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Torque Conversion Calculator (Nm to lbf-ft and More)

Torque specifications arrive in N-m from European drawings, lbf-ft from US maintenance manuals, lbf-in on small fasteners and kgf-m or kgf-cm on older Japanese documents. This calculator converts between all of them with standard factors.

Your numbers

Torque value

The number as written on the drawing or work instruction.

Convert from

Your results

Newton-metre (N-m)

100

Pound-foot (lbf-ft)

73.7562

Pound-inch (lbf-in)

885.0748

Kilogram-force metre (kgf-m)

10.1972

Kilogram-force centimetre (kgf-cm)

1,019.7162

Ounce-force inch (ozf-in)

14,161.1969

Newton-centimetre (N-cm)

10,000

Conversion only. Always follow the torque value, lubrication condition and tightening sequence in the approved drawing or manufacturer procedure.

Save results:

N-m and lbf-ft for the same torque

Sweeps Torque value from 10 to 500, holding your other inputs fixed.

Work instruction unit audit

Optional: we can scan routing and work instruction text for mixed torque units.

Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.

How to use the calculator

Enter the torque value, pick the unit it is written in, and read every other unit in the results. The two primary outputs are N-m and lbf-ft, which cover most shop floors. The chart shows the linear relationship between the two, which is useful for creating a quick lookup card at an assembly station. Update your work instruction with the converted value and note the original unit so auditors can trace the source.

Check the unit label twice: lbf-in and lbf-ft differ by a factor of 12
N-cm is common on small electronics screws
kgf-m appears on older Japanese equipment manuals
Round to the resolution of your torque tool

Conversion factors used

One lbf-ft equals 1.3558179 N-m. One lbf-in equals 0.1129848 N-m. One kgf-m equals 9.80665 N-m, since a kilogram-force is defined with standard gravity. One ozf-in equals 0.00706155 N-m, and one N-cm equals 0.01 N-m. All other units are computed from N-m, so there is no accumulated rounding between steps.

Worked example

A US maintenance card calls for 85 lbf-ft on a wheel stud. Enter 85 with lbf-ft selected to get 115.2 N-m, which you can round to 115 N-m for a click-type wrench. A small instrument screw at 10 lbf-in converts to 1.13 N-m, or 113 N-cm. Remember that a rounded value must still sit inside the tolerance band on your torque tool, normally plus or minus 4 percent for class II click wrenches under ISO 6789.

Common mistakes

The most expensive mistake is a wrong foot-inch confusion, which gives a twelve-fold error. Others include applying a dry torque to a lubricated thread, converting a torque-angle spec as if it were a single torque, and rounding too aggressively on small fasteners. Where torque is a controlled characteristic, record both the original and the converted value in the control plan.

Torque-plus-angle specs must not be converted as a single value
Lubrication changes achieved clamp load for the same torque
Verify wrench calibration range covers the converted value
Document the source unit in the work instruction

Frequently Asked Questions

How many N-m is 1 lbf-ft?

One pound-foot equals 1.3558179 Newton-metres. As a quick rule, multiply lbf-ft by 1.356 to get N-m, or multiply N-m by 0.7376 to get lbf-ft.

How do I convert in-lb to N-m?

Multiply inch-pounds by 0.1129848 to get Newton-metres. For example, 100 in-lb is 11.3 N-m. Divide by 12 first if you need pound-feet.

Is kgf-m the same as N-m?

No. One kgf-m equals 9.80665 N-m. Older Japanese and Korean documents often use kgf-m or kgf-cm, so converting without the factor produces a value nearly ten times too small.

Can I convert a torque-angle specification?

Only the torque portion converts. The angle is unitless in degrees and stays as written. Many angle-controlled joints also require new or lubricated fasteners, which a unit conversion does not address.

If your ERP or MES holds torque specs in mixed units, Netray can help build a read-only check across routings and work instructions. Ask for a scoping call.

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