to the 19th century and is based on imperial units. SWG uses gauge numbers to specify wire diameters and sheet metal thicknesses.
While obsolete in the US, SWG remains in use for wire and sheet metal in the UK and British commonwealth countries. It is important to understand when sourcing materials from British suppliers.
SWG gauge sizes can easily be converted to inches using a simple formula:
Diameter (in) = 0.005 * 92 raised to the power of (36 - SWG#)
For example, to find the inch size of 22 gauge SWG:
Diameter = 0.005 * 92 ^ (36 - 22) = 0.029 inches
Here are some common SWG gauge sizes converted to inch diameters:
Using the SWG to inch formula makes converting gauge numbers to imperial diameters simple.
Many specifications now use metric sizes rather than imperial inches. Converting SWG to millimeters is straightforward:
Diameter (mm) = (92 ^ (36 - SWG#)) / (92 * 39.37)
Let's convert 26 gauge SWG to millimeters:
Diameter = (92 ^ (36 - 26)) / (92 * 39.37) = 0.455 mm
Some common SWG sizes in millimeters are:
The SWG to mm formula makes converting to metric wire diameters and sheet thicknesses easy.
The easiest way to convert between SWG, inches, and mm is using an online SWG gauge converter tool like the one on this page.
Online converters allow you to:
Our free SWG and gauge conversion calculator makes conversions easy.
Simply enter the size and select the units to convert. The tool displays the equivalent gauge sizes in all units.
Online conversion calculators provide effortless SWG conversions anytime.
The SWG gauge system is commonly used to specify sheet metal thickness for steel, aluminum, and other metals.
The same SWG conversion formula and tools can be used to convert sheet metal thickness. For example:
Make sure to check metal thickness tolerances, which vary by material and gauge.
But overall, SWG sheet metal conversion is straightforward using the techniques in this guide.
Understanding the SWG system and metric/imperial conversion allows you to work with British metal specifications confidently. This guide provides all the key information needed for accurate SWG conversions.