Unit 29 Correlative Tolerances Co planarity and Symmetry

COPLANARITY AND SYMMETRY Correlative geometrical tolerancing refers to tolerancing for the control of two or more features, intended to be correlated in position or attitude. Examples of such correlated tolerancing include coplanarity, for control of two or more flat surfaces; symmetry, for control of features equally disposed about a center line; concentricity and coaxiality, for control of features having common axes or center lines; and runout, for control of surfaces related to an axis. These are all tolerances of location, for which the positional symbol and positional tolerances could be used. Special symbols, however, have been provided for some of them to clarify and simplify drawing callout requirements. When position is to be separately controlled other form or orientation tolerances may be applied to control the correlation of features, as explained in this and subsequent work units. COPLANARITY Co planarity refers to the relative position of two or more flat surfaces, which are intended to lie in the same geometrical plane. No special symbol exists for coplanarity. There are several methods of tolerancing. Either the symbol for position or the symbol for flatness may be used, depending on the type of control required.

FIG.29-1. SURFACES CO PLANAR WITH DATUM SURFACE APPLICATIONS Fig.29-1 illustrates a suitable method of tolerancing when one or more surfaces are required to be coplanar with a principal surface, which is then specified as a datum feature. Here the tolerance controls orientation and flatness of the toleranced surfaces within the same limits, but does not control flatness of the datum feature surface. The position of the surfaces in relation to the base or other features of the part must be separately dimensioned and toleranced, as shown by the 25mm dimension.

Fig.29-2 shows a case where coplanar surfaces are also required to be accurately located and parallel to another surface of a part, which is then designated as a datum feature. In this case, the datum and the controlled surfaces must be associated by a basic dimension. Although the positional tolerance applies separately to each surface, the tolerance zones are of equal width, and are each parallel to and at equal distances from the datum surface. This condition results essentially in one tolerance zone within which the surfaces must lie simultaneously. The positional tolerance controls orientation and form (parallelism and flatness) of both surfaces within the same limits. It is sometimes necessary to reference surfaces to a datum system instead of to a single datum surface. This occurs when it is necessary to control coplanar surfaces perpendicular to a datum instead of parallel to it. Fig.29-3 shows a case where the coplanar surfaces are required to be perpendicular to the axis of a hole.

FIG.29-2 COPLANAR SURFACES PARALLEL TO A DATUM

FIG.29-3 SURFACE REFERENCED TO A DATUM SYSTEM SIMULTANEOUS REQUIREMENTS If it is necessary to hold coplanarity of two or more surfaces within close limits but permit a greater variation in the position of the surfaces in relation to other features of the part, two methods of tolerancing may be sued. Both give the same results.

FIG.29-4 COPLANARITY CONTROLLED BY POSITION OR FLATNESS The surfaces may be positioned relative to one another, using the symbol for position, as shown in the upper view of Fig29-4. Alternatively they may be treated as one flat surface, using a flatness tolerance and symbol as shown in the lower view. The word SIMULATANEOUS must be added beneath the feature control symbol. Otherwise the tolerance would apply separately to each surface, and would control their flatness but would not ensure that they were in the same plane. A profile symbol may also be used instead of the flatness symbol without affecting the interpretation in the least. Measurement of coplanarity of these parts is made in the same manner as for flatness of a single surface, as explained in Unit 8. A parallelism tolerance is sometimes used for coplanar surfaces, as shown in Fig.29-5. Such a tolerance only controls parallelism and flatness of the surfaces. Their positions may vary anywhere within the tolerance zone for position specified by the toleranced dimension.

FIG.29-5 PARALLELISM TOLERANCE FOR COPLANAR SURFACES

OTHER CORRELATED SURFACES Many features other than flat surfaces may be correlated if they have line elements in a single direction in the same straight or circular line. It is often possible to control such features using controls similar to those applied to coplanar surfaces. Either a positional tolerance or a simultaneous form tolerance may be used, depending on the type of control required. Fig.29-6 gives a few examples.

FIG.29-6 TOLERANCING CORRELATED SURFACES SYMMETRY DEFINITION Symmetry is a condition in which a feature or features are symmetrically disposed about a centerline or center plane of another feature. The centerline or plane of the second feature is usually specified as a datum. A symmetry tolerance specifies the width of a tolerance zone. This width is the area between two parallel lines or the space between two parallel planes equally disposed about the datum axis or median plane. Symmetry is therefore a special case of position. The advantage of using the symmetry symbol rather than the position symbol is that it indicates that the true position is symmetrical and often eliminates the need for basic dimensions to correlate the position of the features. Thus it serves the same purpose for noncylindrical features as concentricity sever for circular features.

SYMBOL The geometric characteristic symbol for symmetry consists of three horizontal lines, as shown in Fig.29-7. The dimensions refer to percentages of the feature control symbol frame height.

FIG 29-7 SYMMETRY YMBOL APPLICATIONS RFS Fig29-8 shows a simple example in which a slot is intended to be symmetrical with the overall width of the part, which in turn in specified as the datum. Note that it is not necessary to show a true position dimension for the slot or equal dimensions from the sides of the slot to the sides of the part, which might be deemed necessary if a positional tolerance were used.

FIG 29-8 SYMMETRY TOLERANCE The interpretation, shown in Fig.29-9, shows the tolerance zone equally disposed about the centerline or median plane of the datum feature. Theoretically this centerline or median plane of the datum feature is perfectly straight and true, being based only on the high spots of the feature resting on the datum surfaces. The centerline of each controlled feature is influenced by any errors of form or orientation of the surfaces. However, the width of the tolerance zone remains the same for each part, regardless of the actual size of the feature or of the datum feature.

FIG 29-9 SYMMETRY TOLERANCE ZONE

MEASURING PRINCIPLE One surface of the datum feature is laid directly on a surface plate, as shown in Fig.29-11. Measurements are made from the datum surface to one side of the slot. The highest and lowest readings are noted. The part is then revolved 180 , so that the other surface of the datum feature rests on the surface plate and measurements are made to the other surface of the slot. The difference between the highest and lowest of all of the measurements constitutes the symmetry error, which must not exceed the specified tolerance. This method assumes that the two faces of the datum feature are parallel, so that the median datum plane will be parallel to the surface plate. If this is not the case it will be necessary to use some form of centralizing device.

FIG 29-10 SOME EXTREME BUT PERMISSIBLE VARIATIONS FURTHER EXAMPLES RFS 1. Fig.29-12 shows a part with two slots, one of which is designed as a datum feature. For measuring purposes the part is measured similar to the method shown in Fig.29-11, except that it is supported on one side of the datum slot while measurements are made to the other slot, as shown in Fig.29-13. Fig.29-14 shows a part in which a hole is required to be symmetrical with the sides of the part as well as perpendicular to the face of the part. Measurement can be made, by fitting the hole with a closefitting mandrel and supporting the part against an angle plate, representing datum A, as shown in Fig.29-15. The part must also touch the surface plate along its length. The height is then measured from the surface plate over the mandrel at the points where the mandrel enters the hole, shown as points C and D. Because the angle plate would interfere with measurements attempted at D, readings are taken at two points on the mandrel, separated by a distance W, equal to the width of the part, as shown in Fig.29-16. Height measurements for the hole are then calculated from the formulae shown, paying particular attention to the mathematical signs in each case. For example, if E is larger than F, (F-E) becomes a negative quantity, and the second formula becomes D=C (E-F). The part is then revolved 180 and measurements repeated with surface resting on the surface plate. The maximum difference between any of the four measurements represents the symmetry error.

2.

FIG 29-11 MEASURING PRINCIPLE

FIG 29-12 SYMMETRY OF TWO SLOTS

FIG 29-13 MEASUREMENT OF PART PER FIG 29-12

` 3.

FIG 29-14 SYMMETRY OF HOLE WITH SIDES OF PART Symmetry can also be applied to parts with circular datums, such as the part shown in Fig.2917. For measuring purposes the small hole is fitted with a suitable mandrel. Measurements are, then made between the mandrel and the sides of the datum hole, such as by inserting gaging pins as shown in the Fig. The difference between sizes B and C represents the symmetry error. Note, however, that this method is precise only if the datum hole has no roundness errors, particularly odd number lobing, which might increase or decrease the apparent symmetry error.

FIG.29-15 MEASURING PRINCIPLE FOR FIG.29-1

FIG 29-16 HEIGHT CALCULATIONS

FIG 29-17 SYMMETRY WITH A CIRCULAR DATUM APPLICATION ON AN MMC BASIS Whenever possible symmetry should be specified on an MMC basis. Such specification solves most of the measurement problems by permitting use of suitable functional GO gages. Some examples of parts toleranced on this basis, with suitable gaging principles, are shown in Fig.29-18 to 29-23, inclusive.

FIG 29-18

FIG 29-19

FIG 29-20

FIG 29-21

FIG 29-22

FIG 29-23