Tolerance Stack-Up Notes

ES51 Graphics 4
Prof. Robert Howe

Each part has a tolerance; how do these add up when parts are assembled?

Approach: Consider the limiting tolerance of each part to find the limit of the overall
tolerance in each direction. In particular, consider each direction of misalignment
separately, and make each part dimension either its maximum or minimum size to
produce the maximum displacement of the assembly in that direction.

Example 1: An assembly of two L-shaped parts. How far out of alignment is the left
common edge, i.e., what is the tolerance for alignment of surfaces A and B?


Contact surface
between parts
when assembled
1.002
1.000
1.000
.997
A
B









Consider two cases:
(1) All tolerances are at their limits so that B is as far to the left as possible, and
(2) All tolerances are at their limits so that B is as far to the right as possible.

Case (1): Maximum left displacement of top part
Set the size of the lower part (with surface A) to its minimum size, so the upper part
is displaced to the right as little as possible.
Set the size of the upper part (with surface B) to its maximum size, so surface B is
displaced to the left as far as possible.
To calculate the displacement of B, assume that distances to the right are positive and that
surface A defines the zero point. Start at surface A, then add the distance from surface A
to the contact surface, then subtract the distance from the contact surface to surface B.


1
A
Contact surface
between parts
when assembled
Total Distance
-0.005
-1

.002

+.997
B








Case (2): Maximum right displacement of top part
Set the size of the lower part (with surface A) to its maximum size, so the upper part
is displaced to the right as far as possible.
Set the size of the upper part (with surface B) to its minimum size, so surface B is
displaced to the left as little as possible.
As above, to calculate the displacement of B, assume that distances to the right are
positive and that surface A defines the zero point. Start at surface A, then add the distance
to the contact surface, then subtract the distance from the contact surface to surface B.


Total Distance
0.000
+1.000
-1.000
A
B










Total tolerance on the alignment between A and B is then .
+.000
-.005
Note that this does not include misalignment due to tolerance on parallelism of the
contact surface to surface A on the lower part, and the contact surface to surface B on the
upper part, as well as flatness of the surfaces, etc.


Example 2: Two parts bolted together. What is the tolerance for alignment of surfaces A
and B?







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Tapped Holes
Clearance Holes
1/4 20 bolts
Centerline of
clearance hole
1.502
1.498
1.502
1.498
A
B
Centerline of
tapped hole

Proceed as in the previous example, by considering two cases:
(1) All tolerances are at their limits so that B is as far to the left as possible, and
(2) All tolerances are at their limits so that B is as far to the right as possible.
In both cases, there are three parts to consider (assuming that the parts do not rotate so
both bolts act in parallel), so we need to consider the tolerance on the bolt shaft as well as
the blocks. Assume that the bolt manufacturers specification for bolt shaft diameter
is .250 , so the radius is .125 .
+.000
-.002
+.000
-.001

We must now consider the contact between the lower part and the bolt, and between the
bolt and the upper part. For the tapped hole in the lower part, we can assume that the
threads keep the bolt well-centered in the hole, so the centerline of the hole and the
centerline of the bolt coincide. (This is not a good assumption if the threads are poorly
formed or if only a few threads are engaged.) For the upper hole, we assume that the
edge of the hole is in contact with the bolt threads.

In addition, we must specify the size of the clearance hole in the upper part. From a tap
and drill chart, we select a loose clearance fit with a diameter of .266 (radius
.133 ) where the tolerance is the usual value for drilled holes of this diameter (see
table in Lueptow and Minbiole).
+0.002
-0.000
+.001
-.000

The resulting relationships are shown below, greatly exaggerated, for the case of
maximum displacement of the upper part to the left.


















+0.124
-0.134 -1.502
+1.498
A
B
Total displacement
0.016
Centerline of clearance
hole in upper part
Contact between edge of clearance
hole in upper part and bolt
Centerline of tapped hole
in lower part and
Centerline of bolt

Case (1): Maximum left displacement of top part
Set the tapped hole center location in the lower part (with surface A) to its minimum
size, so the upper part is displaced to the right as little as possible.
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Set the tolerance of the screw to its minimum value for the same reason.
Set the diameter of the clearance hole to its maximum value, so surface B is displaced
to the left as far as possible.
Likewise, set the hole center location in the upper part to its maximum.

As above, to calculate the displacement of B, assume that distances to the right are
positive and that surface A defines the zero point. Start at surface A, then add the distance
to the centerline of the tapped hole (which is the same as the centerline of the bolt), then
add the distance from the centerline of the bolt to the edge of the bolt (which is the same
as the edge of the clearance hole in the upper part), then subtract the distance to the center
of the clearance hole, then subtract the distance from the hole center to surface B:

1.498 + [(.250-.002)/2] [(.266+.002)/2] 1.502 = -.014

This means that surface B is .014 to the left of A.

Repeating the same procedure for the other direction and thus (or recognizing the
symmetry of the tolerances), we find the tolerance on the alignment between A and B is
+.014. This does not consider rotation of the upper part with respect to the lower, so that,
for example, the left edge of one clearance hole is resting against the bolt and the right
edge of the other hole is resting against the bolt; for this calculation, a similar calculation
of the limits of motion can be applied.

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