Convert Handbreadth (handbreadth) to Microinch (µin) instantly.
About these units
Handbreadth (handbreadth)
The handbreadth, roughly 0.1 meter, represents the width of a human hand with fingers extended. It served as a convenient, body-based subunit for cubits and larger measures. Handbreadths were integral to construction, tailoring, and craftwork, allowing precise division of larger units into manageable increments. In ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Hebrew measurement systems, the handbreadth facilitated scaling and proportioning for artisans and builders. Today, the handbreadth is mainly of historical interest, helping reconstruct ancient architectural plans and understand the human-centered logic of early measurement systems.
Microinch (µin)
A microinch is one-millionth of an inch, approximately 2.54 × 10⁻⁸ meters. It is a precision unit used primarily in engineering, machining, and electronics. Microinches allow engineers to describe tolerances, surface roughness, and component dimensions with extreme accuracy. This is especially relevant in semiconductor manufacturing and microelectronics, where deviations of just a few microinches can impact performance. Although rarely encountered outside technical fields, the microinch demonstrates the need for highly granular units in modern technology, bridging the gap between traditional inches and nanometer-scale measurements.