What is the difference between SWG and AWG?

SWG (Standard Wire Gauge) is the British-origin system used in India for sheet metal and general-purpose wire. AWG (American Wire Gauge) is the US standard used worldwide for electrical cables including Indian wiring. For any given gauge number, SWG is thicker than AWG. Example: 14 SWG = 2.032 mm, 14 AWG = 1.628 mm.

18 gauge MS sheet ki thickness?

18 SWG = 1.219 mm. Yeh mild steel sheet ki light-duty thickness hai — commonly used ducting, enclosures, aur light fabrication mein.

How is AWG calculated?

The AWG formula is d (mm) = 0.127 × 92^((36 − n) / 39). This gives 14 AWG = 1.628 mm, 18 AWG = 1.024 mm, 20 AWG = 0.812 mm. Each 6-gauge step roughly doubles (or halves) the cross-sectional area.

Which gauge should I use for house wiring in India?

BIS-standard Indian house wiring: 1 sq.mm copper for 5A light circuits (≈18 AWG), 1.5 sq.mm for 10A general circuits (≈15 AWG), 2.5 sq.mm for 15A power / AC (≈13 AWG), 4 sq.mm for 20A water heater (≈11 AWG), 6 sq.mm for meter service (≈9 AWG). Always use an ISI-marked cable.

Where can I buy graded MS sheet and wire in Noida?

Shri Narayan Machinery LLP stocks fasteners, wire, hand tools, and related consumables. For large structural steel sheet, we can source to your SWG specification — call +91-9811104037.

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Gauge to MM Converter (SWG, BWG, AWG)

Convert SWG, BWG, and AWG gauge numbers to millimetres

शीट मेटल और wire के लिए SWG / BWG / AWG को mm में बदलें

Quick Overview

Gauge numbers are used across India to describe sheet metal thickness and wire diameter — always inversely (higher gauge number means thinner material). SWG (Standard Wire Gauge, British origin) is the most common in Indian sheet metal and general fabrication: 1 SWG is 7.620 mm thick, 16 SWG is 1.626 mm, and 22 SWG is 0.711 mm. BWG (Birmingham Wire Gauge) is used for heat-exchanger tubing, boiler tubes, and some pipes — values differ slightly from SWG. AWG (American Wire Gauge) is the standard for electrical cables everywhere, including Indian house wiring and panel boards: 10 AWG is 2.588 mm, 14 AWG is 1.628 mm, 18 AWG is 1.024 mm. The AWG formula is d(mm) = 0.127 × 92^((36−n)/39). This converter supports all three gauge systems and returns thickness in both mm and inches.

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Gauge system(Gauge सिस्टम)

Gauge number(Gauge नंबर)

SWG

SWG range: 1 to 40 (higher = thinner)

16 SWG

1.626mm

Also

0.0640inch

SWG is a lookup table standardised in the 1800s. No closed-form formula.

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ƒFormula

AWG: d(mm) = 0.127 × 92^((36 − n) / 39) | SWG & BWG: use standard lookup tables (historical values)

Only AWG has a closed-form mathematical formula. SWG was standardised by the British in 1884 and BWG by Birmingham steel mills in the 1800s — both are fixed tables of values. Our converter uses the official tables for SWG and BWG, and the AWG formula for electrical wire.

Units: Thickness / diameter: millimetre (mm) · inch (optional output)

Gauge kya hota hai? Sheet metal aur wire mein kaise use hota hai?

Gauge number sheet metal ki motaai (thickness) aur wire ki diameter batane ke liye use hota hai — lekin ulti logic ke saath: gauge number jitna zyada, material utna patla. Indian hardware mein SWG (Standard Wire Gauge) sabse common hai — MS sheet, GI sheet, chadar, aur general fabrication wire sab SWG mein sold hote hain. Electrical wiring AWG mein hoti hai (American standard, lekin India mein bhi use hota hai). BWG mostly boiler tubes aur heat exchangers ke liye hai. Ek common confusion: '16 gauge' kehne se SWG, BWG, ya AWG — teeno ka thickness thoda alag hota hai, isliye hamesha gauge system clearly bolna chahiye.

उदाहरण / Example: Example: '18 SWG ki MS sheet' ka matlab 1.219 mm thick mild steel sheet. '14 AWG copper wire' ka matlab 1.628 mm diameter ka electrical wire — yeh 15A tak load handle kar sakta hai.

Worked Examples

Buying MS sheet for a fabrication job

Problem: Your drawing specifies '16 SWG MS sheet'. What thickness is that?

Solution: 16 SWG = 1.626 mm. Common Indian MS sheet sizes are 14 SWG (2.032 mm — heavy), 16 SWG (1.626 mm — medium), 18 SWG (1.219 mm — light), 20 SWG (0.914 mm — thin). Confirm with the supplier which gauge system they price in.

Matching electrical cable for a 15A line

Problem: An electrician says 'use 14 gauge wire'. What mm is that and is it SWG or AWG?

Solution: In Indian electrical work, 'gauge' for copper wire usually means AWG. 14 AWG = 1.628 mm, rated for ~15 A. If someone meant 14 SWG = 2.032 mm — that would be overkill for a 15 A line but OK. Always ask specifically which gauge system.

Comparing SWG vs AWG for the same nominal number

Problem: How different are 18 SWG and 18 AWG?

Solution: 18 SWG = 1.219 mm. 18 AWG = 1.024 mm. They differ by 20%. For sheet metal fabrication always use SWG; for electrical wire always use AWG. Mixing them causes under-sized or over-spent materials.

SWG, BWG, AWG to MM — Full Comparison Chart

SWG, BWG, AWG chart — mm में thickness

Gauge No.	SWG (mm)	BWG (mm)	AWG (mm)	Typical Use
1	7.620	7.620	7.348	Heavy bar, thick plate
4	5.893	6.045	5.189	Structural wire
6	4.877	5.156	4.115	Heavy welding rod
8	4.064	4.191	3.264	Fencing wire, heavy cable
10	3.251	3.404	2.588	Electrical service wire
12	2.642	2.769	2.053	House circuit wiring (15–20A)
14	2.032	2.108	1.628	15A wiring (AWG); heavy MS sheet (SWG)
16	1.626	1.651	1.291	Medium MS sheet, general fabrication
18	1.219	1.245	1.024	Light MS sheet, GI sheet, 10A wire
20	0.914	0.889	0.812	Thin GI sheet, doorbell wire
22	0.711	0.711	0.644	Very thin sheet, speaker wire
24	0.559	0.559	0.511	Foil-grade sheet, fine wire
26	0.457	0.457	0.405	Craft wire, spring wire
28	0.376	0.356	0.321	Very fine wire
30	0.315	0.305	0.255	Jewellery, winding wire

SWG is the default in Indian hardware. Always confirm which gauge system your supplier is quoting — especially for borderline sizes like 14 and 18 gauge, where SWG and AWG differ by 20%+.

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Frequently Asked Questions — Gauge to MM Converter (SWG, BWG, AWG)

16 SWG = 1.626 mm (Indian sheet metal default). 16 BWG = 1.651 mm (boiler tubes). 16 AWG = 1.291 mm (electrical wire). Always specify the gauge system — 'just gauge' is ambiguous.

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Our team at Shri Narayan Machinery has been supplying industrial parts in Noida for years. Tell us what you are building — we'll recommend the right cylinder, bearing, bolt, belt, or drill for your application.

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